Matcha vs coffee, side by side: caffeine figures from published sources, taste and preparation, and what we serve in Shoreditch.
Matcha vs coffee: if you're deciding between the two, the questions are usually the same. Which has more caffeine, how do they taste, and how are they made? We serve both, so here's a plain side-by-side, with caffeine figures taken only from published sources and linked below.
The quick comparison
| Matcha latte | Coffee | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Powdered green tea leaf, whisked into water and topped with milk | Ground roasted coffee beans, brewed with hot water |
| Caffeine (published figures) | Roughly 4–68mg for a latte made with about 2g of powder | About 90mg in a 200ml filter coffee; about 80mg in a 60ml espresso |
| Taste | Grassy and gently sweet with milk | Roasted, sometimes bitter, depends on the beans |
| At Kybelle | PerfectTed, from £3.90 | Ozone, from £2.70 |
Caffeine: what the published figures say
Coffee. The European Food Safety Authority's caffeine explainer (EFSA, 2015) gives approximate amounts of about 90mg for a 200ml cup of filter coffee and about 80mg for a 60ml espresso, and stresses that content and portion sizes vary. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lists 113 to 247mg for a 12 fl oz (about 355ml) regular brewed coffee.
Matcha. Lab results for matcha powder vary a lot. A 2024 peer-reviewed study (Kika et al., Foods) measured about 2.2mg of caffeine per gram in its sample, and notes that an earlier study found 14.4 to 34.1mg per gram. A typical latte uses about one teaspoon, roughly 2g, which works out at roughly 4 to 68mg depending on the matcha and how much goes in.
So a matcha latte can contain less caffeine than a cup of filter coffee, but it isn't guaranteed: a strong matcha made with extra powder can come close. Our own drinks haven't been lab-tested, so we don't publish a figure for them.
Taste
Matcha tastes grassy and vegetal, a little like fresh green tea but rounder, and milk makes it softer and sweeter. Flavoured versions add fruit or sweet notes on top. Coffee is roasted and deeper, from chocolatey to bright and fruity depending on the beans and the roast. If you like the taste of green tea, matcha is the easier switch; if you like a flat white, you may want to start with a flavoured matcha.
How each is made
A matcha latte starts with matcha powder whisked into a little water until smooth, then topped with steamed or cold milk. A flat white or latte starts with espresso, made by forcing hot water through finely ground coffee, topped with steamed milk. Both work hot or over ice.
What we serve
Coffee at Kybelle is made with beans roasted by Ozone: espresso from £2.70, latte £3.50, cortado £3.60 and flat white £3.80. More on our coffee shop in Shoreditch page.
Our matcha, hot or iced
All six are made with PerfectTed matcha, and every one can be served hot or iced.
- Matcha Latte, £3.90, hot or iced
- Strawberry Matcha, £4.50, hot or iced
- Strawberry Shortcake Matcha, £4.50, hot or iced
- Mango Matcha, £4.50, hot or iced
- Blueberry Matcha, £4.50, hot or iced
- White Chocolate Matcha, £4.50, hot or iced
Prefer a plant milk? Oat, almond, coconut or soya is 30p extra.
Matcha Latte, hot 
Matcha Latte, iced
Sources
- European Food Safety Authority, “EFSA explains risk assessment: Caffeine” (2015)
- US Food and Drug Administration, “Spilling the Beans: How Much Caffeine Is Too Much?” (updated 28 Aug 2024)
- Kika J. et al., “Matcha Green Tea: Chemical Composition, Phenolic Acids, Caffeine and Fatty Acid Profile”, Foods 13(8):1167, 2024 (peer-reviewed)
More matcha guides
- Ceremonial vs culinary matcha: what's the difference?
- Strawberry matcha latte in London: hot or iced
- Iced matcha in London: where and how
- White chocolate, mango and blueberry matcha: our flavours
- Matcha near Old Street and Liverpool Street
- How to make a matcha latte at home
Every drink, price and photo is on our matcha in Shoreditch page.
Find Kybelle
Kybelle Café & Brunch, 62 Great Eastern Street, London EC2A 3QR, about four minutes' walk from Old Street station. Breakfast, brunch and lunch are served all day, dogs are welcome and there's outdoor seating. Get directions on Google Maps.
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 8am–4pm · Saturday and Sunday 9am–5pm. Walk-ins only — no booking needed, just turn up.
See the full menu · Directions & opening hours
Questions people ask
Does matcha have more caffeine than coffee?
It depends on the drink and the recipe. Using published figures, a latte made with one teaspoon (about 2g) of matcha would contain roughly 4 to 68mg of caffeine, while EFSA puts a 200ml cup of filter coffee at about 90mg and a 60ml espresso at about 80mg. Treat these as rough guides.
How much caffeine is in a Kybelle matcha latte?
We haven't had our drinks lab-tested, so we don't publish a caffeine figure for them.
Which coffee and matcha does Kybelle use?
Our espresso drinks are made with beans roasted by Ozone, and our matcha is PerfectTed.
Can I have matcha or coffee iced?
Yes. Every matcha can be served hot or iced, and our coffees are available iced too.
Which costs more at Kybelle?
A Matcha Latte is £3.90 and a flat white is £3.80. Flavoured matchas are £4.50.