Move over matcha

Matcha has truly had London in a chokehold this summer – Blank Street has a lot to answer for – and now you can’t move for seeing people with a green drink in hand. The matcha girlies may have their fave flavour combinations but those really in the know are turning to matcha’s slightly-less-aesthetically-pleasing-but-just-as-tasty cousin, hojicha.

Like matcha, hojicha is a form of Japanese green tea but it’s roasted at a high temperature, making it reddish-brown in colour and giving it a toasty, nutty flavour. The roasting significantly reduces the caffeine level, so some people find they can drink hojicha later into the evening than they would with matcha or coffee. Hojicha has less tannins, making it less bitter and less vegetal tasting than matcha, so it’s worth trying if you find the green stuff too grassy.

You can buy hojicha leaves and hojicha powder online but if you’re ready to jump on the hojicha hype in London, here’s where to get your fix.

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JENKI

JENKI has been a leader of London’s latest matcha obsession, so of course it has hojicha on the menu too – you can get it hot or iced at all four JENKI locations.

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JUJUHOME Cha

JUJUHOME Cha is a matcha bar inside Hackney Wick lifestyle store JUJUHOME. The matcha – particularly the cloud matcha – has gone viral but you can get hojicha (as a regular latte or an extra creamy cloud) here too.

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TSUJIRI

This matcha chain has locations in Chinatown, Westfield Stratford and Camden (as well as in Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle and Leeds), and it’s become as known for its seasonal specials as its regular matcha. TSUJIRI does a whole houjicha season, where houjicha lattes, houjicha teas and houjicha soft serve hit the menu, and they also did a houjicja coco lemonade this summer too.

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Matchado

As well as serving both hot and iced hojicha lattes from its cafes (in King’s Cross and Chiswick), Matchado sells hojicha powder online and has showcased a number of ways to use it, like hojicha chia seed tiramisu, hojicha chocolate ganache, and hojicha coconut water, so you can get creative at home.

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Gram’n Degrees

Coffee may be the specialty at this Hoxton cafe but you’ll also find both matcha and hojicha on the menu – the pistachio cheesecake is also worth a try.

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Hinaga

Hinaga is the city’s first kakigori cafe, serving the traditional Japanese dessert made from shaved ice, fruits and fillings (like soya milk jelly, mango coconut mousse and pandan coconut custard). Matcha is Hinaga’s other calling card but it also serves hojicha and hojicha lattes.

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Katsute 100

Searching for hojicha in Covent Garden, Angel, Broadway Market or Brick Lane? Make a beeline for Japanese tea salon Katsute 100, where you can get hot and iced hojicha lattes, and some very pretty patisserie too.

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Neighbourhood Cafe Yukari

After checking out Kew Gardens, stop at Neighbourhood Cafe Yukari before jumping back on the train. This family-run cafe is a real gem, serving great lunch sets, matcha (hot or iced), hojicha (as a tea), and Japanese sweets, and they even host live music nights inside as well.