Long Beach's matcha scene is characterised by genuine creativity — banana cream matcha, Mojito Matcha with house-made syrups, Korean-inspired banana pudding matcha lattes — alongside more traditional ceremonial-grade offerings. The city's diversity of food cultures gives its café scene a distinctive, experimental edge that makes it one of the most interesting places to drink matcha in Southern California. All five spots below are verified open as of April 2026.
The most-mentioned dedicated matcha café in Long Beach and the natural first stop for anyone exploring the city's matcha scene. Meccha Matcha builds its entire concept around ceremonial-grade matcha, offering multiple sweetness levels so you can dial in exactly the preparation you want. The matcha shaved ice with red bean is a seasonal standout, and the banana cream matcha has developed a local obsession-level following. Strong flavour, quality sourcing, and a genuinely matcha-focused menu make this the benchmark against which all other Long Beach matcha spots are measured.
A Korean café that went viral on TikTok for its banana pudding matcha latte and matcha einspanner — two drinks that represent the creative, visually driven end of Long Beach's café scene at its best. What separates Cafe The Scoop from imitations is the commitment to fresh ingredients: real bananas, fresh fruit, careful preparation. The beautiful aesthetics are backed by consistent quality that keeps visitors coming back for the drinks themselves, not just the photos. One of the most reliably impressive matcha addresses in Long Beach, and a strong indicator of where the city's café scene is headed.
Consistently ranked among Long Beach's best for matcha lattes, Stereoscope Coffee has built a reputation for a top-rated matcha einspanner — matcha topped with lightly whipped cream in the Viennese tradition — in a calm, stylish café environment with plenty of seating. The space is well-designed and unhurried, making it an ideal choice for visitors who want to sit and savour their matcha rather than grab and go. Strong across the matcha menu and a reliable anchor for anyone building a Long Beach matcha itinerary.
A Vietnamese-inspired café near Cal State Long Beach that brings a distinctly Southeast Asian approach to the matcha menu — most notably through its bestselling Banana Matcha Latte topped with sweetened banana cream, a creative and deeply satisfying combination that has won over students, locals, and food tourists alike. Trung Nguyen draws on the Vietnamese café tradition of inventive ingredient layering, resulting in matcha drinks that feel genuinely original rather than derivative. For visitors who want to experience how matcha translates through a Vietnamese café lens, this is a must-visit address.
Located on Retro Row at 366 Cherry Ave and praised by the official Long Beach tourism board for what they describe as a "matcha obsession" menu, Alder & Sage brings a creative, herb-forward approach to its matcha programme. House-made syrups are the key differentiator here: the Mint Agave Matcha Latte, the Mojito Matcha, and rotating seasonal specials using unique botanical ingredients elevate the menu well beyond what you'd expect from a neighbourhood café. For visitors who want Long Beach matcha at its most creative and characterful, Retro Row is the destination.
Tips for drinking matcha in Long Beach
- Meccha Matcha is the dedicated specialist — multiple sweetness levels and ceremonial-grade matcha make it the most reliable starting point for serious matcha drinkers.
- Cafe The Scoop for TikTok-worthy freshness — the banana pudding matcha latte with real fruit is genuinely as good as it looks.
- Alder & Sage for the most creative menu — the Mojito Matcha on Retro Row is one of the most inventive matcha drinks in Southern California.
- Trung Nguyen for Vietnamese-inspired matcha — near Cal State, the banana cream topping is an inspired combination worth making a special trip for.
More cities to explore
Further reading
Find more matcha in Long Beach
Use our finder to search cafés by neighbourhood, opening hours, and drink style.
🍵 Find Matcha Near Me