8 Matcha Drinks From Popular Coffee Chains, Ranked

Matcha is a Japanese green tea powder that has become a global sensation. What was typically seen in Japanese tea ceremonies can now be found all over social media feeds, whether as a flavoring in desserts or as part of the drinks and coffee menus around the world. Once a luxurious commodity, matcha has been enjoyed for thousands of years. Now it is so popular that Japan can't satisfy the demanding market. Consumers are drawn to the colorful hues and visual aesthetics, but the complex, vegetal matcha flavor also has people hooked.

There are three types of matcha, and ceremonial-grade is the preferred choice for drinks. Matcha is made by grinding tea leaves into a powder that is then whisked with hot water until frothy. This frothed tea can be used to make a latte in place of espresso to create one of the most popular matcha drinks in recent years, the matcha latte. Following this popularity, coffee chains in the U.S. — including household names like Dunkin' to newcomers like Luckin Coffee — added matcha latte to their menu. So, we wanted to test a series of matcha lattes to determine which popular coffee chain takes the crown. To select the chains, I focused on those that have locations in several states, and to make the comparison as accurate as possible, the order always included iced matcha with regular milk and default sweetness. Flavor was the most important factor, but I also considered consistency, flavor intensity, sweetness, and which type of matcha was used. 

Dunkin', once known as Dunkin' Donuts, has been a staple American breakfast spot for decades. Founded in Massachusetts, this legendary coffee chain has been fueling working-class Americans with its coffee drinks, donuts, and breakfast bites. Having opened in 1950 and expanded to over 13,000 locations worldwide, it's no surprise this global chain jumped on the matcha bandwagon.

Dunkin' introduced matcha lattes to its drink menu back in 2020. The company uses matcha green tea powder produced in Nishio, Aichi prefecture, Japan. Although the brand behind Dunkin's matcha powder hasn't been officially confirmed, it is known that Dunkin' uses a matcha blend, which includes cane sugar, matcha green tea, and fruit pectin.

As somebody who isn't the biggest fan of sweet drinks, I found the Dunkin' iced matcha latte to be slightly sweeter than I would typically prefer. The sweetness came through immediately, along with subtle grassy undertones. The predominant flavoring was sweet and milky, and I found that the matcha flavor, although present, was a bit drowned out by the sweetness of the drink. The latte was lighter in color than others I've encountered, and some sips had a grainy consistency, likely from bits of undissolved powder. The drink would appeal to somebody who is a fan of sweeter things and anyone trying to slowly introduce themselves to matcha, since it has a very light grassiness. However, for matcha lovers, this is one I'd recommend skipping.

Pret A Manger, which is French for "ready to eat," may seem like a Parisian bistro, but this chain actually originated in London. The U.K.-based chain, which first opened its doors in 1986, specializes in freshly made sandwiches and organic coffee. In January 2025, Pret unveiled a selection of matcha beverages, from Matcha Lemonade to Strawberry Lavender Matcha Iced Latte. 

The company uses 100% organic, ceremonial-grade matcha from Tenzo, a brand that specializes in matcha products. It sources matcha from a family of farmers in Kagoshima, Japan, a region that has grown green tea in its fertile soil for over 400 years.

As for Pret's iced matcha latte, I expected it to be decent. Matcha has been mainstream for years now, and many consumers are privy to what goes into making a good quality matcha drink. Since Pret's matcha drink line is new, I had higher expectations. Unfortunately, the drink fell flat. The latte was very milk-forward, which can be somewhat expected of a latte; however, the matcha notes were mild and subdued. There was a hint of grassiness, but it was similar to Dunkin's, as it only came through as a slight aftertaste. Unlike the previous, Pret's latte had no sweetness at all. A good matcha latte should be able to walk the balance between vegetal earthiness and the sweetness of the latte. I only ranked this higher than the previous one because there was no graininess in its consistency.

Starbucks — the largest coffeehouse chain in the world — started as a single coffee shop in Seattle back in 1971. Since then, it has expanded worldwide, currently operating in 80 countries. The company was one of the first major chains to release a green tea latte made with matcha green tea powder back in 2006, introducing the drink to millions of American consumers.

In January 2025, Starbucks decided to revamp its matcha formula. Previously, the coffee chain used pre-sweetened matcha powder. Nowadays, unsweetened matcha powder is used along with pumps of simple syrup, allowing for more adaptability to meet customers' specific palates. I think this was a smart move for Starbucks, whose matcha lattes I found to be a little too sweet in the past. 

This time around, the chain's iced matcha latte has definitely improved. The standard small, or tall in Starbucks terms, iced matcha latte included two pumps of simple syrup and two scoops of matcha powder. The even proportions of syrup and matcha powder gave the drink a solid balance between sweet and bitter. The earthiness came through more prominently than in those ranked below. Overall, this is an approachable latte for those looking for a sweet, mild latte with no surprises.

A family-owned business, Gregorys Coffee was founded in 2006 in Manhattan, New York. The company has over 50 stores nationwide and roasts its own beans locally. It offers a variety of baked goods, with many health-conscious and vegan options. The chain's drink menu features multiple matcha drinks, like the Matchacado Smoothie or Yuzu Peach Matcha. Gregorys uses ceremonial-grade matcha from Uji, Japan, a place renowned for its tea that is also called the birthplace of the Japanese ceremonial tea-drinking.

