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DRINK THIS: ICED MATCHA WITH STRAWBERRY COLD FOAM AT VERVE
In late February, Verve Coffee Roasters launched a nine-drink matcha menu, bringing a wave of new beverages to its drink list that expanded far beyond the singular matcha latte that was there before. It got me thinking, why now? Most local coffeehouses have had at least one matcha drink on their menu for a decade. Why is Verve, one of the biggest local names in coffee, suddenly seeing green?
I spoke with project manager Mar Perez, as well as Joel Estby, the co-owner of 11th Hour Coffee in Santa Cruz, and Herman Madrigal, the retail manager at Cat & Cloud Coffee, to discuss if matcha was riding a new wave of popularity. Social media is driving customer interest in matcha, Perez said, and creating a more educated customer who wants higher-quality matcha and more creative beverages.
Coffee prices are also at a historic high, and are now comparable to traditionally more expensive matcha, said Estby. That might influence customers and coffee shops to lean in to matcha over a comparably more expensive cup of joe, said Madrigal.
The best part of researching this story was that I, with very little matcha experience, received a crash course in local matcha drinks. I have tried more than 10 over the past week, and yes, I’m buzzing. I also have a new appreciation for matcha and its range of flavors. My new go-to afternoon pick-me-up is a matcha cappuccino, available at most coffeehouses if you ask. On a hot day, nothing beats the heat like a tangy, sweet matcha lemonade ($6) from 11th Hour.
When I want a treat, I will go back to Verve for the strawberry cold foam matcha ($7.50), topped with a thick layer of luscious strawberry cold foam flecked with bright-pink sprinkles of dehydrated strawberry that slowly melts into the creamy chartreuse-colored drink. Decadent, creamy and playful.
BEST OF THE WEEK AHEAD
Below, find a curated list of the best food and drink events in Santa Cruz County for the coming week. At the top, I share my picks of unmissable local happenings.
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NEWS OF THE WEEK
ICYMI – here are the food news stories from Lookout that you might have missed, plus important news from beyond our borders picked by yours truly.
- Live Oak’s school farm gains momentum with $125K matching donation and spring fundraising dinner (Lookout)
- Soquel’s Silver Spur opens second location in Watsonville (Lookout)
- COVID changed the world but not restaurants (Grub Street)
- Steak ‘n Shake was struggling. It turned to beef tallow – and MAGA (Washington Post)
