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Future MissionsSeptember 23, 2026sumitra nair

Ela Matcha: Kochi Gets Its First Matcha Bar

On a late Saturday morning when we stepped out as a family, the intention was to go for brunch. But, like always with varied preferences, we went from coffee to lunch and ended up at Ela Matcha. After lunch at Vellakanthari, a restaurant known for its delectable section of spicy seafood, the group craved for something cold and refreshing – the heat contributed to the feeling. After shooting down ice cream and a Google search later, we were right at Ela Matcha’s doorstep. Now, Kochi has quite a thriving cafe culture. And, while matcha has found a mention on the menu of some cafes, an exclusive matcha bar is a first. A Cafe Izakaya Rooted In Kerala The space itself is very grounded, with casement windows, red oxide flooring and exposed brick walls. In the words of the founder Rachel David, “The space is a cross between an izakaya and a chayakada or tea shop.” Izakaya is a Japanese term for a casual space where people meet to eat small shareable plates. “Recreating the warmth of a community is what I hope for,” says the Bengaluru born and raised entrepreneur. “The setting of a cafe allows people to be vulnerable; the feeling is different from a bar or a restaurant. Cafés are very casual; a place where I could be myself. My mom would say, instead of spending money at coffee shops, it would be better to start a cafe of your own. Ela Matcha was opened so that people could meet, come together, form communities,” she says. "Growing up in Bengaluru, I used to love going to a cafe . Sometimes it was because I had a bad day, I could sit at a cafe, read or journal. It gave me some peace, a sense of belonging, while being on my own. I would frequent cafes in the neighbourhood like Cafe Coffee Day, which was a rage at the time; The Cake House and Story Coffee would be a favourite hangout for group studies or just catching up with friends. Currently me and my friends love Cooper+Cloves – it’s become my go to.” The matcha bar also serves accompaniments like rose cookies (achappams) and beetroot chips and banana chips (at no charge) with the matcha. “Because, when people come home, to any home in Kerala, we mostly serve these snacks when someone visits us,” she says. Even when a groom’s family comes to meet with the family of his future bride, the ice breaker is a beverage. People just sit together around tea and snacks, and talk,” Rachel says, stating one of the reasons she chose to have shared benches and stools and not a typical cafe setting. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ela Matcha (@ela.matcha) The name Ela or leaf in Malayalam comes from when Rachel was having an Onam sadya or feast about two years ago. “The banana leaf I was eating on kept tearing. This was also around the time I was brainstorming for a matcha cafe or a matcha bar. And I thought, why not call it Ela because matcha is essentially made from a leaf.” About two years ago, in 2024, Rachel started with selling Matcha tea powder in pop-up stores at malls in Bengaluru. “But then I wanted to introduce matcha to people the way I was having it – with flavours inspired from my South Indian, Malayalee roots like coconut and jaggery, filter coffee, Kerala vanilla and more. And that’s when I finally decided to open a matcha bar.” Ela Matcha opened in Bengaluru in March and opened an outlet in Kochi on his September. It is a no-frills menu with offerings limited to varietals of matcha and hojicha or roasted matcha. On the day I visited Ela Matcha for the first time, I tried the hojicha matcha with jaggery and the bluepea matcha. The matcha notes were just right, the drink wasn’t too sweet and the notes of bluepea didn't undermine the flavour of the matcha; matcha, Rachel sources from the Shizouka region in Japan. “I would someday like to source matcha from Assam,” she says. Assam became the first Indian state to produce authentic matcha green tea, for commercial purposes in July 2026. The Hojicha drink had matcha undertones present, but with a hint of nuttiness. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ela Matcha (@ela.matcha) In a quest to zero-in on more ways to serve up matcha, she travelled to Dubai, the US, Singapore, Vietnam and Thailand, and found that each place had a distinct way of serving it. For example, “in the US, one would have the option of having a collagen add-on to the matcha latte; while in Dubai, the drink was too sweet and in Vietnam, the drink contained coconut milk.” Rachel says she was more excited than nervous to start Ela Matcha. “When it came to coffee, we had our instant coffee like Bru, Sunrise; later came the americano and cappuccino. And now we have specialty coffee, with consumers being more aware of the origin of the bean, its roast, strength of the coffee, whether it is a pour over, aeropress or a French press and so on. And that’s what I hope to do with matcha by starting this space,” she says. ELLE Gourmet's Verdict On the day I met Rachel, I tried the cinnamon matcha, which was surprisingly delicious; considering personally, I feel tea and cinnamon don’t go well, if the flavouring isn’t done right. But, here, the balance between the matcha and cinnamon went well. While the matcha stood out, the subtle taste of cinnamon took it to another level. Matcha tends to be an acquired taste. But, Ela Matcha is a great place for a novice to explore its flavours. So, Kochiites or visitors to the city, head to Ela Matcha for a different, yet delightful take on matcha.

