An LA-based matcha and gelato chain known for its lines in Little Tokyo and Koreatown has planted its first flag in the Central Valley, opening a Clovis location that drew crowds and sold out menu items within its first few days. Matsu Matcha's new shop sits at 1195 Herndon Ave., Unit 102, bringing the chain's self-serve, build-your-own approach to matcha drinks and desserts to a region that has been quietly building its own matcha scene for a while now.
The Clovis location is owned by Dang Nguyen, who also runs Paris Bahn Mi and Nior Nail Lounge at 300 W. Shaw Ave. in Clovis, according to the Fresno Bee. Nior Nail Lounge, notably, was formerly known as One Millions Nails & Lounge before the rebrand. Matsu Matcha itself is an LA-based chain with existing locations in Little Tokyo and Koreatown, and the Clovis shop marks its first expansion into the Central Valley.
Ordering Screens Replace Cashiers as Lines Stack Up
Instead of cashiers, the shop runs on two self-service ordering screens where customers pick their drink or dessert, dial in a sweetness level, and tack on extras like matcha jelly. Employees also hand out gelato samples on request, a touch that seemed to help move the line along during opening week even as the Bee reported lines stretching out the door. Mackenzy Yang, the shop's manager, described the pace to the Fresno Bee: employees were running around the whole time.
Matsu Matcha also ran contests on Instagram and Facebook ahead of the opening, building anticipation before the doors opened. That buzz translated into real foot traffic, with drinks and gelato reportedly coming out at a quick pace even as the crowd built — and with several items selling out during the shop's first few days, per the same account from the Fresno Bee.
Customers Weigh In on Color, Flavor and Novelty
Nicole Rios, a Fresno State student who lives in Dinuba, said she liked the rich green color of the matcha. Daniela Carrillo, who is from Reedley, said she drinks matcha a couple of times a week and called trying a new place exciting. Jashan Gill, who is from Selma, was also among those who showed up for the opening, according to the Bee's reporting.
Matcha's Moment Stretches From LA to the Valley
The Clovis opening lands amid a broader matcha wave that has taken hold well beyond the Central Valley. In Los Angeles, the matcha craze shows no sign of slowing down, according to Los Angeles Magazine, which points to matcha's lower caffeine content — roughly 30 to 70 milligrams, compared with coffee or energy drinks — as part of its appeal. The outlet also notes that a striking grass-green drink photographs well, and that many matcha cafes are designed to be aesthetically pleasing, feeding a social-media-driven popularity that has pushed shops to experiment with fruit-forward colors in pink, red, blue and yellow.
Fresno and Clovis already had their own matcha options before Matsu Matcha arrived. Isla Tea Lounge in downtown Fresno offers a tea ceremony alongside coconut- and citrus-inspired drinks, while the Urban Pearl serves banana matcha, coconut cloud matcha and brown sugar matcha, according to Visit Fresno County. OKOME offers Kyoto matcha lattes and crème brûlée matcha creations, Drip Tea Cafe serves strawberry and double matcha options, and Two Cities Coffee Roasters has built a following for its matcha latte alongside its coffee program.
The trend has also taken root further north. BonBon Matcha opened a cafe and dessert shop in Cupertino serving matcha Basque cheesecake, house-made gelato, affogatos, cakes and tiramisu, with owner Emily Niu telling the Mercury News that the shop sources ceremonial-grade matcha directly from the farm and makes everything fresh in-house. A second BonBon Matcha location is planned for 439 Waverley St. in downtown Palo Alto. Those $7 drinks, Los Angeles Magazine suggests, may be doing more than quenching a craving — they could be building a kind of cafe-society gathering space for Gen Z customers.
