The Perfect Matcha: Cara & Laura Li

When Matchali first launched, matcha was still niche, and the founders watched that shift unfold. ‘The evolution and growth of matcha culture has been incredibly exciting,’ says Cara. ‘People are rethinking matcha in unexpected ways, from creative flavour pairings in matcha lattes like our Strawberry Matcha Latte, which is now on many café menus, to baked goods and food items — we do a Matcha Yoghurt Granola Bowl and Matcha Overnight Oats.’

For Matchali, however, creativity has never been about novelty for its own sake. ‘ ‘It’s about respecting matcha’s taste and finding ways to enhance it rather than overpower it.’ Take the Tiramisu Matcha Latte and Matcha Mont Blanc, both dessert-inspired but still balanced and thoughtful. That balance has guided Matchali since the beginning. ‘The original vision was to make matcha accessible for people to enjoy as part of their daily routine, as a replacement for coffee that’s healthy and delicious,’ Cara explains. ‘We wanted a place for people to enjoy and connect over quality matcha. That’s stayed at the heart of everything we do.’

Even so, the duo’s confidence to experiment has grown. ‘What has shifted is our confidence to play more with flavour and texture. We’re learning what works and what excites people, but it always comes back to matcha as the star,’ says Cara.

Part of that approach comes from Cara, who trained in New York and worked in Michelin-starred restaurants — an experience that shapes the way she develops new drinks and dishes today. ‘That experience taught me a lot about discipline, recipe building, experimenting with and layering flavours, and the importance of accuracy,’ she says. ‘Working in kitchens requires you and your team to pay utmost attention to balance, seasonality and respect for ingredients. Matcha deserves that too, as well as technique, precision and intention. You can be creative but not careless. Every element on the plate or in the cup should have purpose.’

The starting point, of course, is always the tea itself. ‘Every Matchali drink is made using hand-picked, first-harvest ceremonial-grade matcha sourced directly from a fifth-generation tea farm in Uji, Kyoto, the matcha capital of the world,’ explains Laura. ‘Everything is made to order and hand-whisked, without refined sugars and using preservative-free, non-processed ingredients, along with plant-based milk options.’ The drinks aren’t just pretty, she says, but are thoughtful, comforting and ‘something you can feel good about drinking’.

Developing new drinks is similarly intentional: the team works through multiple rounds of testing and refinement, with inspiration from seasonality or flavour combinations that are exciting the team or the broader public. The inspiration also comes from the origins of the tea itself, says Cara. ‘Our team travels to Kyoto every year during the first matcha harvest. We’re always inspired when visiting the farm and sampling different blends of matcha. We spend a couple of days visiting cafes and tea shops in the city, and come back refreshed with plenty of ideas.’

Laura recalls the development of one of the cafe’s most popular creations: ‘Seasonal specials are often inspired by our travels or by cravings we associate with that time of year. For the Tiramisu Matcha Latte, we wanted to capture the comfort and familiarity of tiramisu while elevating it with matcha. It took more than a month of testing to bring all the layers together.’

The team has also expanded Moon Street’s food offering. ‘We have something for everyone — there are all-day options for quick bites and slower, sit-down moments,’ says Cara. ‘We created our all-day bowls to be health-forward, satisfying and perfect for anyone looking for a quick nutritious option or for those enjoying their food with a drink.’ Among the dishes created specifically for the location are the Matcha Chia Granola Yoghurt and the Matcha Smoothie Bowl. ‘For a more substantial meal, we’ve collaborated with Chef Una to offer the exclusive Kelly's Hanwoo Beef Kimbap, with premium Hanwoo beef and all natural ingredients.’

But ultimately, everything still comes back to the simplest expression of the tea itself. ‘My go-to is always our matcha latte. We both really enjoy the purity of matcha in its simplest form,’ says Cara. And on Moon Street, where regulars drift in throughout the day to meet friends, linger over a meal or pick up their own favourites, that simple ritual remains at the heart of Matchali.