This N.J. café claims to serve Japan’s rarest matcha. We investigated.

Matcha being whisked at Ooika in Princeton, NJ

Matcha being whisked at Ooika in Princeton, NJ (Lauren Musni|NJ Advance Media)Lauren Musni

Matcha has been a staple in Chinese and Japanese culture for centuries. But it has been only in the past decade or so that the vibrant green tea has stirred up major buzz in the United States.

It isn’t just fancy coffee shops serving the stuff anymore. Chains like Dunkin' started offering matcha lattes in 2020 and local favorite Rook Coffee followed in 2024.

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