LINCOLN PARK — A matcha-focused cafe has opened in Lincoln Park, serving up superfood-focused drinks and pastries.
Matchacita, which opened last week at 705 W. Belden Ave., offers a full menu of lattes, specialty drinks and pastries featuring matcha, a powder made from green tea leaves that’s high in antioxidants.
“Matchacita, a play on ‘mamacita,’ is a brand I’ve been envisioning for a while,” founder and co-owner Bianca Pearson said. “I saw an opportunity to bring a fully matcha-fied menu to Chicago, where people could enjoy a delicious drink, grab a bite and snap a selfie in a one-of-a-kind cafe.”
The cafe is a dual-branded partnership with Squeez Juice Bar, a recently opened health-conscious eatery founded by Zach Segal.
Matchacita’s menu will feature lattes like the charcoal matcha with activated charcoal and sprinkled with edible flower petals, the lavender matcha tea or the ginger turmeric topped with a matcha shot.
Other drinks include the lavender iced tea, matcha lemonade and the pink latte, which is a blend of pitaya, strawberry syrup and milk.
Food items include the matcha waffles, which are decked out with seasonal fruit, cocoa nibs and drizzled with maple syrup, and the avocado lox and strawberry nutella toast.
Matchacita is open for pickup and delivery 7 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday and 8 a.m.-4 p.m. weekends.
Jake Wittich is a Report for America corps member covering Lakeview, Lincoln Park and LGBTQ communities across the city for Block Club Chicago.
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