The Only Matcha Mill In The U.S. Is In Jersey

Grown under exacting conditions in Japan, served fresh here

You can get matcha tea in chain coffee shops. But is it authentic? Hardly. The one place in the United States to watch it being ground, prepared and served, is at Ooika Matcha in Lawrenceville, New Jersey. The only fresh-ground single origin matcha in the nation.

There are exacting rules for the growing, cultivating and preparation of authentic Japanese matcha. Rules include the amount of shade used to grow the tea leaves. And under what conditions. And how fine to grind them so they are ready to be prepared and served.

Owner Marc Falzon spent years in Japan learning the secrets to preparing matcha. When he opened Ooika Matcha to no fanfare four weeks ago he thought he’d be his only employee. Serving maybe a dozen people a day. But word of a premium product like this, unavailable in its purest and traditional form elsewhere. has a way of gaining attention through word-of-mouth. He now has 10 times the daily number of customers he expected and has been forced to hire and train a young staff. It’s like the movie Field of Dreams. If you build it, they will come. Falzon is already almost a victim of his own success. And has signed a lease on the back of the building to expand.

His young baristas not only learn the intricacies of preparing the tea (there’s an amount that must be weighed exactly for each serving) but they are also educated in how the process works from beginning to end. And will cheerfully and enthusiastically answer all the questions tossed at them by customers. This is not like going to Starbucks for a cup of coffee or tea. It’s actually fascinating to watch how they prepare each individual serving.

There is both indoor and outdoor seating. But on a nice spring day, I recommend taking your cup across the street to the serene and comfortable grounds of the Lawrenceville School.

A private college preparatory school, Lawrenceville was established 214 years ago. As such it is one of the oldest preparatory schools in the United States and is designated a National Historic Landmark District. And it’s become a feeder school to nearby Princeton University.

When Falzone opened the doors to Ooika Matcha a month ago he thought a large percentage of his customers would come from the Lawrenceville School. And while many there during my visit were students, he’s also attracting people from the immediate community and from Princeton. But also from as far away as New York City and Washington DC.

A photos copyright Gary Baumgarten

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