Viceroy Santa Monica is going all in on green tea, teaming up with Los Angeles-based matcha brand More Than Matcha for a limited-time pop-up at Sugar Palm, the hotel's all-day dining spot. The monthlong takeover launches May 2 to line up with National Matcha Day and will feature a seasonal Summer Cloud Series of cream-top matcha drinks, including a Tropical Mango Matcha created exclusively for the property. Locals and hotel guests are invited to a public morning launch with music, tastings, and light bites.
According to a press release, the collaboration is More Than Matcha's first hotel partnership and is set to give both hotel guests and Santa Monica neighbors a new daytime beverage option. "More Than Matcha is a natural fit for Viceroy Santa Monica," Hotel Manager Dyami Gonsalves said in the release, as reported by PR Newswire. The hotel noted that the activation will also serve as a sneak peek of a summer cabana program tied to the pop-up.
The menu will spotlight the brand's Summer Cloud Series - Classic Matcha, Lavender Matcha, and Strawberry Matcha - plus the exclusive Tropical Mango Matcha, according to the Santa Monica Daily Press. More Than Matcha's at-home whisking kits will be available for purchase at the hotel, and online customers during the collaboration will receive a co-branded recipe card for the Tropical Mango drink, the paper reports. The lineup is aimed at an elevated, wellness-forward daytime crowd just steps from the ocean.
Launch Event And Extras
Viceroy and More Than Matcha will kick things off with a public launch on Saturday, May 2, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., produced with Groove Events, featuring a live DJ and specialty tastings on site, per PR Newswire. Complimentary matcha will go to the first 50 guests, and "shot-style" matcha lattes are set to circulate through the crowd. Organizers say the collaboration will expand later to include a matcha martini mixology class and a specialty matcha dessert, for those who like their wellness with a side of indulgence.
About More Than Matcha
Founded by Los Angeles native Rosie Goldwasser, More Than Matcha describes itself as a woman-owned brand centered on ritual-forward, ceremonial-grade matcha that is shade-grown and freshly ground in Kagoshima, Japan, according to More Than Matcha. The company's whisking kits and curated tools are designed to help customers recreate the cafe experience at home, and the Viceroy collaboration will be the brand's first ongoing presence in a hospitality setting. Local coverage notes that the partnership is intended to cater to both hotel guests and neighborhood regulars.
How To Go
Sugar Palm sits inside Viceroy Santa Monica at the corner of Ocean Avenue and Pico Boulevard, just steps from the beach, and the pop-up will run throughout May. RSVPs are suggested for the launch event. For the hotel's location and additional details, visit Viceroy Santa Monica. Those who skip opening day can still sample the Summer Cloud drinks at Sugar Palm during the monthlong run.
