Umami Matcha Café occupies a bright room on Rue Béranger near République and Temple in the north-eastern Marais. There is a long bar, a line of white tables and a Japanese grocery corner to browse on the way out. The tea is the reason to choose this address. It also works when one person in the group would rather have coffee and everyone wants to eat at the same table.
Matcha
Start with a straight matcha if you want to taste the tea on its own. The menu also gives it more familiar forms, including lattes and richer signature drinks. Plant milks are available. If you are having one of the matcha desserts, consider a plain tea or a less sweet drink alongside it so you can taste both preparations clearly. Ask the bar what it recommends if you are new to matcha.
Coffee
The café serves espresso drinks and V60 as part of the wider menu. A black coffee with a matcha cake is one way to try what the kitchen does if you would rather drink coffee than tea. For a visit centred on beans and brewing, choose one of the Marais coffee bars. Here the coffee makes the breakfast or dessert stop work for a wider group.
Food
The Matcha Morning breakfast pairs a hot drink with homemade yuzunade, matcha-and-cranberry brioche, fruit and a choice such as granola or matcha chia pudding. Weekend brunch is a fuller meal. If you are passing between meals, choose a drink and look for matcha cheesecake or cookies. The grocery corner is a continuation of the menu. If you enjoyed the tea or the citrus in the breakfast, take a look at the Japanese pantry products on the shelves before you leave. Ask which matcha you tasted if you want to make the same style of tea at home.
Service & Room
The long bar and tables suit a sit-down stop. The room can get busier at weekend brunch, and the operator takes reservations by phone. The takeaway shop on Rue Pierre Demours in the 17th has a different purpose. Use Rue Béranger for a table, the broader menu and time to browse the groceries after eating.
Why Filter Notes shortlisted Umami Matcha Café
Choose Umami for a tea-led breakfast or a matcha and dessert near République. The café gives a mixed group coffee and tea options with enough food to make a meal. Come outside the busiest brunch period if the quieter side of the room matters.