Jeddah’s matcha shops are here to stay, having become part of daily caffeine culture.
Son of a Bee is a creative and fun matcha shop located in Al-Zahra district and Stars Avenue Mall. The cafe has gone viral online for its fun aesthetic, diverse matcha latte selection and quality taste.
On entering, Son of a Bee offers a sleek interior design, one that stands out for its iconic neon-green colors and bold logo font.
Decorated with green bee drawings on the walls and silver metallic bars and walls, the aesthetic matches the fun names on the diverse drink menu.
Along with the usual matcha latte orders featured, Son of a Bee stands out by offering fun, sweet and innovative matcha latte flavors. For example, the matcha tiramisu, which costs SR32 ($8.50), includes mascarpone cream along with the matcha powder.
The menu offers a matcha for different categories of sweet; creating drinks for flavors that fall under floral, fruity and sugary options.
Bee rose matcha, for example, adds rose flavor for what is described by the cafe as “a perfect balance of earthy and floral.” Blue bee matcha, on the other hand, incorporates blueberry vanilla to the matcha powder, for a fruity twist.
On the sweet end, their most expensive matcha, costing SR39, is the beerown sugar matcha, which mixes a number of flavors including caramel, brown sugar, toffee and vanilla — perfect for those looking for dessert in a latte.
Son of a Bee also offers a menu of snacks and sandwiches. The treats include matcha-flavored items as well as bee-themed desserts, such as the beehive waffle and “ice-ice bee-bee” vanilla ice cream.
The sandwich options make Son of a Bee a great spot for a quick breakfast or snack spot as they pair nicely with the drink options. There is the truffle chicken panini as well as turkey, halloumi and tuna options.
I opted for their classic vanilla matcha with low-fat milk. It was the perfect light matcha with a hint of sweetness for those who enjoy something that does not lean into more complex flavors.
As a fan of matcha, I can say that the powder used was high quality, and nicely whisked.
To pair with my drink, I went for the turkey bee sandwich, which was also a light option and perfect for food-on-the-go. I decided to give one of their treat options a try, opting for their chocolate hive cake, which was on the heavier side — layered, fudgy and super sweet.
Overall, I would add Son of a Bee to my list of favorite matcha spots in Jeddah.
While spaces to sit can be limited on crowded weekend days, and some drinks are on the pricier side, the matcha and menu compensate nicely. If you want to avoid the crowd, the cafe is also featured on most food delivery apps.
