Hojicha Coffee: Why Roasted Japanese Tea Is Emerging as Matcha’s Lower-Caffeine Rival
Hojicha is stepping out from matcha’s shadow with a toasted, nutty flavor and naturally lower caffeine content. Here’s why the Japanese roasted tea is appearing on more café menus and how it pairs with coffee.
Hojicha Is Having Its Matcha Moment
Matcha has become a fixture of modern café culture, but another Japanese tea is beginning to attract attention: hojicha. Made by roasting green tea leaves, hojicha has a distinctly brown appearance and a toasted flavor that is very different from matcha's grassy, umami-rich profile.
The drink has gained visibility in 2026 as cafés and consumers look for alternatives to the increasingly dominant matcha latte. Recent coverage from food publications has highlighted hojicha's growing presence on café menus, particularly because of its roasted flavor and lower caffeine content compared with matcha. ([The Independent][2])
For coffee drinkers, hojicha is especially interesting because its flavor profile naturally complements espresso.
What Is Hojicha?
Hojicha, also spelled houjicha, is a Japanese green tea that is roasted after the leaves have been processed. The roasting changes the tea's aroma, color, and flavor, producing a cup that is much toastier than conventional green tea.
Instead of the bright green appearance associated with matcha, hojicha typically produces a reddish-brown or brown infusion. Its flavor can suggest roasted grains, nuts, caramel, cocoa, or toasted wood, depending on the tea and preparation.
Hojicha can be made from leaves or purchased in powdered form. Powdered hojicha is particularly useful for café-style lattes because it can be whisked directly into milk.
Why Is Hojicha Being Compared With Matcha?
The comparison is largely about café culture rather than the teas being interchangeable.
Matcha's popularity has created enormous interest in Japanese tea drinks, but supply constraints and rising prices have also encouraged consumers and cafés to look at alternatives. Recent reporting has identified hojicha as one of the roasted teas benefiting from that attention. ([The Independent][2])
Hojicha offers a different experience:
- Less grassy: Roasting replaces much of the fresh, vegetal character associated with matcha.
- More roasted: The flavor is closer to toasted grain, nuts, or cocoa.
- Naturally lower in caffeine: Hojicha generally contains less caffeine than matcha, although the exact amount varies by tea and preparation.
- More muted in appearance: Its brown color appeals to people who want something less visually intense than a bright green matcha latte.
Calling it a “rival” to matcha is therefore more useful as a description of its café positioning than as a claim that it will replace matcha.
What Does Hojicha Coffee Taste Like?
Hojicha coffee usually combines powdered or strongly brewed hojicha with milk and espresso. The result is a layered drink in which the roasted tea and roasted coffee can reinforce each other.
The flavor can be described as:
- Toasty
- Nutty
- Earthy
- Gently sweet
- Cocoa-like
- Roasted
Compared with a matcha espresso drink, hojicha coffee tends to taste less vegetal and more rounded. That makes it particularly appealing to coffee drinkers who already enjoy darker roast or chocolate-forward flavor profiles.
Hojicha Latte vs. Hojicha Coffee
The distinction matters when ordering.
| Drink | Main components | Flavor profile | Caffeine source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hojicha latte | Hojicha + milk | Toasty, creamy, nutty | Hojicha |
| Hojicha coffee | Hojicha + milk + espresso | Roasted, creamy, coffee-forward | Hojicha + espresso |
| Matcha latte | Matcha + milk | Grassy, vegetal, umami | Matcha |
| Matcha coffee | Matcha + milk + espresso | Green, bitter, roasted | Matcha + espresso |
Because both hojicha and coffee have roasted characteristics, the coffee version can be surprisingly cohesive rather than simply tasting like two unrelated beverages mixed together.
Why Coffee Shops Are Interested
Hojicha gives cafés another way to build on the continuing popularity of tea-based lattes without simply adding another matcha variation. It also fits the broader movement toward distinctive Japanese-inspired drinks.
Recent café reporting from the United States has documented hojicha appearing on menus in creative forms, including flavored lattes and iced combinations. ([Houston Chronicle][3])
For café operators, powdered hojicha can also be incorporated into existing latte workflows. That makes it easier to offer alongside matcha without requiring an entirely different beverage program.
Is Hojicha Actually Low in Caffeine?
Hojicha is commonly described as a lower-caffeine tea, but “low caffeine” does not mean caffeine-free. Caffeine levels vary according to the leaves used, roasting, serving size, and preparation method.
And once espresso is added, the drink's caffeine profile changes substantially. A hojicha latte and a hojicha coffee should therefore not be treated as equivalent when caffeine is a consideration.
If you're choosing hojicha specifically because you want less caffeine, a plain hojicha latte is the more relevant option to compare with matcha. Always check how a café prepares its drink if caffeine content matters to you.
How to Order Hojicha Coffee
If you spot hojicha on a café menu, start simple. A hojicha latte lets you understand the tea's roasted character without espresso competing for attention. If you already enjoy coffee and want a more complex drink, try the coffee version.
For an iced drink, milk, hojicha, and espresso work particularly well with a modest amount of sweetness. Too much syrup can cover the roasted notes that make hojicha distinctive in the first place.
The Takeaway
Hojicha is not simply “the next matcha.” It is a distinctly roasted Japanese tea with its own flavor identity and a naturally lower caffeine profile than matcha in typical preparations. Its toasted, nutty character also makes it unusually compatible with espresso, giving cafés and coffee drinkers a fresh alternative as tea-based beverages continue to expand.
