Popular Japan matcha chain to open first North American location in Toronto
A matcha chain that's a huge hit in Japan is about to open its first-ever North American location, and it's landing smack-dab in one of Toronto's buzziest neighbourhoods.
If you're a Toronto resident who's never heard of The Matcha Tokyo before... you're honestly no different than I was a few weeks ago.
I was first introduced to the chain on my regular commute along the 63 Ossington bus route, and saw the bunting up for a location of what I could reasonably assume would be a matcha cafe, on the popular strip.
Taking over the space that most recently housed Saigon Snacks, I was correct in my assumption that The Matcha Tokyo would be a matcha cafe. I had entirely underestimated what a phenomenon the cafe really is, though.
Established in Tokyo in 2018, The Matcha now operates six locations in Japan and nearly 50 more across Southeast and Central Asia, the Middle East, and Guam.
Now, the chain finds itself, after eight years of building up its impressive footprint across the eastern side of the globe, here we are: The Matcha Tokyo is about to open its first-ever North American location on Ossington.
A representative from The Matcha tells blogTO that the chain is "excited" to open soon in Toronto.
"Toronto felt like a natural fit for the brand, particularly the Ossington area, which has a strong café culture and a community that appreciates thoughtfully crafted food and beverages," they say.
The business is more than just a place to get your tried-and-true matcha lattes and lemonades, though: it's an ode to high-quality matcha itself.
The menu at The Matcha Tokyo revolves solely around 100 per cent organic matcha sourced exclusively from Japan, including traditional matcha beverages, contemporary creations, desserts and retail products.
"Our goal is to introduce Toronto to an authentic matcha experience while maintaining the quality and philosophy the brand is known for internationally," the representative tells blogTO.
The exact opening date for the cafe is still up in the air as of now, but The Matcha confirms that it's in the "final stages of preparing the space," so the wait shouldn't be too much longer.
The Matcha Tokyo's first Toronto location will be located at 139 Ossington Ave.
@the_matcha_tokyo/Instagram
