Project Matcha, 555 NE Couch St. 4.5/5 – Strawberry matcha latte with cream

Just as it receives much praise online, this café lives up to the hype. The matcha is a bright, vibrant green. Some of their spins on traditional matcha are something I have never seen before. The banana cream matcha latte is equally delicious. Every ingredient, from the fresh fruit to the cold foam, feels truly premium. However, it loses a half a star here for the price, with most drinks upwards of $7.25, though I do love to treat myself. Also, beware of the long morning lines.

Fehrenbacher Hof, 1225 SW 19th Ave. 4.5/5 – Hot matcha latte

This is my new go-to for a hot matcha latte, a bit different from my typical order. The milk is nicely foamed, blanketing a smooth, neither too sweet nor too bitter matcha. My main critique is that the matcha’s flavor is slightly overpowered by the milk. And at $4.50 for 12 oz. in this economy, the drink is a steal.

Bold Coffee & Books, 1755 SW Jefferson St. 3.5/5 – Iced matcha latte

This one gets a lower rating from me, mostly because of the price point compared to the Hof. Both places are about the same distance from the school. $6 for the 12 oz. drink is just somewhat too much for me (but the 10% off discount for Lincoln students helps!). The drink is nicely smooth, but the flavor is fairly average for a coffee shop matcha and tastes a bit diluted.

Tea Social, 806 NW 23rd Ave. 2/5 – Iced matcha milk tea

As a personal fan of Tea Social’s fruit teas, banh mi and atmosphere, their matcha was disappointing due to the characteristics of low-quality matcha powder, including graininess, a bitter, grassy flavor and dull color. However, at $5.50 for 24 ounces, the drink’s value is still appreciated. Tea Social is clearly a boba store rather than a matcha café. I am glad I chose to add tapioca pearls (an added 50 cents); the drink would have been even more underwhelming without them.