Gregorys iced matcha latte is straight to the point as it includes water, matcha powder, and milk. This was a solid iced matcha latte. The drink was silky in texture and coated the mouth. There was a hint of sweetness that wasn't overpowering, and those grassy, slightly bitter notes didn't get lost. Although I do wish matcha was more pronounced. All in all, if you're on the go and want to grab a quick matcha on your way, Gregorys iced matcha latte will do the job.

Blank Street Coffee is the newest coffee chain on this list. It was founded in 2020 out of a tiny coffee cart in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Since then, Blank Street has taken New York City by storm and even expanded overseas, with locations in London. For such a new business, the chain would be remiss if it didn't include matcha on the menu.

Luckily, Blank Street is in tune with the latest consumer trends and features a variety of matcha beverages, with unique flavors like banana bread and salted pistachio. Blank Street uses ceremonial-grade matcha, while its U.K. site even plans to sell tins of its matcha that's sourced from traditional, family-run Japanese farms.

Although Blank Street has a variety of creative matcha beverages, the true test of a coffee shop is to have good quality classics. As for Blank Street's iced matcha latte, it definitely does the job; however, I thought it'd be higher on the list. In terms of flavor, I felt it was quite similar to Gregorys, but had more of a pronounced earthy aftertaste, which I enjoyed. There was subtle sweetness, and the earthiness of the matcha came through. I prefer a slightly stronger matcha flavor, but all in all, this was a mild, tasty latte.

Luckin Coffee opened its first U.S. spot in 2025, but the brand isn't new to the coffee game. Founded in 2017, Chinese Luckin Coffee has already surpassed Starbucks in terms of store count in its home country. As China's largest coffee chain, Luckin is a tech-driven business that has no cashiers, ensuring streamlined and efficient process. Also, the drinks are incredibly cheap. The company constantly has deals and specials, where drinks can go for as low as 99 cents.

Starbucks' biggest competitor, Luckin also has a range of matcha drinks and a matcha series called Meet your Match(a). When I went to Luckin, the matcha latte listed on the menu was called the Iced Kyoto Matcha Latte and was made with 100% Japanese matcha from Kyoto. As someone who doesn't enjoy super-sweet drinks, I actually liked this, but this is definitely not a drink for matcha purists.

The latte I ordered came with four pumps of cane sugar syrup and eight pumps of matcha sauce. The sweetness was enhanced by reduced-fat vanilla ice cream mix, heavy cream, and condensed milk, which came through with each sip. Although sweet, the flavor was complex, which was refreshing since many lattes tasted similar to one another. Visually, this latte was the prettiest out of the bunch. It was topped with a frothy green foam and fresh matcha powder. The drink was velvety and well-blended. Though I expected stronger earthy notes, the matcha flavor was relatively mild. If you like sweet lattes, this is the drink for you.

Stumptown Coffee Roasters is a retailer and roaster based in Portland, Oregon. Founded in 1999, Stumptown fosters direct relationship with producers from multiple countries, and it's known for its high-quality, specialty coffee. Stumptown has a variety of store-bought iced coffees and coffee beans, but it also has locations throughout the U.S. that sell pastries and drinks, including matcha lattes.

The matcha latte at Stumptown is hand-whisked, which significantly helps with consistency. Matcha powder never completely dissolves, so hand-whisking helps to suspend and separate it into froth so that it doesn't clump up. Stumptown uses matcha powder from the brand Spirit Tea, a small American tea importer that sells high-quality matcha and works directly with producers.

The high-quality matcha and hand-whisking are details that solidify Stumptown's version in the top of this ranking. The latte had a silky consistency, likely a testament to all the whisking. It wasn't too sweet, since the coffee chain doesn't add sweetener unless requested. This allowed those vegetal matcha qualities to take the forefront. The latte was smooth, with an earthy flavor you didn't have to search for. Overall, Stumptown Coffee Roasters has a tasty iced matcha latte.

What started as the dream of a freelance clarinetist who converted his potting shed into a roastery in 2002 has evolved into a series of cafes and roasteries across the U.S. and Asia. Blue Bottle Coffee, which was named after a famous European coffee shop, was actually inspired in part by Japanese coffee culture, so it makes sense that Blue Bottle Coffee would prioritize having high-quality matcha beverages.

When I ordered Blue Bottle iced matcha latte, I was surprised to see it served in a paper cup. I didn't know what to expect, but based on the presentation, or lack thereof, I wasn't expecting too much. However, looks can be deceiving, and inside that cardboard cup was my favorite matcha latte from this list.

This is largely due to the matcha flavor, which was the strongest out of the bunch. The matcha, which is ceremonial-grade and sourced from Uji, Japan, is savory and sufficiently earthy. It tasted slightly bitter on the forefront but mellowed out over time. The latte had a hint of sweetness that paired well with the grassy, slightly nutty matcha. The drink itself was also slightly thicker and less watered down than others, with a silky mouthfeel. Out of all of the matcha lattes I've tried from this ranking, Blue Bottle took the top spot because it was the most well-balanced, and you could actually taste the matcha immediately.

When selecting coffee chains to include in this ranking, I focused on coffee shops with locations in multiple states beyond New York, where I am based, or in other countries besides the United States. Since I ordered or picked up each matcha latte in person, I made sure to order each latte iced and with regular milk in order to make accurate comparisons. Aside from the milk and temperature options, I left the sweetness and matcha levels as the defaults listed at each location. I did this to get a fair analysis of what each store provides, rather than catering it specifically to my preferences. When trying each drink, I focused on the consistency of the drink itself, the level of matcha flavor that came through, the type of matcha used, and the sweetness level of each latte. The main qualifier was the overall taste of the drink.