Hojicha vs Matcha: What's the Difference?

Hojicha and matcha are both Japanese green teas, but they’re almost opposites in flavor and preparation. The short version: matcha is grassy, vivid green, and caffeinated; hojicha is toasty, brown, and low in caffeine.

Flavor

• Matcha: grassy, vegetal, umami, slightly bitter.
• Hojicha: toasty, nutty, caramel-like, smooth and mellow.

Caffeine

• Matcha: high. You consume the whole leaf, so you get a strong, sustained lift.
• Hojicha: low. High-heat roasting burns off much of the caffeine, making it a good afternoon or evening drink.

How they’re made

• Matcha: shade-grown leaves are stone-ground into a fine powder that you whisk into water.
• Hojicha: whole leaves and stems are roasted, then steeped like normal tea (or ground for lattes and desserts).

Color

• Matcha: bright, almost neon green.
• Hojicha: reddish-brown, like a light coffee.

Which should you order?

If you want energy and a grassy, umami punch, go matcha. If you want something cozy, toasty, and easy on the caffeine, go hojicha, then check the best hojicha lattes in San Francisco.

New to the roasted stuff? Start with what hojicha is.