Downtown Phoenix is getting a serious shot of green this summer, as Matcha House, a Latina-owned matcha cafe from Rocio Sheyko, targets a late‑August or early‑September debut. The compact storefront will tuck in near the Phoenix Art Museum beneath a residential apartment complex, deliberately positioned as a neighborhood gathering spot as much as a grab‑and‑go pit stop. The project marks Sheyko’s return to the Valley cafe scene after her Gilbert shop, Matcha Grove, operated from 2021 until its 2023 closure. The plan is a soft opening first, followed by a full grand opening celebration.
What to Expect at Matcha House
On the menu: ceremonial‑grade matcha whisked the traditional way, plus coffee drinks, avocado toast, gluten‑free waffles and quick grab‑and‑go options, according to What Now Phoenix. The outlet also notes that Matcha House will roll out with a soft opening before a bigger launch party, and that opening dates will land first on the shop’s Instagram. The idea is to balance fast service for commuters with a relaxed, sit‑down vibe for neighbors and museum‑goers lingering over their lattes.
Sheyko's Return After Matcha Grove
Sheyko’s earlier concept, Matcha Grove, opened in Gilbert in 2021 and built a reputation for ceremonial‑grade matcha and a fully gluten‑free menu, per Mouth By Southwest. That brick‑and‑mortar spot closed in late 2023, Phoenix New Times reported. The new downtown cafe marks her reentry into a permanent location after a stretch of pop‑ups and other local projects.
A Focus on 'True' Matcha
At Matcha House, the focus is squarely on what Sheyko describes as “true” matcha service, meaning no shortcuts and no big batches sitting around. “We don't pre‑batch it,” she told What Now Phoenix, explaining that the cafe will rely on ceremonial‑grade powder whisked to order. It is a meticulous, craft‑driven approach that lines up with a broader specialty beverage trend favoring technique over convenience.
Why Downtown
Downtown’s cultural corridor and steady museum crowds made the location particularly appealing, placing Matcha House a short walk from major attractions like the Phoenix Art Museum. According to the museum's visitor page, the Phoenix Art Museum acts as a key anchor for the city’s arts and cultural strip, drawing dependable foot traffic for exhibits and events. With the cafe tucked beneath residential units, Matcha House is positioned to catch both daytime visitors and neighbors heading downstairs for their caffeine fix.
For now, the opening timeline is still flexible, and the team plans to announce both soft‑opening and grand‑opening dates on the cafe’s social media channels as details are finalized. When the doors do open, Matcha House will add a dedicated matcha bar to a downtown scene that is still filling out its roster of small cafes and culture‑focused businesses, giving matcha fans and gluten‑free diners another spot to put on their radar.
