Best matcha cafés in Cape Town
CafeMatcha
This list is in no particular order. Every spot here does matcha a little differently, from purist ceremonial bars to flavour-forward menus a mile long, so the best one really depends on the mood you're in.
A quick word before the list. Cape Town has quietly become a proper matcha town, and most of these places whisk to order with good Japanese powder rather than scooping from a tub of pre-sweetened mix. If you want to taste the matcha itself, ask for it with less syrup, or order it hot, where there's nowhere for a bad powder to hide.
Stellski Coffee Bar & Café
The Bree Street store is a cosy spot tucked into a communal space just off the main drag, away from the traffic, with warm service and good cake. They pour Superlatte Ceremonial matcha, so the cup behind the latte is the real thing. Once you've found your footing, there are two more Stellski spots to try, a bigger, dog-friendly favourite in Woodstock and a newer Sea Point store that's quickly become a local for the post-run crowd.
Kanela
Kanela has been treating Cape Tonians to some of the best matcha in town since way back when. They serve both Superlatte Ceremonial matcha, and Superlatte Matcha Mint, which has become a crown favourite at this Sea Point road. Come for the matcha lattes, stay for their Friday AM raves, IYKYK.
Nice To Matcha
Sea Point's beloved original, and the one most people name first. They whisk ceremonial-grade matcha from Uji, Kyoto, and the care shows in everything from the cup to the room. Regulars rave about staff remembering their order, and the matcha cheesecake has a following of its own. Beautiful, intentional, and consistently excellent.
Ceremony Matcha Bar
Started as an online matcha brand, now a much-loved bar on the Sea Point promenade. A favourite stop for a post-run matcha, with a calm, beautifully designed space and add-ons you won't find elsewhere, like the matcha cloud foam and vanilla bean with palm sugar. Plenty of people call it their single best cup in the city. Worth it for the purists and the sweet-tooths alike.
Wildsprout
The Constantia store is the flagship here, set in the Constantia Village courtyard with a pretty garden, a health-food shop attached, and a menu built around fresh, mostly plant-based food. They use Superlatte Ceremonial matcha, so it's a properly made cup rather than an afterthought on a coffee menu. If Constantia is out of your way, there are two more Wildsprouts worth knowing, a long-standing one in Kenilworth with a great little grocery, and a Sea Point store loved for its breakfasts and smoothie bowls.
Conscious Matcha
A proper matcha tea house on Kloof Street, and a treat if you like to explore. The menu is genuinely the most extensive matcha list around, with adaptogens and unusual pairings like vanilla fig and lavender. The matcha leans natural rather than sugary, which fans of the real thing will appreciate, and the food gets just as much love as the drinks.
Cova Matcha and Coffee
A small, very photogenic Sea Point spot that's been all over social feeds, and for some people the best matcha in town. The maple sea salt and the vanilla with foam are the ones to try. Worth knowing the cold foam is an extra, so the bill can creep up, but the quality and the room make it an easy stop.
Love Matcha
The most flavour-forward of the bunch, and the easiest to find since they've got several spots including Kloof Street, Sea Point, and Canal Walk. Expect strawberry, mango, and plenty of fruity riffs, often with oat milk. Less about ceremonial purity, more about a fun, approachable cup, with service people clearly enjoy. A good gateway if you're new to matcha.
Matcha and More
A small, friendly spot up at Three Anchor Bay, tucked in at The Grid Padel. Early opening makes it handy for a pre-work or pre-game cup, the matcha is ceremonial grade, and the date matcha gets a special mention. Newer and lesser-known, so a nice one to catch before everyone else does.
A last thought. The best matcha café for you is partly about how you take it. If you drink it plain, head for the purist bars like Nice To Matcha or Ceremony. If you want it sweet and fun, Love Matcha will treat you well. For a proper sit-down meal alongside your matcha, Wildsprout and Stellski are the easy picks. And if you just want to see how deep the rabbit hole goes, Conscious Matcha's menu is the one to lose an afternoon in.