Forest Tea Bar

Finally got to try this spot and can say that the matcha quality is very good! The hojicha as well was toasty and nutty (aside from the sesame that blended with it so well). The service was also very pleasant and helpful. Definitely will stop by to try other matcha and hojicha types.

This is a good spot, but definitely not somewhere I’d do a long drive just to visit. The matcha is very fresh and well prepared, and the carbonated drink was tasty. That said, the drinks are small, you’re realistically done in 3–4 sips (or two if you take big ones). The cups are very small and they serve a looooot of ice, which makes the portion feel even smaller. Service was friendly and the quality of the drinks was good, but paying $7+ for what feels like a cup of ice with very little liquid doesn’t feel worth it to me. I’m giving it 3 stars: good service, good drinks, but the value just isn’t there for the price.

Hands down the best matcha spot I’ve tried outside of Japan and so glad it’s close to home. Their matcha is strong, smooth, the perfect emerald green and milk to matcha ratio, made to order in a lovely atmosphere with great staff. I’ve tried pretty much everything on their menu because it’s a ~45 min trek for me (totally worth it) so I usually drink one there and order multiple to go (if only they had a loyalty card, haha). My favorite is their black sesame matcha latte — perfect ratio of matcha richness with the nuttiness of sesame. Their uji matcha is also great and strong. If you prefer matcha with a bit of sweetness, their genmaicha matcha is great. Their Hojicha latte is also my favorite outside of Japan; their version with maple syrup is smooth and creamy. Looking forward to trying their black sesame Hojicha on my next visit.

Unfortunately the genmaicha matcha latte is one of the best matcha beverage I've had: so perfectly balanced, not too sweet, good quality matcha that really shines alongside the genmaicha. They absolutely do take their time whisking the matcha for that "zen" appearance (imo most of it seems performative - but who am I to say?), so only come here if you have the extra time to appreciate it. There wasn't many people when I went and it still took 15 minutes to come out, and the cup is about 2/3 the size of other places so it's definitely on the pricey side. Didn't want to love the drink as much as I did, so that really said something. Probably wouldn't come back here too much still

This matcha shop has been on my list for a long time, finally I have time to visit today! The matcha with rose flavor is my favorite, I believe is the best matcha I have had so far in the Bay Area! The design is neat and comfy. I will stop by again for my matcha when I go to Berkeley again ☺️☺️