"San Diego’s first dedicated matcha cafe is expanding. Since it landed on University Avenue in March 2017, Holy Matcha has been a fixture on Instagram feeds for a chic aesthetic that combines millennial pink and tropical prints with an of-the-moment menu of matcha-based beverages and vegan treats. Created by founder Geraldine Ridaura and inspired by her love of Japanese tea culture, the cafe offers ceremonial-grade matcha whisked in the traditional Japanese method and more modern green tea drinks including matcha horchata and matcha lemonade. Ridaura is still keeping its exact location under wraps, but the next Holy Matcha will land in the East Village sometime early next year. The 820-square-foot space is another collaboration with San Francisco-based architectural firm HOMEWORK, but this outpost’s design will feature a “sophisticated, minimalist” take on the original cafe. It will offer Holy Matcha’s core beverages as well as specialty matcha drinks exclusive to the neighborhood; its trendy treats, including avocado toast, gluten-free and vegan waffles and doughnuts, and dairy-free soft-serve ice cream, will transfer over too." - Candice Woo