A cozy cafe serving Japanese matcha and French pastries opened its doors last month in Falls Church.
Offerings at Midori Tea House include sparkling fruit drinks, hot tea, petite desserts — and of course, the cafe’s specialty, matcha.
The cafe at 450 W. Broad Street is all about the hand-whisked green tea drink, currently offering 12 variations of it, co-owner Annie Pan told ARLnow.
“We wanted to keep the traditional way of how matcha is made, but combining with new innovation — like, recipes that we added together … just something fun to drink [that] everyone can try out,” Pan said.
The business, named after the Japanese word for “green,” offers standard matcha lattes plus flavors like orange, a striking purple ube and Pan’s personal favorite, maple and sea salt.
“You barely notice it’s maple, unless you see them put maple into your drink,” she said. “It’s very subtle, it has a hint of salt in there to bring out the flavor together. It’s what I could just drink everyday.”
Drinks can be customized by sweetness level or by adding toppings like Biscoff cookie crumble. The cafe, which recommends a lower sugar content, also provides non-dairy options.
Quite a few bite-sized confections, co-owner Rithy Um’s specialty, can also be found at the tea house. Homemade treats like macarons pull on European influences, while others, like a yuzu mousse cake and ube tres leches, spotlight Asian flavors.
Pan first fell in love with Japanese cuisine as a waitress at a Japanese restaurant while attending Virginia Tech.
A later trip to Japan introduced her to rich, flavorful matcha that she hadn’t yet experienced in the States. She enjoys the beverage as a substitute for coffee due to its similar caffeine content, lack of strong odor, and tendency to make her less jittery.
Over time, Midori’s matcha types may rotate. Pan hinted at upcoming seasonal flavors like toffee nut.
Pan, formerly a technology consultant, said she has enjoyed the past few weeks opening her first brick-and-mortar location. She had previously operated the tea house as a pop-up shop around Northern Virginia for about a year.
“One of our missions is to be like a lighthouse and the most beloved in the neighborhood,” Pan said. “The community here is very welcoming and supportive of my new-coming business. We’re very proud to be here.”
The cafe’s space used to hold Stylish Patina Home boutique, which is currently in business nearby at 248 W. Broad Street.
