It seems like NYC is the place to be for matcha these days. +Chalait is the third matcha bar to open up in the last year. While there’s some danger of the market becoming overcrowded, I love that all of these places are introducing people to tea. In addition to matcha they offer espresso and a menu of bites and sandwiches. The first time that I visited the shop was very crowded. I grabbed a shot rather quickly. Served in a tiny espresso cup, it was a bit of a different experience than the one that I had at Matcha Cafe Wabi. I was excited to see that their loose leaf is supplied by In Pursuit of Tea.
On my second visit I was with some tea friends and it was a much more relaxed experience. We got seats at their sunny window and it was a great place for people watching. This time I went with the matcha americano and a matcha croissant. Holy cow was that delicious! I loved the combination of matcha cream with the raspberries. It’s something I’ll definitely have to try replicating at home. The americano basically tasted exactly like the shot but in a bigger service size. I’ll probably order that in the future, especially if I’m eating a flaky pastry.
You can find out more about Chalait here.