Leeds has built a real matcha scene in the last two years, almost all of it in the compact city centre. It ranges from specialty coffee bars that take ceremonial-grade matcha seriously, like RAW on Mill Hill, to Tsujiri, the Kyoto tea house that has been making matcha since 1860, and The Savvy Baker, whose Trinity Leeds shop has a dedicated matcha bar where every drink is whisked by hand. The Victorian arcades hide a couple more. All five below are verified open as of September 2026.
The Leeds specialty coffee shop for people who take their matcha as seriously as their espresso. Since opening in early 2024, RAW has built a following for its minimalist room, its own roasted coffee and a matcha menu that goes well beyond a latte: ceremonial-grade matcha hot or iced, a nitro matcha with oat milk and vanilla, matcha lemonades with seasonal fruit, and a caffeine-free blue matcha. Oat milk is standard. Prices are high for Leeds, around £4.50 for a plain matcha, but the quality matches.
The Leeds branch of Tsujiri, the Kyoto tea house founded in 1860, next to Kirkgate Market. The matcha comes from Kyoto and turns up across a menu of matcha teas, soft-serve ice cream, sundaes, floats and cakes, alongside matcha bubble tea and frappes. It is the most traditionally Japanese matcha address in the city and the best one for dessert. The café is compact, with vegan and gluten-free options, and also sells matcha powder to take home.
The Yorkshire brownie bakery's shop in Trinity Leeds, with an on-site cookie bakery and a dedicated matcha bar. Every matcha is whisked by hand with a traditional bamboo chasen before the milk goes in, which is rarer than it should be. The matcha menu leans playful, with drinks like a banana bread matcha latte, and it is designed to go with the brownies and blondies. Coffee comes from North Star. The long hours, until 21:00 Monday to Saturday, make it one of the latest matcha options in the city.
A small specialty coffee shop in Thornton's Arcade, the Victorian arcade between Briggate and Lands Lane. Kapow's matcha comes from Chaology and is smooth with a little bite, and the team has worked on every step, from training staff to keeping the matcha fresh. Coffee is from local roasters including North Star and Maude. It is tiny downstairs with more seating upstairs, and there is a no-laptops policy, which keeps it a place to sit and talk.
A tea bar on The Headrow serving Kyoto-style matcha blended with fresh fruit. The menu is built around flavoured matcha: strawberry matcha, sea salt and pistachio matcha, and mango coconut matcha. It is the sweetest and most playful of the five, and the late hours, from 11:00 to 22:00 every day, make it the latest matcha in Leeds. A good choice for an evening matcha or for anyone who prefers fruit-forward drinks.
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 Leeds
- RAW for purists — it is the best place in Leeds to taste ceremonial matcha, and its nitro matcha is not found elsewhere in the city.
- Tsujiri for dessert — the Kyoto tea house's matcha soft serve is the best matcha dessert in Leeds.
- Check the hours — RAW closes at 16:00 on weekdays; The Savvy Baker and Teapresso stay open into the evening.
- Explore the arcades — Kapow is in Thornton's Arcade; the Victorian arcades are worth a wander between stops.
- Pair with Manchester — Leeds and Manchester are under an hour apart by train.
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