If you see a matcha specialty cafe in Riyadh with a long line of customers, it is most likely IOTA, located on Al-Sail Al-Kabeer street in Al-Ghadir district.
Matcha has replaced coffee as a morning drink for many locals, evident in the increased number of matcha specialty cafes and other outlets including matcha drinks on their menus.
Matcha is believed to be a great substitute for coffee as it contains more caffeine and powerful antioxidants. The matcha powder used at IOTA is premium ceremonial from Japan, handpicked and shaded between three to four weeks.
The famous ice matcha drink there retails at SR24 ($6.40), similar to the price of matcha drinks offered in Starbucks and local cafes in the Kingdom.
IOTA also sells its matcha powder along with the matcha essential kit, including a whisk and bowl.
Their matcha powder can be used to make authentic Japanese matcha tea, mixed in your morning oatmeal or bowl of granola for added benefit, or used in baked goods.
The cafe also offers a variety of cold and hot drinks, which sell at SR8 ($2.13) for a cup of tea, and SR24 ($6.40) for cloudy, a specialty hot coffee drink.
Other popular drinks include their drip hot coffee, iced cloudy, iced espresso and iced latte.
Plant-based milk options are available and include coconut milk, almond milk and soya milk.
IOTA also offers a variety of baked goods — and you never know what you might find there on a visit. Last winter, they served fresh custard and raspberry profiteroles, and beating the heat wave in August, IOTA put affogato to the menu — a shot of espresso added to a scoop of ice cream. They also serve matcha affogato.
IOTA opens daily from 6:30 a.m. to midnight from Sunday to Thursday, and from 7:30 a.m. to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.
They deliver through the Chefz app.
To check out their latest offerings, visit them on Instagram @iota.sa.
