The fig season has arrived and we really love it! Matcha Kobo is a hidden gem Japanese matcha café in Melbourne. There are quite a lot of seats, with sofas, window seats, and even tatami. There are also places to charge your devices. It’s a really nice spot to sit, eat, and chat with friends. They introduced the Fig Chiffon cake which is seasonal, and it’s really really good. The fig jam and matcha are perfectly balanced honestly, the last time I had matcha this good was in Kyoto!
Whether it’s desserts or drinks, the few things we ordered all feel very end-of-summer, early-autumn vibes. The overall taste is light, not overly sweet, and the tea flavour is very clean.
Fig Tart is our favourite among us. Compared to other similar tarts, the fresh figs with frangipane almond filling, plus the orange blossom jelly inside, when you take a bite there’s a light floral aroma. The overall taste is refreshing, looks good and tastes good.
Fig Chiffon Cake is the one I personally like more. Compared to the tart, the matcha cream is slightly richer. Inside there’s fig lemon jam, paired with a light matcha flavour, the sweet and sour balance is just right.
The Kochi Yuzu Roll recommended by the staff is also quite nice. The outer layer is soft matcha chiffon, and inside is yuzu curd with vanilla pudding. We even got one to take away for a friend before leaving.
Triple Matcha Tart is something I order every time. Some people might find it sweet, but personally I feel the three layers of matcha get better the more you eat, with a really nice depth of flavour.
For drinks, Fig Matcha Fizz is fig jam with Uji matcha and soda water. Not too sweet, still quite refreshing. Fig Latte has a slight fig aroma, quite interesting.
The space is quite big, overall very Japanese wabi-sabi style. The matcha drinks use Uji matcha, whisked really well, very smooth texture.
This time I also had a matcha coconut water. Way better than one I tried before at South Melbourne Market. The shop also has a lot of matcha desserts, very delicate.
Matcha Kobo
Address – Level 2/258 Lonsdale St, Melbourne VIC 3000