BETHLEHEM, Pa. – A popular business, which has amassed a large and loyal following at local markets, festivals, and private events, is continuing to shine with its first brick-and-mortar location in Northampton County.
Cataleya Casa Del Matcha, a matcha bar offering high-quality matcha drinks made with hand-crafted syrups and other premium ingredients, held a soft opening on Saturday at 1421 Center St. in Bethlehem.
The new cafe occupies an updated property next to The Old Library Bookshop.
Ryan Kneller
Coral Guadalupe and her partner, Marcos Friessner, established the matcha business in spring 2025 as a mobile venture, setting up stands and serving made-to-order matcha drinks at Lehigh Valley events and venues such as the Bethlehem Rose Garden Farmers Market in West Bethlehem and Belleville Street Faire in South Bethlehem.
Guadalupe is a longtime matcha fan and started Cataleya Casa Del Matcha as a way to bring in extra income as a stay-at-home mom after welcoming her second child last year.
She also saw a “huge gap for high-quality matcha drinks” in the Lehigh Valley.
Cataleya Casa Del Matcha
“Personally, I love matcha, but I often found myself going to New York or Philadelphia to get a really great matcha drink,” Guadalupe told WFMZ. “So, I definitely saw a need for this type of business in the Lehigh Valley.”
Cataleya Casa Del Matcha occupies a renovated space featuring new flooring, wall paint, counters, and more.
Guadalupe announced the matcha bar’s opening on the business’s Instagram page, noting that “everything unfolded according to God’s plan.”
She also thanked friends, family, and customers for their support along the way.
“I’m so grateful and humbled by this space and everything it represents,” she stated in the online announcement.
“Being able to raise my babies while building this business is truly a dream come true. We poured so much love into every corner of this place.”
Matcha is green tea leaves that have been stone-ground into a very fine powder, and Cataleya serves high-quality, ceremonial-grade matcha sourced directly from Japan.
At the new matcha bar in Bethlehem, customers can enjoy traditional matcha drinks such as usucha, coicha, lattes, and cold whisked matcha, along with specialty matcha beverages like vanilla bean, strawberry, and mango.
Ryan Kneller
Milk options such as organic oat and grass-fed whole milk are available.
“Matcha is very high in antioxidants and very healthy overall,” Guadalupe said.
“You also get a good dose of caffeine without getting the crash or jitters. For our drinks, we use organic fruits and organic syrups, and we don’t use any refined sugars. We use agave and maple syrups as base sweeteners.”
The matcha bar also offers other drinks such as vanilla bean cold brew and morir soñando, with the latter being a creamy, citrusy, and refreshing Dominican beverage.
Cataleya Casa Del Matcha
At the new Bethlehem cafe, individuals can also purchase artisan-baked goods from partnering local bakers.
This weekend’s guest baker will be Sweet Haven by Ros, offering cinnamon rolls in various flavors, including banana pudding, s’mores, peach cobbler, and matcha.
“When you purchase from our baked goods case, you’re doing more than treating yourself — you’re supporting a local small business,” Guadalupe stated on the business’s Instagram page.
“One of our biggest goals is to create a space where our community can discover and support talented local bakers, makers, and entrepreneurs while keeping those dollars circulating right here in our community.”
Guadalupe is no stranger to the local business scene, having previously operated a pop-up shop, Cataleya Collections, offering the latest fashion trends for women and men, in downtown Allentown a few years ago.
Cataleya takes its name from the orchid flower that is native to Central and South America, Guadalupe said.
“I’m so excited to bring this new matcha bar to Bethlehem,” Guadalupe said.
“… I always have people asking me where our brick-and-mortar spot is located, and now I can tell them! So, the demand is definitely there, and we’re happy to satisfy it.”
During its soft-opening phase, the matcha bar is operating 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday through Sunday.
For the latest updates, follow Cataleya Casa Del Matcha on Instagram.