Matcha Cafe K2 sits at 292 Hibiscus Coast Highway in Orewa, Rodney, and holds a 4.8 Google rating, keeping customers up to date through its Instagram page. The name points to a focus on matcha, the finely milled Japanese green tea.
Good matcha shows itself quickly. The powder should be a vivid green, the drink whisked to order, and the flavour grassy and smooth with a gentle bitterness rather than anything dusty or flat. In a latte, the tea should still come through, lightly sweetened at most; a dull, khaki-coloured cup usually means old powder or syrup doing the heavy lifting. Regulars learn to favour cafes that whisk fresh and treat the tea as the point, not just the colour.
For a well-rated matcha stop on the Hibiscus Coast, Matcha Cafe K2 sits right on Orewa's main highway, an easy call for locals and anyone travelling the coast.