Eight Grams Matcha is one of Berkeley’s newest matcha cafes across campus on Bancroft Way. We discovered the cafe on its opening day of Jan. 19, and saw that the menu includes different varieties of matcha, including flavors such as banana, strawberry, rose, and lavender. The cafe also offers different flavored cold foam toppings and syrups that blend well with each matcha base. All three matcha blends had a unique profile with balanced flavor. The minimalist interior of the cafe offers a calming environment, making it ideal for studying during non-busy hours.

When ordering a flavored matcha, the cafe allows customers to choose from three different base 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. Their matcha is sourced in Japan, with the blends ranging in different intensity levels. 

We were offered a tasting of the different blends, which we took notes on:

Kiso

Kiso, when presented, is a bright green color, close to the shade of an unripe lemon. This blend of matcha was very light and fragrant, with less focus on the bitterness most matchas offer. When asked about her thoughts on this type of matcha, Nina Pernice ‘26 said, “I can see myself drinking this as a treat.” 

Sabi 

Sabi was a nice shade of calm pale green, with a fresh matcha scent. When we tasted it, we loved it; it was the perfect balance of the earthiness of matcha and the subtle sweetness the blend added. We noticed that the Sabi blend was vibrant and slightly sweet with low bitterness. Adele Benafield ’27 said, “I like that it’s the perfect mix of being subtly sweet and bitter at the same time.” 

Haku 

The last was Haku, a dark jade-rich blend of matcha. Since we are both not very familiar with matcha, it wasn’t the fit for our taste palate. The flavor profile of Haku was distinctly smooth and had grassy notes that made it slightly more bitter than the other blends. Isaac Hysten ’27 said, “This was my first time trying this blend. I was worried it would taste too bitter, but surprisingly it was good.” In general, we can see ourselves in the future enjoying a matcha from this blend, but for now our favorite remains Sabi. 

Overall, we recommend Eight Grams Matcha to anyone looking to try distinct matcha blends in Berkeley. This cafe presents a promising future in the East Bay community, bringing authentic Japanese flavors to Berkeley and offering a calming environment for college and high school students alike to study and socialize.