What’s Up With the L.A. Matcha Craze of 2026?

As the seasons change, so do the preferences of L.A.’s drink enthusiasts. While Autumn has brought pumpkin spice lattes and dirty chais to the sweater-clad hands of sippers, the city’s matcha craze shows no sign of slowing down. Matcha, a green tea powder made from leaves grown in Kyoto and whisked together with milk or water, has become more than just a filtered-through Gen Z obsession. The anxious generation has turned to matcha for their caffeine fix, as it contains less caffeine than coffee or energy drinks. Green tea is purifying, smooth, and well paired with any meal. Does part of the appeal have to do with social media? A striking grass-green drink held up beside a brown Alo hoodie makes for a great Instagram post. Once again, the root of a trend can be traced back to internet users chattering about its uniqueness. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Joey King (@joeyking) These content creators were not solely focused on the beauty of a