When Matcha Matcha opened their second location in Markham this March 2025, I was thrilled. Finally, no more downtown trips just to satisfy my matcha cravings. To get a complete picture of this new spot, I waited for a while to cool down and decided to visit twice during summer in July 2025 – once on a quiet Sunday morning and again during the bustling weekday afternoon rush.
Weekend Morning Experience
I was arriving right at 9 AM opening time on Sunday, I was greeted by the serene atmosphere that only early morning café visits can provide. The space felt so peaceful, with just a handful of early risers trickling in for their morning caffeine fix. Most were grab-and-go customers, so within 15-20 minutes of opening, the café settled into a tranquil rhythm with only about four orders processed, including ours.
I went all out on my first visit, ordering their matcha soft serve ice cream, a butter croissant from their bakery selection, a slice of matcha matcha roll cake, and two teas – iced hojicha latter and iced matcha latte, which made the grand total cost to $41.46CAD (as of July 2025). The matcha soft serve delivered on flavour, capturing that distinctive earthy sweetness matcha lovers crave. However, I was surprised by how quickly it melted when I was dining in, noticeably faster than even IKEA’s soft serve, which meant I had to eat it more hurriedly than I’d have liked.
The croissant arrived as-is, looking very presentable on plate. Unfortunately, it is lacking that warm, flaky texture you’d expect from a fresh pastry as there was no option button to indicate if you wan it to be heat it up or not. While it was visually appealing, serving it at room temperature felt like a missed opportunity.
The Weekday Reality Check
My second visit painted a completely different picture. Returning here during weekday noon hour to see how I encountered the café’s peak-time challenges. To my surprise, the space that felt spacious and relaxed on Sunday morning, suddenly seemed cramped under the pressure of the lunch crowd.
The layout consists of seven small tables and one four-seater, which works fine during off-peak hours, but quickly becomes problematic when demand surges. If you’re planning to study or work here, definitely arrive early – the afternoon crowd transforms this quiet morning spot into a bustling hub.
Operational Growing Pains
Several operational aspects suggest this new location is still finding its rhythm. The ordering system relies on a single self service kiosk tablet and QR code menu access near the kiosk, which creates holdups during busy periods. More concerning is the absence of price tags on their website and no paper menus, leaving customers to navigate menu through the QR code alone or using their devices to browse the menu while waiting in line.
The lack of clear queuing indicators, like no symbols on the floor, or no signs, adds to the confusion during peak times as staff were there to redirect some customers on where to line up on several occasions. For a café that’s clearly attracting steady traffic, these seem like solvable issues that would significantly improve the customer experience.
The Verdict and Suggestions
Matcha Matcha’s Markham location shows promise but reveals the typical growing pains of a new establishment. The matcha quality is solid, and the morning atmosphere is genuinely pleasant for those seeking a quiet café experience.
However, there are rooms for improvement. Adding a second ordering tablet would reduce wait times during peak hours, while physical menus with the cost would help customers prepare their orders in advance and accommodate those less comfortable with digital ordering while waiting for their turn to order. Most importantly, offering to reheat bakery items like croissants, and having more options like having more variations of sugar levels and ice levels would elevate the food experience significantly. For instance, there were too much ice cubes for my liking and it was a bit hard to mix the ingredients together.
The afternoon music, which I didn’t notice during my quiet morning visit, adds to the café’s energy and the excitement of people around enjoying themselves and chatting away. This situation, however, might be overwhelm for those seeking a study-friendly or a quieter environment.
Final Thoughts
Despite these operational hiccups, Matcha Matcha’s expansion to Markham fills a genuine need for quality matcha in the area. The convenience of avoiding downtown trips alone makes this location valuable for local matcha lovers living outside of Toronto.
My recommendation? Visit during off-peak hours for the best experience like arrive early if you plan to work or study, and don’t expect your ice cream to last long – but do expect to enjoy every quickly-melting bite.
As this location settles into its rhythm over the coming months, I hope that many of these initial challenges will resolve themselves. For now, it’s a solid addition to Markham’s café scene, especially for those of us who appreciate not having to venture downtown for our matcha fix.
At the end of the day, don’t worry about my taste buds too much as it is your journey to finding your own favourite matcha drinks. Take this opportunity as a review.
Know any other matcha spots in Markham that are worth the trip? Drop your recommendations below – I’m always hunting for the next caffeine fix that doesn’t require downtown travel.
Follow me for more behind the scenes and updates on upcoming blog posts:
📸 Instagram
📌 Pinterest
Jen's One Fine Day 
Leave a comment