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Header image courtesy of Tastemade
Everyone’s had matcha ice cream by now, and two hands are almost not enough to count all the places offering green tea-flavoured foods. We’ve decided to bring a bit of variation to our bored palates and tried to find different, more interesting kinds of matcha desserts. Our editors have been going through a sweet tooth phase so dessert lovers, you are in for a ride!
There are so many adaptations of this typical Italian dessert, but perhaps one of the most successful is the Matcha Tiramisu ($108 per set) at Uji-En. Served in a square bamboo box and dusted with matcha powder on top, you don’t really know what to expect until you dig your spoon in to break the perfect powdered cover. Slices of matcha chiffon cake sandwiched between the lightest of creams and drizzles of matcha sauce await you. You can finish the whole thing in a couple of spoonfuls but by then you’ll already be in matcha heaven!
Uji-en, Shop 4201-4202K, 4/F, Gateway Arcade, Harbour City, 3–27 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui | (+852) 2110 3052
Hidden in Kwun Tong, Call Me Chef offers mouthwatering layered cakes that could very well be your next birthday cake. Vonnie opened this bakery in order to bring her dessert fantasies to life, and her signature treat is the Mount Fuji Cake (starting from $180). Coated in salted cream cheese, the cake consists of a six-layered chiffon cake with matcha cream in the hollowed middle. Once you cut into it, the oozy centre filled with matcha goodness comes spilling out like lava—this is a cake that works best for surprising the lucky birthday girl or boy!
Call Me Chef, Shop T, 4/F, Camel Paint Building Block 3, 60 Hoi Yuen Road, Kwun Tong | (+852) 2286 0833
Japanese shaved ice is the perfect summer treat, but we’re perfectly willing to have it for winter too! Shari Shari does some of the best Japanese shaved ice in town, with special, regularly changing flavours such as Lemon and Pumpkin, as well as generous portions. As loyal matcha fans, our favourite is the Kyoto Uji Kin Toki ($88), served with red bean paste and shiratama mochi. The best thing about this massive mountain of matcha shaved ice is how they hide toppings inside the confectionery as well, so even after you finish the top layer, there are still biscuits and red bean paste throughout to go with the rest of the shaved ice!
We hope the soufflé pancakes craze never dies down because there is nothing better than a dessert that melts in your mouth. Micasadeco & Café’s Matcha “Fluffy” Pancakes ($138) uses ricotta cheese and matcha powder to make Hong Kong’s best and fluffiest edible cushions, and if you are a true fan of matcha, they recommend dipping the pancake into the condensed matcha sauce that comes on the side, as well as some red bean paste for a true flavour explosion in your mouth.
Micasadeco & Café, Shop B26–27, B2/F, Langham Place, 8 Argyle Street, Mong Kok
We’re not sure if you already know this, but hotcakes are different from pancakes! Thicker and denser than pancakes, hotcakes are a great dessert for those who feel like pancakes are not hearty enough. Yukinoshita’s Matcha Hotcake ($78) is four centimetres thick and takes up to 20 minutes to prepare. It’s served with red bean paste, black soybeans, and a generous swirl of whipped cream to keep your palate entertained. All of Yukinoshita’s ingredients are imported from Japan to recreate the most authentic flavours, and we particularly enjoy the feeling of cutting through that soft matcha pillow!
Yukinoshita, G/F, Leishun Court, 1–5 Haven Street, Causeway Bay | (+852) 3460 3989
Via Tokyo is the OG of matcha dessert houses and they never disappoint. Matcha ice cream desserts are the store’s staples but they regularly come up with new inventions to keep things interesting. Although they no longer serve their Matcha Napoleon, a recent hit is the Matcha Sponge Roll ($40). A thick layer of extra rich matcha cream is spread on a sheet of matcha sponge cake, and the whole thing is rolled up into a tube. Serving portions are then sliced from this giant roll to reveal the perfect swirly pattern inside. You can also get some ice cream or tea to go with the slice for the perfect lazy afternoon snack!
Via Tokyo, Shop 1A–1B, G/F, Leishun Court, 106–126 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay | (+852) 2895 1116
For those new to the world of warabi-mochi, you’ve really been missing out! This jelly-like confection is made from bracken starch and covered with kinako (soybean flour). Kyo Hayashiya mixes in matcha powder to give their Warabi-Mochi ($88) a green colour, then dusts more matcha powder on top. You can choose to drizzle as much sweet syrup as you like on the mochi, but be careful it doesn’t slide off your chopsticks when you pick it up! You barely need to chew before the whole thing just melts in your mouth like the softest of jellies.
Established in 2012, Luna Cake is one of the first shops to bring the best of Hokkaido double cheesecake to Hong Kong. Made with absolutely no preservatives, the cheesecakes are freshly prepared every day from a special recipe that combines two flavours in each cake. Their Extra Rich Matcha Cheesecake (starting from $225) is a must-have, made with premium matcha powder from Kyoto that boasts 300 years of history. There are two layers of cheesecake, with the matcha flavour on top and original flavour on the bottom—enjoy them separately or mix the two tastes together in a single bite.
We couldn’t wrap up this list without including matcha lattés, and % Arabica’s Matcha Latté (starting from $50) is about as good as they get. Hailing from Kyoto, you know their authentic matcha equals serious business. There’s the option to have it hot or cold, so the drink is always weather-appropriate. With locations spread across Hong Kong in some of the city’s most Instagrammable spots, such as the Kennedy Town waterfront or Quarry Bay’s Monster Mansion, take your pick of your favourite spot and sip away!
Having lived in Hong Kong, Beijing, and London sure is a fun fact whenever people try to guess Ching’s accent. She loves switching between all these language channels and her “mother tongue” is just determined by how many drinks she’s had for the night! She loves movies, travelling, and exploring cities, from hidden alleys to gourmet dining, so feel free to hit her up if you need any suggestions for dinner!
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