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Matcha

Queues at Tanning Lemontea in Box Hill.

‘Cheese tea’, bubble and not a tea bag in sight: The new-wave tea shops worth queuing for

Specialty tea shops, many originating in Taiwan and China, have exploded in Australia in the last five years. What’s behind their popularity in a coffee-loving country?

  • Annie Hariharan
Inside Project Zero on King Street.

Project Zero

Hole-in-the-wall King Street cafe serving coffee, matcha, pastries and more.

  • Emma Breheny and Emily Holgate
Kinder Bueno, pistachio, Biscoff and traditional cinnamon scrolls at Sundays Bondi.

Worth the wait? Hundreds queue for scrolls at a tiny, unmarked bakery

For the past two weekends, the line on Bondi Road has snaked around the block. Good Food joined the queue to find out what makes Sundays so special.

  • Bianca Hrovat
Wagyu short rib teishoku (set meal) served with rice, miso soup and more.

Omi 380

A one-stop dining hall for all the current hits of Japanese food.

  • Quincy Malesovas
Omi 380 is a new Japanese destination in Melbourne CBD with five venues in one.

Find matcha, wagyu skewers, sushi tacos and more at a new one-stop Japanese dining hall

Getting your Japanese fix has never been simpler, thanks to a one-of-a-kind mega venue that wraps five different venues into one. And it’s inspired by a Melbourne institution that might surprise you.

  • Quincy Malesovas
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All matcha is whisked by hand.

Essential Melbourne Cafes and Bakeries of 2025: Matcha & Specialty Drinks

From Mont Blancs to nom chompoo, here are some of our favourite cafe drinks beyond the flat white.

Bloomwood cafe-bakery on Exhibition Street.

Melbourne’s cafes have always been world-class. But in 2025 they’ve got even better

As we announce Good Food’s Essential Melbourne Cafes and Bakeries, Emma Breheny looks at the city’s shift from macchiatos to matcha, and the rise of third culture cooking.

  • Emma Breheny
Angus in Marrickville.

Angus

This cafe is a finalist in the best all-rounder category in Good Food’s Essential Sydney Cafes and Bakeries of 2025.

Pouring the freshly whisked matcha at Matcha Kobo.

Matcha Kobo

This venue is a finalist in the best matcha and specialty drinks category in Good Food’s Essential Melbourne Cafes and Bakeries of 2025.

Pistachio matcha at Naau Cafe.

Naau Cafe

This venue is a finalist in the best matcha and specialty drinks category in Good Food’s Essential Melbourne Cafes and Bakeries of 2025.

Original URL: https://www.theage.com.au/goodfood/topic/matcha-6hnu