Matcha Reviews in Glasgow: Starbucks

Starbucks Glasgow 

Now, I know Starbucks is in absolutely no way exclusive to Glasgow, or even Scotland, however, I still think it’s worth highlighting that they actually serve matcha as I get asked this all the time. I feel this fact is very much worth knowing as, no matter where you go, you can pretty much always find a Starbucks. As long as there’s a Starbucks nearby, you will never be without access to matcha! 

As someone who has been in the company for more than two years now, and has a black apron, I feel I am adequately equipped to give Starbucks’ matcha an honest review, however, I would think of this more as my ultimate guide to Starbucks’ matcha. I have (of course) been to Starbucks many times and was a customer long before I was an employee there, so I truly believe I have tried every matcha combination that we offer. There are so many variations that you could try, however, my notable favourites are:

• Iced matcha latte with soy milk and 2 pumps of white mocha (very specific!)
• Oat matcha latte with vanilla syrup 
• Iced matcha latte with simple syrup and strawberry cold foam 
• Iced matcha latte with vegan whip and caramel drizzle
• Matcha latte with salted maple syrup 

As you can see, there are many different ways to enjoy matcha in Starbucks and the list does not stop there, but what about the actual quality of the matcha? 

Although it may not be the greenest-looking matcha that you will ever try, I do believe that the matcha that Starbucks offers is great for anyone who is looking to try it for the first time, or who isn’t a massive fan of that ‘grassy’ taste that often comes with matcha. The matcha powder itself is fairly good quality and not bitter at all, and the amazing array of sweet flavours allows the ‘grass-like’ taste to be offset, enabling all the health benefits of matcha to be accessed by anyone who wishes to enjoy them, whether they love the regular taste of matcha or not. 

If you do love matcha however, and are able to enjoy it no problem without all the added sugars and flavourings, I would recommend that you ask for an extra scoop of matcha in your drink. Additionally, if you still wish to have a flavour, just ask for one or two less pumps of syrup!

To wrap up, Starbucks’ matcha may not be of the same quality that you could find at one of the many artisan cafes in Glasgow, however, it’s biggest strength, that may be found in many of these places, is the ability to completely customise and tailor your drink to you. While I would always recommend supporting local, small cafes as well, I think that Starbucks is great choice to grab a quick matcha if you’re ever in a pickle or on the go!