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Matcha is one of those things I never got into. To me, the ever-trendy matcha latte always tasted like grass floating in condensed milk. Turns out I probably wasn’t drinking the real thing.
I learned this on a recent visit to Stonemill Matcha, an upscale cafe in San Francisco’s Mission district that specializes in hand-crafted matcha drinks, stunning matcha pastries and farm-to-table versions of Japanese street food. Stonemill opened in May, and, yes, it’s just a cafe, but with hefty culinary cred, including pastry chef Mikiko Yui, formerly of State Bird Provisions and a few Tartine collaborations.
Matcha is religion here. General manager Yoojin Chung and her staff source their high-grade matcha directly from growers in Japan that pass the specific farming and processing guidelines for matcha. It must be grown under shade for at least 20 days and stone-ground using a mill — it takes 20 minutes for one serving, roughly a teaspoon — and ideally harvested in the spring to reveal more I-theanine, the amino acid that gives matcha its unique umami notes.
The vibe: The space is warm and chic, with pale yellow walls, blond wood tables and chestnut brown leather accents. Every delicate ceramic dish is imported from Japan and designed to hold a particular drink or food. Even though the cafe is order-at-the-counter, servers bring everything to your table.
The drinks: Good matcha tastes earthy and never bitter, unlike the sencha or hojicha most of us drink at home. Stonemill offers eight hand-crafted matcha drinks, including a Matcha Latte ($5), Mizudashi, or Cold Brew Matcha ($4.50) and Matchacano (yes, like an Americano) ($4.50). Two drinks stood out to me: Sparkling Matcha ($4.50) and Ginger Matcha Latte ($5.50).
The first is a perfect introduction to matcha. It’s a shot of matcha stirred into cold seltzer and served over ice with mint, lime and cane sugar. Light and refreshing, it’s like a virgin matcha mojito. The Ginger Matcha Latte is perfect for the matcha maven looking for an extra kick. Freshly pressed ginger juice gives the latte zing. Stonemill makes at least 500 of these lattes on a typical Saturday or Sunday.
The food: Chef Keisuke Akabori (Delage, Saison) handles the savory program, and his Matchazuke ($16) belongs in a Michelin-starred restaurant. But it’s here, a perfectly prepared salmon filet with crisped skin served atop steamed rice with chicken dashi, bright matcha broth and the most addictive roasted brown rice bits called bubu arare.
We met pastry fans who came from the South Bay to crunch into Tartine’s flaky Matcha Croissant ($5) and toasty Chocolate Chip cookie made with kinako, a roasted soybean flour. Our fave: a slice of Matcha Cream Pie ($6). The pie has the same texture and density of a good chocolate cream pie but with a base of sweet, creamy grasshopper-green matcha. Topped with freshly whipped cream inside a dense, buttery crust. Tends to sell out, but you can order your own whole pie for pick-up here.
Perfect for … A post-sushi dessert, impressing a date, a special spot for plugging in or tuning out.
Details: Open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily at 561 Valencia St., San Francisco; https://stonemillmatcha.com
