Eight Grams Matcha, a cafe specializing in matcha-based drinks and desserts, opened on Bancroft Way across the street from Eshleman Hall on Jan. 19.
The cafe features soft green and white decor with a clean interior. Already, Eight Grams has seen lines extending past the door.
The cafe is currently in its soft opening phase, which means the menu and recipes are undergoing small adjustments. Currently, the menu comprises different matcha flavor variations, including strawberry, rose syrup, lavender and banana milk.
Customers can order their matcha as a classic latte, in smoothie form or over water, dubbed a “matcha-cano.”Eight Grams also serves matcha and hojicha pudding and cheese tarts.
According to cofounder Selena Le, the name Eight Grams refers to the amount of matcha the founders would pour in their own lattes — which is about two or more shots of espresso. Not all of the drinks actually contain eight grams of matcha, though some do, Le clarified.
“Matcha has been something that we have loved for a long time,” Le said. “And with the rise in (its) popularity, we wanted to bring a different concept to matcha that’s solely focused on matcha (in) being able to have different varieties, different cultivars.”
The cafe allows customers to choose from three different blends: kiso, sabi and haku. Le described kiso as a less bitter, introductory matcha; sabi as middling on the spectrum with brighter notes; and haku as the most premium blend out of the three, with more bitterness and nuttiness.
Sophia Brunet, a campus junior, said she was drawn to Eight Grams because she enjoys its matcha’s sweeter flavor profile.
“I also like fun combinations,” Brunet said. “I really like this place and (Binge Coffee House) because they always have fun flavors.”
Eight Grams is taking over what was formerly a RareTea storefront, which specialized in boba. RareTea is also owned by Eight Grams cofounder Tony Lei, who said he decided to convert the store after seeing how saturated Berkeley was with boba.
Although Lei said he has also noticed more matcha stores opening in the Bay Area, he said Eight Grams has more of an advantage in its relationship with matcha farmers. Because it sources matcha by the harvest directly from Japan, he said, it doesn’t need to pay a middleman distributor and there is less risk of impact from matcha shortages.
Lei had been planning to open a matcha shop for a while, and decided on Berkeley because of his personal connection to the place. He graduated with a degree in economics from UC Berkeley in 2011.
“I graduated from (UC) Berkeley, I started my business here in Berkeley,” Lei said. “We decided to come back to Berkeley because it’s just more special.”
Eight Grams is tentatively set to have its grand opening the week of Feb. 15.