Junbi Matcha & Tea

Matcha is the whole menu here, not the alternative to coffee. Junbi opened in Brookline Village on 11 July 2026 as the brand’s first Massachusetts shop, bringing a made-to-order green tea programme to a neighbourhood already deep in matcha.

Matcha is the whole programme

The focus is green tea rather than espresso, and it is total: matcha is the main category, not an add-on to a coffee bar. The name itself means preparation in Japanese, which matches how the drinks are handled, made to order from ingredients the brand keeps consistent across its shops. The chain started in 2017 and is run from Pasadena, California, and its founders had already built Shrimp Daddy, Chichi Dango and Wingchix before turning to a dedicated matcha concept. The drinks language is about preparation, texture and ingredient quality, and the menu runs from a plain matcha latte out into fruit and flavoured versions, strawberry and vanilla among them.

A counter built for quick decisions

The Brookline shop is a locally owned franchise of the national brand, pairing local ownership with a standardised matcha programme, so the drink should taste the same here as in California. Service is streamlined and counter-oriented, with a full drink and food menu built for a single visit rather than a sit-down meal.

Brookline Village is in the middle of its own matcha wave, and Junbi’s arrival fits that: it serves students, professionals and neighbourhood regulars looking for something other than coffee. Other Junbi shops run indoor seating, wifi and outlets, which points to a format that works for a short stop and a longer study visit alike.

Start with matcha, then go fruit

For a first order, take the plain matcha latte. It is the clearest expression of the concept, showing the texture, the sweetness level and the green tea itself before any flavouring gets in the way. The name of the company points back to preparation, which is a useful lens for reading the rest of the list.

Then move toward the fruit and dessert-style drinks. The Strawberry Vanilla Latte has appeared as a named Junbi drink, and strawberry matcha and vanilla matcha follow the same direction. Those are the orders that show how the shop differs from a café where matcha is a secondary option, because the whole list is built outward from the tea rather than added beside the coffee.