My Barcelona Matcha Guide

I am a huge fan of matcha. On every trip, I somehow end up dragging my friends and family to at least one café. One thing I was especially hoping to find in Barcelona was really good matcha. For me, the perfect cup isn’t overly milky, strikes a balance between earthy and sweet, and has that vibrant green color. I had a few spots saved before I even arrived, and I’m pretty sure I’ve made my way through all of them by now. So, here are my thoughts on some matcha spots around the city. And just as a disclaimer, I’m by no means a connoisseur, just a girl who genuinely loves her matcha. But I do think these places are worth checking out.

• Niwa Cafeteria: 8.9/10 

Niwa is a small cafe located a few minutes from the Lesseps stop on the L3 metro line. Their menu is pretty small so if you’re looking for flavored matcha lattes this might not be the place for you. However, the quality of the matcha is pretty solid. I typically get a regular matcha latte with sweetener and it is so good. The grassiness of the matcha comes through a bit without being bitter, which I love, and the color is a nice green. I think of all the places, the matcha by itself is the best here. 

Price: $5.80 for a plain matcha latte.

• Mooi:  8.7/10

Mooi Matcha is a relatively new cafe and I stumbled upon it when the cafe I was intending to go to ended up being closed. In addition to having the standard latte options, Mooi has peach, strawberry, and blueberry matcha lattes. If you have never had a blueberry matcha latte, you are missing out. Here, they add homemade blueberry jam to the base of the cup and it adds the perfect amount of sweetness to the drink. Blueberry goes so well with matcha, I honestly prefer it over strawberry. They didn’t skimp with the amount of blueberry and they really took their time to hand whisk the matcha. A great drink, I will be coming back. 

Price: $6.10 for a flavored latte.

• Nori: 8.5/10

This is where I tried blueberry matcha for the first time and it was so freaking good. A really good matcha flavor and color, not overly milky at all. They let you choose between three intensities of matcha, which I found to be great in case you wanted something less strong. I found the blueberry here to be a little mellower in comparison to Mooi but it still went so well with the matcha. I believe they do brunch as well and their pastries looked divine (I will be coming back for them). 

Price: $7.00 for a flavored latte. A little more expensive but still worth it.

• Circl: 8.3/10

Fun fact, Circl matcha is actually a pilates studio in addition to being a cafe. I went there my first week in Barcelona and it did not disappoint. I ordered their sour cherry matcha, which is a flavor I don’t typically go for, but it complemented the matcha very well. Not too bitter and not too sweet. If you are looking for a sweeter matcha drink, this might not be for you but the quality of matcha is really good. I recommend coming earlier in the day if you want to find seating.

Price: $8.19 - a little more expensive but a nice treat.

• BeanyWood: 8.3/10 

Beanywood is located inside the Gods clothing store by the Barcelona Cathedral. My favorite thing to get is their Coconut Cloud Matcha - I absolutely love it. It’s not overwhelmingly coconut-y and is extremely refreshing. I will say the matcha flavor isn’t as strong as some others I have had, but I still think the drink is overall very good. I loved coming here after class at the IES Abroad center (it’s about 10 minutes away)!

Price: $7.00

• Bonsai: 7.0/10

I was really looking forward to the matcha at Bonsai, especially because they had mango and strawberry matcha lattes. While the fruit inclusions were refreshing, I can’t say I really loved the matcha in combination with it. The matcha lacked the rich, earthy flavor I look for and the drink was a little too milky for my liking. If I were to go again, I would order the plain matcha latte instead of the mango/strawberry. However, if you are studying abroad in the Spring, they give away free matcha for their anniversary in April!

Price: $7.16

• Honorable Mention: Charlie’s Tea - 9.0/10

While this isn’t exactly matcha, I thought it deserved a mention due to the amount of times I went (it might be around 10…). Charlie’s Tea is a boba shop located off of Passeig de Gràcia, but their Jasmine Matcha Milk Tea is divine. If you like jasmine flavored beverages or pastries, this drink is a must try. This was another one of my favorite midday stops when I would travel between my UB classes and those at the IES Abroad center. 

Price: $7.00