What once was a trendy drink in social media feeds has become a staple at most coffee shops around the country. Matcha is everywhere.
We can see the effect of that on our counter most mornings, where we watch people debate what they should get. But do people actually buy more matcha than coffee?
We decided to put it to the test. In August 2026, we ran a head-to-head competition across our cafes. Which drink did San Diegans prefer?
The Matcha Vs. Coffee Test
For National Coffee Month, August 2026, we created a contest. We put two Lofty drinks head-to-head, with every purchase counting as a vote for that side. We ran no signage in-store, discounted neither drink, and never asked anyone at the register which one they preferred.
The two drinks were:
- Matcha, Mint & Milk: Our matcha, made with mint, honey, and house-made almond milk
- Cloudy with a Chance of Cold Brew: Our popular nitro cold brew with house-made vanilla and shaken heavy cream
We chose those two deliberately. Both are sweet and milk forward, so the only meaningful difference between them is what sits underneath.
Which one won?
To our surprise, 65% of “votes” went to Lofty’s Matcha, Mint & Milk!
So Why Did Matcha Win?
We have a few theories as to why matcha drinks are increasingly a go-to drink not just in San Diego, but across the country.
Matcha Has Less Caffeine Than Our Cold Brew Coffee
One reason we think matcha was more popular is that it offers a middle-ground caffeine option.
People are not moving away from caffeine altogether. Coffee remains the most consumed beverage in the country, and energy drinks continue to grow quickly. What is changing is the kind of lift people are looking for: something more measured, more flexible, and better suited to an ordinary workday.
Matcha is not caffeine-free, nor even especially low in caffeine. But a typical serving generally lands below an 8-ounce cup of drip coffee and above brewed green tea because you consume the powdered leaf, rather than steeping and discarding it. That makes matcha a useful middle-ground option for someone who wants more caffeine than what tea offers, but less than a full coffee-based drink.
Our Matcha, Mint & Milk contains approximately 150-175 mg of caffeine per serving, while our Cloudy with a Chance of Cold Brew contains approximately 175-200 mg per serving. (These are estimates based on the amount of matcha and coffee used in each recipe, so actual caffeine content may vary slightly.)
Matcha Sustains You Longer, Coffee Spikes and Drops Off
The other reason we think matcha was favored has less to do with the first hour, and more to do with the rest of the day.
Matcha contains an amino acid called L-theanine, which occurs naturally in green tea and some studies are finding might smooth the felt effect across a wider window than coffee-based caffeine.
That does not mean matcha is a guaranteed all-day energy source, or that coffee inevitably causes a crash. Caffeine affects everyone differently, and factors such as sleep, food, stress, serving size, and individual tolerance matter. Still, compared with a larger coffee or cold brew, matcha’s typically more moderate caffeine dose can make it feel like a gentler option for people who want alertness without feeling overly wired.
Is Matcha Better Than Coffee?
For a lot of people, and a lot of mornings at Lofty, the answer is “yes”.
But remember, coffee still does things matcha cannot! Origin, altitude, processing, and roast all show up in the cup, which is why our roasts have been nationally recognized, and why coffee is still such a prominent part of the San Diegan lifestyle.
How Lofty Makes Matcha
At Lofty Coffee, we use Keicha Matcha, an organic matcha that has a vibrant color, smooth texture, and balanced flavor that holds up well in milk while still tasting distinctly like matcha.
Our baristas prepare each drink using our house-made matcha and mint paste, which is then combined with milk, to order. As opposed to using a pre-sweetened matcha mix, this method gives us greater control over the quality, sweetness, and consistency of the drink while allowing the flavor of the matcha to shine through.
We approach matcha similarly to how we approach coffee: the goal is to source intentionally, not simply choosing an ingredient based on price or a popular label. We focus on quality, flavor, consistency, and how the ingredient actually performs in our drinks. For matcha specifically, we wanted something that tastes great on its own but is also flavorful enough to shine through when paired with mint and milk.
Where to Find the Best Matcha in San Diego
You can run your own version of this in a single stop at any of our Lofty cafes. Order the Matcha, Mint & Milk alongside the Cloudy with a Chance of Cold Brew and let us know which one you prefer!
