Don’t know what matcha is? You’re not alone, but Graham Fortgang, 22, and his brother Max, 24, are out to change that. On Thursday, the two opened MatchaBar in Williamsburg (93 Wythe Ave., Brooklyn).
Matcha, for the uninitiated, is finely ground premium Japanese green tea leaves. Whipped with hot water, the powder forms a rich, frothy, sort of super-powered tea.
The cafe serves everything from matcha lattes made with hemp milk to salads dressed with matcha vinaigrette.
The Fortgangs got into matcha three years ago when they were looking for an alternative to coffee. “Coffee gave me a lot of anxiety, and it’s very acidic,” says Graham.
Matcha, which has about two-thirds of the caffeine of coffee and a mellower, more long-lasting effect, proved to be the perfect solution.
“It’s clean energy,” Graham says.