Despite trying latte after latte, Quentin Vennie couldn’t come around to seemingly everyone’s favorite espresso-and-milk drink.

“It just did not appeal to me,” the West Baltimore native said. “So I wanted to figure out, how do I make this something that I would want to drink?”

Matcha, the increasingly popular powder made from Asian green tea leaves and used in warm and cold beverages, turned out to be the answer.

Years later, Vennie’s journey with matcha has reached a new milestone: Equitea Matcha Studio, his first brick-and-mortar café, opens this weekend (Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.) at 311 W. 28th St. in Remington. It will then operate Wednesdays through Sundays with the same hours, with a grand opening event to come.

It’s been a whirlwind for Vennie, who started Equitea in 2022 as a tea company before moving to Los Angeles due to lack of demand in Baltimore. On the West Coast, Vennie grew the business, landing products such as canned tea drinks in 600-plus grocers nationwide while catching the attention of actress Gwyneth Paltrow, an eventual investor in the brand.

In late 2024, Vennie moved back to his home city and soon hosted a pop-up shop at 2600 N. Howard St., the old JBGB’s building in Remington. The enthusiastic response led him to commit to the neighborhood; Vennie signed a two-year lease in May.

“Being able to bring this business back to Baltimore and anchor ourselves back in this city — it’s been an incredible thing,” he said.

The shop arrives as matcha is having its mainstream moment. Retail sales in America have increased 86% from three years ago, according to market research firm NIQ, while social media influencers tout matcha as a less-caffeinated coffee alternative. Demand for matcha is leading to supply shortages and price hikes.

Ayda Abebe, co-owner of Adee’s Coffee Roasters, said she’s seen the price of matcha increase more than once in 2025 — a reflection of its popularity.

Since the store opened in September 2023, customer demand for matcha has grown significantly at Adee’s, leading to expanded menu offerings including matcha lattes and frappes. Matcha is most popular at the shop in the summer, Abebe said — a matcha tonic made with lavender syrup is one of the store’s best sellers.

Matcha’s rise is simple to explain, she said. Just look at social media. “It’s everywhere.”

But is it right for you? I asked Vennie and Abebe to make the case for matcha.

It forces you to take a beat

Matcha proponents often cite its meditative qualities, which date back centuries to Buddhist monks who used the tea to help focus during quiet, contemplative moments. In a world where people and screens demand our constant attention, carving out time with a cup of matcha is a reward unto itself, Vennie said.

“It becomes a moment to slow down, to pause, to reset and recenter,” he said.

A caffeine break and other perks

If cutting down caffeine is on your resolution list, matcha may be the solution. It generally has less caffeine than a traditional cup of coffee.

Supporters are also fast to sing the praises of L-theanine, the amino acid found in the tea leaves, which they say can help ease anxiety. Health studies have found matcha, with its fiber and antioxidants, promotes digestive health as well.

When Abebe asks customers why they’ve turned to matcha over coffee, they almost always give the same reason: “People say it’s healthier,” she said.

Looks appetizing, doesn’t it?

If we consume with our eyes first, it’s easy to see why matcha is popular. Its placid, rich green hue is an eye-catcher. When customers see a matcha drink delivered, Abebe said, the domino effect often follows. Then come the social media posts.

“Nowadays, it’s all about posting — showing what you’re eating or drinking,” she said.

To Vennie, the rise of matcha and the opening of his shop speak to a larger moment in local food trends — namely, that Baltimoreans shouldn’t have to travel to bigger cities to enjoy them.

“We shouldn’t have to jump on a plane or catch a train or go somewhere else in order to experience it,” he said. “We deserve it, you know?”