Can a Coffee Shop Do Matcha Well? Here’s How ECHO Approaches Both
Can a coffee shop really do matcha well? In a world where cafés often choose sides, with coffee specialists on one end and matcha bars on the other, we’ve chosen to do both. And to do both well. At ECHO, we take pride in the craft of a good pick-me-up.
Coffee at Our Core, Craft as Our Standard
Coffee built our foundation – understanding roasting precision, calibrated extraction, and attaining balanced recipes. When we introduced matcha, we didn’t simply just treat it as a secondary offering or a trend add-on. Instead, we applied the same discipline. We source quality-grade matcha, pay attention to water temperatures, respect the whisking technique and also understand how matcha interacts with milk. The standard doesn’t drop just because it’s green.
Just as espresso and filter brewing methods bring out different characteristics in a bean, whisking an usucha or a koicha for a matcha latte reveal different dimensions of matcha. One highlights clarity and umami, while the other rounds out the profile and emphasises on creaminess.
Coffee and Matcha Lovers at the Same Table
Here’s what we’ve learnt running a specialty coffee shop in Singapore:
Both coffee and matcha are specialty beverages. Both carry regional characteristics, and both reward attention to preparation. In Singapore’s evolving café culture, we come to realise that guests don’t want brands that choose sides – they want brands that execute.
While some mornings call for espresso, some afternoons need that calm that comes from matcha. Some gatherings have both coffee loyalists and matcha devotees and people don’t always want the same kind of energy. So why choose one when you can serve both well?
Our approach at ECHO focuses on expanding offerings without compromising quality.
We’re investing in:
1. Origin-first Sourcing
We start with quality at origin – coffee greens and matcha tea leaves chosen for clarity, consistency and complexity, because flavour is built long before it reaches the cup.
2. Precision in Preparation
The extraction process, water quality and temperatures, ratios and more – we apply discipline across both coffee and matcha to bring out what each beverage does best.
3. Deliberate Menu Design
We curate contrast across the menu without overcrowding it. Every drink earns its place, intentionally speaking out to different groups of people.
4. Thoughtful Hospitality
Craft extends beyond the bar. We focus on service that feels attentive without being intrusive, knowledgeable without being intimidating, and non-transactional – creating a space for people to slow down.
5. Brand in Practice
ECHO focuses on reflecting the rhythms and desires of modern life, so we build around how people actually live and gather. Every offering, space, and interaction is designed with that reality in mind.
Bring Real Café Cred to Your Event
If you’re hosting a wedding, brand activation, corporate gathering or a private celebration, the drinks shouldn’t merely feel like an afterthought.
ECHO’s mobile beverage cart carries the same cult-favourite menu people return for in-store, from espresso classics, to whisked matcha or even slow-pours, we design all-in packages that feel premium without the guesswork or inflated pricing. Our A-team baristas don’t just pour – they read the room, move with confidence and bring the real rhythm of a café into your space, all built around your crowd.
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