Café and chain

Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf Matcha

Most chain matcha blends contain two things: matcha and sugar. The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf goes further, selling and using a powder that already contains powdered milk and vanilla alongside the sweetener. That is not a criticism by itself — it is a deliberate product decision that makes the drink consistent and fast — but it does mean the gap between what you order and what a bowl of matcha tastes like is wider here than at almost any other chain. It also means the vanilla you may not have wanted is not removable.

The short answer

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf uses a pre-blended matcha latte powder containing matcha green tea, powdered milk, sweetener and French Deluxe vanilla powder. The matcha itself is described as restaurant-grade from the Shizuoka region of Japan. Because the milk, sugar and vanilla are all inside the powder, none of them can be reduced or omitted when ordering.

At a glance

Is it real matcha?: Yes — Japanese green tea powder
Stated origin: Shizuoka, Japan
Stated grade: Restaurant grade
Powder contents: Matcha, powdered milk, sweetener, vanilla
Unsweetened available?: No — sweetener is in the powder
Dairy-free possible?: No — milk powder is in the blend
Vanilla removable?: No
Best for: A sweet vanilla-matcha latte, consistently made

Details verified August 2026. Formulations, sourcing and prices change — check the current label before buying. We don't sell any of these products and take no commission on them.

Is The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf matcha real matcha?

Yes. The green component is genuine Japanese matcha — ground green tea leaf from Shizuoka, the largest tea-producing prefecture in Japan — and not a flavouring or a green-coloured syrup. Shizuoka matcha is generally brisker and less umami-driven than Uji matcha from Kyoto, which suits a sweetened milk drink well. The qualification is what surrounds it: the powder that arrives at the store is a latte mix, with the matcha as one of four listed components rather than the whole product.

What you're getting

A complete latte in powder form. Powdered milk means the drink can be built with hot water alone, which is why preparation is so consistent from store to store and why the texture is smooth rather than the slightly separated feel of matcha whisked into fresh milk. The vanilla is a house signature rather than an add-on. The trade is control: because the milk is inside the powder, ordering it with oat or almond milk does not remove the dairy, and because the sweetener is inside too, there is no unsweetened route.

How it tastes

Vanilla arrives first, sweetness second, and matcha third. It is a rounded, dessert-adjacent drink with a creaminess that comes from the milk powder rather than from the milk you can see being poured. The Shizuoka matcha underneath is brisk and slightly astringent, which is a sensible choice for this construction — a delicate Uji ceremonial grade would be entirely lost. If you like it, you like it for the vanilla-and-cream character, which is a legitimate thing to enjoy and not what matcha tastes like.

What you can order

Matcha Green Tea Latte
The core drink. Powder whisked with hot water, topped with steamed milk and foam. Hot or iced.
Matcha Tea Ice Blended
The blended version, with the ice-blended base adding further sugar on top of an already-sweetened powder.
Matcha Latte Powder (retail)
Sold in retail tins; price varies by market
The same sweetened blend sold by the tin for home use, which is unusual — most chains do not retail their café powder.
Seasonal matcha variants
Limited runs add syrups to the base. These move further from tea, not toward it.

What it does well

Genuine Japanese matcha with a stated region, which is more origin disclosure than most chains provide.
Shizuoka's brisker profile is a sensible match for a sweetened milk drink rather than a mismatch.
Extremely consistent, because the milk powder removes most of the preparation variables.
The café powder is sold retail, so you can reproduce the drink exactly at home if you like it.
Strong availability across the US and much of Southeast Asia, including markets where matcha cafés are scarce.

Where it falls short

Milk powder in the blend means the drink cannot be made dairy-free, regardless of which milk you ask for.
Vanilla is built in and cannot be omitted, which surprises people who wanted plain matcha.
No unsweetened option, for the same reason as at Starbucks and Dunkin'.
Restaurant grade is a marketing term rather than a defined standard — no harvest, producer or grade is published.
The furthest of the major chains from what whisked matcha actually tastes like.

How it compares

vs Starbucks matcha
Starbucks blends two ingredients, sugar and matcha. This is four, adding milk powder and vanilla. More processed, more consistent, further from tea.
vs Tim Hortons matcha
Opposite ends of the category. Tim Hortons keeps the powder pure and adds syrup at the bar; here everything is pre-blended.
vs a specialty café
A specialty café whisks unsweetened matcha and builds the drink in front of you. Different product entirely, and roughly double the price.
vs the retail tin at home
Identical, which is the point. If you like the café drink, the tin is the honest way to keep having it.

Buy it if

People who want a sweet, creamy, vanilla-forward green latte and want it to taste the same every time. It is also a reasonable choice in markets where the alternative is no matcha at all — much of Southeast Asia included, where The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf has far better coverage than specialty matcha cafés.

Skip it if

Anyone avoiding dairy, anyone who dislikes vanilla, and anyone trying to find out what matcha tastes like. On that last point this is the least suitable chain matcha of all, because three of the four things in your cup are not tea.

Frequently asked

What matcha does Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf use?

A pre-blended matcha latte powder containing matcha green tea, powdered milk, sweetener and French Deluxe vanilla powder. The matcha itself is described as restaurant-grade and sourced from the Shizuoka region of Japan. Unlike most chains, they also sell the same powder in retail tins.

Is Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf matcha sweetened?

Yes, and it cannot be ordered otherwise. The sweetener is blended into the powder by the supplier along with milk powder and vanilla, so there is no point in the preparation at which sugar could be left out. Asking for fewer pumps does not help, because nothing is being pumped.

Is Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf matcha dairy-free?

No. The matcha latte powder contains powdered milk as one of its listed components, so the drink contains dairy even if you order it with oat, almond or soy milk. This catches people out, because at most chains switching the milk is sufficient.

Does Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf matcha have vanilla in it?

Yes. The powder combines matcha with French Deluxe vanilla powder as a deliberate house signature, so vanilla is present in every matcha drink on the menu and cannot be removed. If you are tasting vanilla and did not order it, this is why.

Is Shizuoka matcha good?

It is good and it is different. Shizuoka is Japan's largest tea-producing prefecture and its matcha tends to be brisker and more astringent, with less of the deep umami associated with Uji matcha from Kyoto. For a sweetened milk drink that is an advantage — the tea needs to be assertive enough to survive sugar, milk powder and vanilla.

Can you buy the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf matcha powder?

Yes, which is unusual. The same sweetened latte blend used in stores is sold in retail tins, so the café drink can be reproduced exactly at home. Note that it is a latte mix rather than pure matcha — it will not work for a whisked bowl.

Compare with

Starbucks Matcha

Sugar is the first ingredient on the label. Everything people dislike about it follows from that one fact.

Tim Hortons Matcha

The powder is only matcha. The sugar is a separate syrup, which is why this is the one big chain where unsweetened is a real option.

Guides · 6 min read

Keep reading

Matcha grades explained →

What restaurant grade does and does not mean