Ela Matcha: Kochi Gets Its First Matcha Bar
On a late Saturday morning when we stepped out as a family, the intention was to go for brunch. But, like always with varied preferences, we went from coffee to lunch and ended up at Ela Matcha. After lunch at Vellakanthari, a restaurant known for its delectable section of spicy seafood, the group craved for something cold and refreshing – the heat contributed to the feeling. After shooting down ice cream and a Google search later, we were right at Ela Matcha’s doorstep. Now, Kochi has quite a thriving cafe culture. And, while matcha has found a mention on the menu of some cafes, an exclusive matcha bar is a first. A Cafe Izakaya Rooted In Kerala The space itself is very grounded, with casement windows, red oxide flooring and exposed brick walls. In the words of the founder Rachel David, “The space is a cross between an izakaya and a chayakada or tea shop.” Izakaya is a Japanese term for a casual space where people meet to eat small shareable plates. “Recreating the warmth of a community is what I hope for,” says the Bengaluru born and raised entrepreneur. “The setting of a cafe allows people to be vulnerable; the feeling is different from a bar or a restaurant. Cafés are very casual; a place where I could be myself. My mom would say, instead of spending money at coffee shops, it would be better to start a cafe of your own. Ela Matcha was opened so that people could meet, come together, form communities,” she says. "Growing up in Bengaluru, I used to love going to a cafe . Sometimes it was because I had a bad day, I could sit at a cafe, read or journal. It gave me some peace, a sense of belonging, while being on my own. I would frequent cafes in the neighbourhood like Cafe Coffee Day, which was a rage at the time; The Cake House and Story Coffee would be a favourite hangout for group studies or just catching up with friends. Currently me and my friends love Cooper+Cloves – it’s become my go to.” The matcha bar also serves accompaniments like rose cookies (achappams) and beetroot chips and banana chips (at no charge) with the matcha. “Because, when people come home, to any home in Kerala, we mostly serve these snacks when someone visits us,” she says. Even when a groom’s family comes to meet with the family of his future bride, the ice breaker is a beverage. People just sit together around tea and snacks, and talk,” Rachel says, stating one of the reasons she chose to have shared benches and stools and not a typical cafe setting. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ela Matcha (@ela.matcha) The name Ela or leaf in Malayalam comes from when Rachel was having an Onam sadya or feast about two years ago. “The banana leaf I was eating on kept tearing. This was also around the time I was brainstorming for a matcha cafe or a matcha bar. And I thought, why not call it Ela because matcha is essentially made from a leaf.” About two years ago, in 2024, Rachel started with selling Matcha tea powder in pop-up stores at malls in Bengaluru. “But then I wanted to introduce matcha to people the way I was having it – with flavours inspired from my South Indian, Malayalee roots like coconut and jaggery, filter coffee, Kerala vanilla and more. And that’s when I finally decided to open a matcha bar.” Ela Matcha opened in Bengaluru in March and opened an outlet in Kochi on his September. It is a no-frills menu with offerings limited to varietals of matcha and hojicha or roasted matcha. On the day I visited Ela Matcha for the first time, I tried the hojicha matcha with jaggery and the bluepea matcha. The matcha notes were just right, the drink wasn’t too sweet and the notes of bluepea didn't undermine the flavour of the matcha; matcha, Rachel sources from the Shizouka region in Japan. “I would someday like to source matcha from Assam,” she says. Assam became the first Indian state to produce authentic matcha green tea, for commercial purposes in July 2026. The Hojicha drink had matcha undertones present, but with a hint of nuttiness. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ela Matcha (@ela.matcha) In a quest to zero-in on more ways to serve up matcha, she travelled to Dubai, the US, Singapore, Vietnam and Thailand, and found that each place had a distinct way of serving it. For example, “in the US, one would have the option of having a collagen add-on to the matcha latte; while in Dubai, the drink was too sweet and in Vietnam, the drink contained coconut milk.” Rachel says she was more excited than nervous to start Ela Matcha. “When it came to coffee, we had our instant coffee like Bru, Sunrise; later came the americano and cappuccino. And now we have specialty coffee, with consumers being more aware of the origin of the bean, its roast, strength of the coffee, whether it is a pour over, aeropress or a French press and so on. And that’s what I hope to do with matcha by starting this space,” she says. ELLE Gourmet's Verdict On the day I met Rachel, I tried the cinnamon matcha, which was surprisingly delicious; considering personally, I feel tea and cinnamon don’t go well, if the flavouring isn’t done right. But, here, the balance between the matcha and cinnamon went well. While the matcha stood out, the subtle taste of cinnamon took it to another level. Matcha tends to be an acquired taste. But, Ela Matcha is a great place for a novice to explore its flavours. So, Kochiites or visitors to the city, head to Ela Matcha for a different, yet delightful take on matcha.