"In 2004, Tomoko Yagi opened the doors to Cha An, and to this day, people line the stairs to get to a Japanese haven of tatami benches and washi-paper lamps. It has a global tea catalogue but specializes in sencha and matcha. The latter gets whisked in bowls and also makes its way into beloved desserts like ice cream, mochi, tiramisu, affogato, and even a matcha sake cocktail. Cha An takes prepaid reservations for the savory afternoon tea set; otherwise, expect a wait. Or get drinks and some sweet snacks to go at its sister cafe, Bonbon, a few stores down." - Caroline Shin
