Cincinnati went from having no dedicated matcha shop to having two. Cinsei, a Black-owned manga and matcha café, started as a pop-up in Over-the-Rhine and moved into a larger space on East 13th Street in 2026. Little Matcha opened its permanent café in October 2025, just over the river in Covington. Around them, several of the city's best coffee shops make matcha that is worth crossing town for. All five below are verified open as of September 2026.
A Black-owned matcha café and manga shop run by Kendall and Jaleesa Ross. It started in a temporary space at Yard & Co. and moved into a larger room on East 13th Street in 2026, built for conversation and for fellow anime and manga fans. The drinks include hojicha and a rotating set of matcha latte flavours, such as strawberry and pistachio. The shelves carry manga, including Blue Lock, Naruto and One Piece, plus Japanese stationery and vinyl. The week is short, so check before you go: it opens Thursday to Saturday.
The Cincinnati area's other dedicated matcha café, just across the Ohio River in Covington. Little Matcha started as a pop-up and opened this permanent café on October 4, 2025. The menu goes beyond matcha lattes to hojicha and genmaicha lattes, plus Vietnamese coffee. It is small, with about sixteen seats inside and out, so it can fill up at weekends. Open seven days, from 7:30 on weekdays.
A café in Oakley that reopened in its current space and has become a neighbourhood favourite. The matcha is organic, and the cream-top matcha latte is the drink to order. The menu also runs to playful signature lattes. Hours are daytime only. Closed on Mondays.
A full-service coffee bar and brunch restaurant built around the flavours of the Middle East and the Mediterranean. The matcha drink to try is the Matcha Rose Latte, which pairs matcha with rose. It is a sit-down place rather than a quick stop.
A downtown coffee shop and bar near the river, and the most convenient good matcha latte in central Cincinnati. It opens at 7:00 on weekdays and stays open into the evening on Fridays and Saturdays, when it also serves drinks from the bar. Useful if you are staying downtown or heading to a game.
Make Matcha at Home
Inspired by what you tasted? These are the essentials for recreating café-quality matcha in your own kitchen.
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Tips for drinking matcha in Cincinnati
- Check Cinsei's days — it is open Thursday to Saturday only.
- Cross the river — Little Matcha in Covington is a short drive or walk over the Roebling Bridge from downtown.
- Two specialists, different styles — Cinsei leans hojicha and flavoured lattes; Little Matcha adds genmaicha.
- Haven and Alma are brunch spots — both work best as a sit-down stop rather than a quick matcha.
- Lola's for downtown — the most central option, open from 7:00 on weekdays.
More cities to explore
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