The saying goes, that pink and green should never be seen, but at Holy Matcha, San Diego’s first matcha café, all caution has been thrown to the wind, pairing bubblegum pink walls, tiles, floors and velvet banquettes with tropical wallpaper and plenty of potted plant life that echo the colour of the healthful Japanese green tea powder that the café’s drinks are laced with.
After travelling to Japan in 2014, owner and founder Geraldine Ridaura, found the powder a great replacement for coffee, and returned to San Diego energised to bring it to the masses. Working with San Francisco-based design firm Homework, on the petite space’s design, Ridaura paired playful colourways with brass fixtures and quartz countertops.
In addition to a menu featuring matcha lattes, lemonade and horchata – a creamy and nutty Mexican drink served with ice – there are matcha-infused pastries and snacks, and a curated retail section offering health-focused items from Moon Juice, leather goods and custom made ceramic matcha bowls by Tsuchikara Pottery.
‘I’ve become a passionate advocate of matcha,’ says Ridaura. ‘I’ve received so much feedback already from the community looking for a delicious coffee alternative — of which there are many — but matcha is absolutely one of the most health positive of them all.’
INFORMATION
ADDRESS
3118 University Avenue
-
A new Athens gallery is a celebration of old and new, a stone's throw from the AcropolisNew Athens gallery Melas Martinos by Local Local is a contemporary art space, a stone's throw from the Acropolis, in the Greek capital's Monastiraki neighbourhood
-
Haute Couture Week A/W 2025: live updates from the Wallpaper* teamFrom 7-9 July, Haute Couture Week A/W 2025 arrives in Paris. Follow along for a first look at the shows, presentations and other fashion happenings, as seen by the Wallpaper* editors
-
Boundaries between art and life dissolve in Katherine Hubbard's intimate documentation of her mother's illnessIn 'The Great Room', Katherine Hubbard merges caregiving for her mother with an unflinching documentary of the process
-
A local architect’s guide to Joshua TreeMirtilla Alliata di Montereale shares her favourite things to do to slow down, look closely, and discover Joshua Tree through a more intentional lens
-
Meet artist Michael McGregor, using hotel stationery as his canvasMichael McGregor unveils an exclusive postcard set made with notepads from The Luxury Collection properties in Minneapolis, San Francisco and Savannah
-
Home is where Beethoven Market is – a joyful Italian restaurant in LA’s Mar VistaIn Mar Vista, a historic space is reborn as a modern-day gathering spot, an Italian-infused restaurant where rotisserie chicken, handmade pasta and tableside tiramisu welcome you like family
-
Aman New York unveils exclusive US Open-themed experienceAman’s ‘Season of Champions’ pairs Grand Slam action with personalised recovery and performance treatments designed by Novak Djokovic and Maria Sharapova
-
Caribbean cool meets mid-century glamour at this new LA hotspotFrom golden mirrored chambers to jerk-spiced tomahawk steaks, Lucia reimagines Afro-Caribbean dining and design
-
Classic New York restaurants for delicious food and inspired designFrom Michelin-starred fine dining to reimagined retro diners, these are the most emblematic (and easy-on-the-eye) places to eat in the Big Apple
-
Inside Hotel Chelsea’s secret basement sushi restaurantTeruko, a new Japanese restaurant and sushi bar in Hotel Chelsea, marks the final jewel in the hotel’s years-long transformation
-
Wallpaper* checks in at Fouquet’s New York: a lush, urban cocoon for the 21st centurySet in the heart of Tribeca, Fouquet’s New York balances French-inspired refinement and cosiness
