In the crowded corner of downtown Palo Alto, Maruwu Seicha, a new matcha drink and dessert cafe, is bustling with visitors, each eager to try the vibrant green treats and drinks. 

The modern wooden panels and tables contrast the green matcha and purple taro cheese tarts on display.

The cafe, which sits at the intersection of University Avenue and Ramona Avenue, has already become a fan favorite since its soft opening on Oct. 20. Maruwu Seicha first started producing its matcha in Uji, Japan, and opened their first cafe in Japantown, San Francisco. 

The cafe is quite busy during the late afternoon and evening. 

The line, sometimes leading far out the front entrance, can have a customer waiting for more than 10 minutes during rush-hours. 

On the menu, customers will not only find matcha-based desserts, but also a wide variety of Japanese snacks and flavors that hint at traditional culture. 

More expensive items imported straight from Japan are also for sale, like the Honey Hojicha Cake and Matcha Financier Cake.

The menu includes three ice cream flavors served in either a cone or cup: matcha, Hokkaido milk and ube. 

Cheese tart flavors have four options: Hokkaido milk, Hojicha rich chocolate, matcha and fresh taro. 

There is a large assortment of matcha lattes, matcha, smoothies, Hojicha lattes and pure teas to choose from. Verde picked four items to review: two drinks and two desserts.

Matcha Tea and Ice Cream ($8.50)

On the more expensive side of the menu is the Matcha Tea & Ice Cream, which was $8.50 for a medium size drink.

We ordered the drink with regular sweetness, topped with the Japanese dessert, Hokkaido ice cream.

When  we first got our drink, the ice cream layered on top of the matcha stood tall, similar to what a drink with whipped cream might look like. 

The ice cream sank into the matcha shortly after we received the drink. For the best experience, we suggest scooping all the ice cream before drinking the tea. 

The ice cream was sweet, contrasting with the bitter matcha tea. 

What makes the Hokkaido ice cream notable is its almost similar taste to the classic vanilla ice cream, yet the sweetness of this ice cream seems to be toned down.

After some time, the drink itself tastes sweeter because of the ice cream that melted into it.

We would recommend this drink because it gives both a taste of their classic matcha drink and their Hokkaido ice cream.

Matcha No. 3 Gelato Cup ($6.90)

We got the Matcha No. 3 gelato ($6.90), an item that is only available at the Palo Alto location.

The gelato comes in four flavors, Hokkaido Milk, Matcha Pistachio, Hojicha Rich Chocolate, and Matcha No. 3. To get their classic matcha flavor, we chose the Matcha No. 3, a gelato made with tea ceremonial grade matcha, a supposedly higher quality matcha than culinary grade versions.

Although the gelato wasn’t as visually appealing as the matcha cone, only being served with a smooth top in a cup, the high quality matcha gave the gelato a bold flavor.

There was a slight bitterness from the matcha, providing the right contrast for a sweet but not too sweet flavor. The gelato was smooth and creamy, making it a great contender with other ice cream spots in downtown Palo Alto.

Uji Matcha Cheese tart ($4.50)

The Uji Matcha Cheese Tart, the only baked item we tried,  is ranked the #1 most liked item on Doordash. With one piece costing $4.50, the tart has a distinctive look and piques customers’ curiosity with its appearance and filling. 

The tart’s matcha filling is smooth and creamy, all enclosed within a crisp, golden tart shell, offering a blend of rich cheese and earthy green tea flavors. 

Surprisingly, the filling doesn’t spill out like how the advertisements online and in store portray. Instead, the filling was less runny and more sticky, with a thick creamy texture. The tart was sweeter than all the other items, except for the Hokkaido ice cream in the matcha tea. 

The matcha flavor in the filling was less prominent than in the drinks, but the crunchy shell paired with the soft filling made up for its bland taste.

Fresh Taro Matcha Latte ($6.50)

Moving away from purely matcha based drinks and desserts, we ordered the Fresh Taro Matcha Latte. 

We got a medium with their regular sweetness, whole milk and no extra toppings, for $6.50. With the added taro, which has a pudding-like texture, the drink adds an interesting blend of textures and flavors. 

The bitterness of the matcha contrasts well with the subtle sweetness of the taro, making this drink the perfect balance of sweet and bitter. The taro pudding was creamy, and was almost like an added topping to the drink.

The drink had a generous amount of ice, taking up half of the cup, leaving little room for the actual drink. 

If you want to step away from the general matcha drink and treats, the Fresh Taro Matcha Latte is a great option available for a different taste.