Covington’s first matcha shop opens
There’s a new kind of buzz brewing in Covington– and it’s not from espresso. On Oct. 4, Northern Kentucky’s first café devoted entirely to matcha, Little Matcha, opened its doors.
The shop comes from entrepreneur Cindy Jiang, who has been quietly building a following for her hand-whisked matcha lattes since moving to the area a few years ago. What started as pop-ups at local markets has grown into a permanent space where matcha takes center stage.
Until now, matcha could only be found as an occasional menu item at a few coffee shops across Northern Kentucky. Jiang’s new café changes that, offering an entire menu dedicated to the art of Japanese green tea. Guests can order traditional matcha, hojicha and genmaicha drinks, alongside a few modern twists like Vietnamese coffee and rotating seasonal specials.
Matcha is a finely ground powder made from shade-grown green tea leaves. Unlike steeped tea, the entire leaf is consumed, which gives it a concentrated, grassy flavor and a natural energy boost without the jittery crash of coffee. Jiang takes pride in sourcing ceremonial-grade matcha and keeping her recipes clean and balanced.
Her passion for the craft is deeply personal. “I pull a lot of inspiration from matcha cafés where I was born, Manhattan!” Jiang says. “As a matcha critic, I pour a lot of love into every drink I make.”
To cater to customer demand, the team recently announced a no-sugar-added drink option, letting matcha purists experience the tea’s true, unmasked flavor. For those looking to branch out, the café also serves hojicha, a roasted green tea with nutty undertones, and genmaicha, a comforting blend of green tea and roasted brown rice that adds a hint of toastiness to every sip.
The shop shares its location with 12th Street Pilates, making it an easy stop for morning regulars who start their day with a workout and end it with a latte that feels both energizing and grounding.
Little Matcha is located at 332 Scott St., Covington, KY. They are open Monday to Friday from 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m., on Saturday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
