Downtown Palo Alto is about to get a serious matcha upgrade. Rikyu, a matcha-focused café from the team behind Hiroshi, the eight-seat omakase restaurant in Los Altos, is set to soft open in mid-February at 121 Lytton Ave. The compact, minimalist spot will operate from the early morning through lunch, serving matcha drinks, Japanese sandos and chirashi bowls, and is being pitched as a calm “third place” for people who want high-quality tea, a quick breakfast or a quiet place to work.
What To Expect On The Menu
Rikyu’s menu centers on matcha, with culinary-grade powder used for most drinks and ceremonial-grade available for those who want to splurge a little. The café will also feature matcha panna cotta and shiratama desserts. According to Palo Alto Online, matcha lattes will come with housemade blueberry, strawberry and banana bread sauces made with real fruit. Alongside the tea program, Rikyu plans to run a full espresso bar and serve hojicha.
Foodwise, the focus will be on Japanese-style sandos. The lineup includes a chicken katsu sando with yuzu chili and crunchy slaw, a shrimp katsu sando inspired by classic Japanese ebi sandwiches, and a panko-fried A5 wagyu sando. Chirashi bowls are also on the way, with prices expected to land around 15 to 20 dollars.
The Team Behind It
The project is led by chef-owner Daiji Uehara of Hiroshi, with Masakazu Nonomura on board as executive chef. Hiroshi lists both chefs, and Rikyu’s own site connects the café directly to the restaurant’s operations, highlighting the tight link between the omakase counter and the new matcha concept. That connection helps explain why the café is aiming for precise, restaurant-level technique in a more approachable, grab-and-go format.
Space, Hours And Design
Rikyu will take over roughly 1,000 square feet on the Lytton Avenue block, designed with a minimalist, calming aesthetic and anchored by a large green quartzite counter. As reported by Palo Alto Online, regular hours are expected to start in mid-February, with daily service from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. The café plans to offer plenty of outlets and free Wi-Fi for people who want to camp out with laptops.
The same report notes seating for about 25 guests indoors and another 25 or so on an outdoor patio. Operators say they are steering clear of boba and artificial syrups, leaning instead on preparations that use real fruit.
Local Context
Rikyu will join a growing roster of Bay Area tea and matcha spots, adding another early-hours choice to downtown Palo Alto’s breakfast and lunch scene. Mountain View Voice has chronicled earlier matcha arrivals in the neighborhood, and Rikyu’s sando-forward menu appears tailored to capture commuter traffic along with nearby office workers and university crowds. For now, the team is planning a mid-February soft opening and will share exact details on their social channels.
Soft service is anticipated for mid-February, with a broader public opening announcement and potential expansion of hours to follow the initial run. If the concept lands with local regulars, Rikyu could quietly become downtown Palo Alto’s go-to spot for morning matcha and quick Japanese comfort lunches.
