10 California Cafés That May Surprise You With Matcha Gelato
Matcha gelato has become a California sensation, bringing together the earthy richness of Japanese green tea with Italy’s creamy frozen dessert.
What makes this treat special is finding it in unexpected places coffee shops known primarily for their brews.
I’ve discovered some amazing cafés across the Golden State where baristas are crafting exceptional matcha gelato alongside their coffee specialties.
1. The Mill, San Francisco
Hidden behind The Mill’s famous toast and coffee facade lies a matcha gelato that will stop you in your tracks. The owners partnered with a local Japanese chef to perfect their recipe, which balances ceremonial-grade matcha powder with organic dairy from Petaluma farms.
I was blown away by how they serve it in a handmade ceramic bowl with a sprinkle of sea salt and a drizzle of local honey. During summer months, they offer a special version with black sesame brittle mixed in.
What’s remarkable is how this bustling bread and coffee spot transforms into a gelato destination after 2 PM, when locals know to line up for their fix before daily supplies run out.
2. Alfred Coffee, Los Angeles
When celebs need their matcha gelato fix, they head to Alfred Coffee on Melrose Place. Though famous for their “But First, Coffee” slogan, their secret weapon is actually a matcha gelato that rivals anything in Tokyo.
The owner’s grandmother, who lived in Kyoto for 30 years, passed down the recipe that uses ceremonial-grade matcha whisked by hand each morning. You’ll find me grabbing their signature matcha affogato hot espresso poured over matcha gelato creating a mind-blowing temperature contrast.
If you’re lucky enough to visit on Fridays, they offer a special black sesame and matcha swirl that isn’t advertised but spreads by word of mouth among LA’s food insiders.
3. Blue Bottle Coffee, Oakland
Beneath the industrial chic exterior of Blue Bottle’s Oakland headquarters lies a matcha gelato laboratory where perfection is pursued relentlessly. Their head chef spent three years developing a recipe that incorporates ceremonial-grade matcha from a single farm in Uji, Japan.
The texture here is what sets it apart somehow simultaneously dense yet airy, with microscopic ice crystals that create an almost velvety mouthfeel. I particularly love their weekend special: matcha gelato sandwiched between two black sesame cookies.
Did you know they actually fly in a matcha master from Kyoto twice yearly to train their staff? This dedication shows in every spoonful of their intensely green, never bitter gelato that’s available only at their flagship location.
4. Intelligentsia Coffee, Los Angeles
Intelligentsia’s Silver Lake location transforms into a matcha wonderland each afternoon when their house-made gelato makes its appearance. The mastermind behind this unexpected treat is their pastry chef who studied gelato-making in Florence before apprenticing with a tea master in Kyoto.
Their signature offering pairs the matcha gelato with a shot of their famous Black Cat espresso for a dessert that delivers both caffeine kicks. My favorite detail is how they garnish each serving with house-candied yuzu peel that cuts through the creaminess perfectly.
Though this hip coffee joint is perpetually packed with laptop warriors, locals know to arrive at 3pm when fresh batches emerge from their tiny kitchen, often selling out within two hours.
5. Verve Coffee Roasters, Santa Cruz
Surfers fresh from catching waves head straight to Verve Coffee Roasters for their legendary matcha gelato. This beachside café collaborated with a local organic dairy to create a recipe that captures Santa Cruz’s laid-back vibe with a Japanese twist.
Their matcha gelato stands out for its subtle sweetness and incredible creaminess, achieved through a 48-hour aging process for the base. If you’re feeling adventurous, try their surfboard sampler three mini scoops of different matcha intensities served on a wooden board shaped like a surfboard.
Weekends bring special variations like matcha-strawberry swirl using berries from nearby farms or matcha-honey with lavender harvested from their rooftop garden. This unexpected beach town treat has developed such a following that they now ship pints statewide.
6. Philz Coffee, San Francisco
Philz Coffee might be famous for their mint mojito coffee, but insiders know their Mission District location hides an extraordinary matcha gelato. The family-run business partnered with a third-generation Japanese-American gelato maker to develop this secret menu item.
Unlike other cafés, Philz takes a bold approach by infusing their matcha gelato with hints of cardamom and vanilla bean. Each batch is made in small quantities, churned slowly to minimize air incorporation, resulting in an intensely creamy texture.
You won’t find this treat advertised anywhere it’s strictly word-of-mouth and served only after 1pm. The best part? They’ll top it with a splash of their famous mint mojito coffee if you ask nicely, creating a flavor combination that’s uniquely San Francisco.
7. Stumptown Coffee Roasters, Venice
Forget the typical Venice Beach smoothies Stumptown’s matcha gelato has become the neighborhood’s coolest treat. Their head chef, formerly of a three-Michelin-star restaurant, created this recipe after a transformative trip to Uji, Japan’s matcha capital.
What makes their version special is the contrast between the intensely bitter matcha base and swirls of house-made white chocolate ganache. I love watching them serve it in a custom-made cone dipped in black sesame seeds and topped with a tiny gold leaf.
Though their coffee remains legendary, this Venice Beach location has developed a reputation as a dessert destination. The secret’s getting out they now offer matcha gelato-making workshops once monthly that sell out within minutes of being announced on their Instagram.
8. Sightglass Coffee, San Francisco
Tucked in Sightglass Coffee’s SOMA warehouse, a tiny gelato counter serves the most photogenic matcha treat in San Francisco. Their Japanese-trained pastry chef creates a matcha gelato that’s whisked to order with ceremonial-grade powder imported directly from a small family farm outside Kyoto.
The presentation here is next-level each serving comes in a black ceramic bowl with a bamboo spoon and is garnished with a sakura blossom preserved in salt during cherry blossom season. My favorite pairing is their matcha affogato, where hot houjicha tea is poured over the frozen matcha.
Though this industrial-chic coffee roaster doesn’t advertise their gelato program, the distinctive green desserts visible throughout the café have created an underground following among San Francisco’s food photographers and matcha enthusiasts.
9. Go Get Em Tiger, Los Angeles
Go Get Em Tiger’s Highland Park location transforms into matcha heaven each afternoon when their house-made gelato emerges. The owner’s passion project began after a life-changing tea ceremony experience in Kyoto and has evolved into LA’s most innovative matcha program.
Their signature style incorporates micro-batches of different matcha varieties, creating a complex flavor profile that changes subtly throughout the year. The real magic happens with their toppings from house-made mochi to black sesame brittle or pickled cherry blossoms.
If you’re feeling indulgent, order their Matcha Mountain a scoop of gelato served with a shot of their almond-macadamia milk and a side of hot matcha for pouring over. This creates a transformative dessert experience that evolves as you eat it, with temperatures and textures playing off each other.
10. Lineage Coffee, Pasadena
Lineage Coffee might look like a typical neighborhood café, but it harbors a remarkable secret the owner’s grandmother makes small-batch matcha gelato using techniques she brought from Kyoto fifty years ago. This family legacy creates possibly the most authentic matcha experience in Southern California.
The gelato here is distinctly less sweet than American versions, allowing the complex, grassy notes of high-grade matcha to shine through. They serve it in traditional wooden cups with a sprinkle of genmai (toasted rice) on top that adds a wonderful textural contrast.
My favorite time to visit is during their Thursday evening tea ceremonies, when they pair small scoops of matcha gelato with different Japanese teas. This humble Pasadena spot has no social media presence, yet on summer weekends, you’ll find lines stretching down the block.
