Nana’s Green Tea on Swanston Street is a Japanese matcha cafe near RMIT, and I went there with a friend to try it out. I’d seen it come up a few times online and finally had the chance to stop in. It cost about $45 a head, which felt reasonable for the amount of food and the quality of what we got.
Getting There and the Setting
The cafe is right on Swanston Street, close to RMIT, so it’s an easy stop if you’re already in the area for uni or work. It’s the kind of spot that’s busy with students and people passing through, but we still managed to get seated without much of a wait. The space felt clean and comfortable, with a bit of a Japanese cafe feel to it. It’s not a huge place, but it didn’t feel cramped either. It’s the sort of cafe where you could sit for a while and chat without feeling rushed to leave.
The Karaage Curry Rice
This was the standout dish of the visit. The karaage curry rice was really good, and I’d order it again without hesitation. The chicken was crispy on the outside and still juicy inside, and the curry sauce worked well poured over the rice. It wasn’t overly heavy, which made it easy to finish along with the drinks and dessert we’d ordered. If you’re after something more filling than a sweet matcha drink, this is the one I’d point you to.
The Matcha Shiro Latte
I ordered the matcha shiro latte, which comes with cream on top. The first few sips were good, and the matcha flavour came through nicely against the cream. The issue was that it got weaker as I worked my way down the cup. By the last third, it tasted more like warm milk than matcha. It’s still worth trying once, just don’t expect the strong matcha taste to last the whole drink.
The Matcha Parfait
The matcha parfait was one of my favourites from the visit. It came layered with red bean and cream in the middle, and both were extremely sweet, almost too sweet on their own. But eaten together as one dessert, it worked. I particularly liked the little mochi balls on top. They gave the parfait a bit of chew against all the smooth layers underneath, and they were probably my favourite part of the whole dish.
The Matcha Roll and Pound Cake
The matcha roll and the matcha pound cake were both just okay. Neither one stood out to me the way the parfait did. That said, the matcha flavour in both was still good, so if you’re someone who just wants a straightforward matcha-flavoured treat without anything too elaborate, either would do the job. If you’re choosing between desserts here, though, I’d put these two behind the parfait.
Would I Go Back?
Overall, yes. It’s the kind of place that’s good for photos and for catching up with a friend over a slow afternoon. The food was a bit of a mixed bag dish to dish, some really good and some just average, but the highlights made up for the average ones. I’d go back mainly for the karaage curry rice and the matcha parfait, and I’d probably skip the roll and the pound cake next time.
Practical Info for Visiting
Nana’s Green Tea Swanston is at 487 Swanston St, Melbourne VIC 3000, right near RMIT. There’s also a second Melbourne location on Bourke Street if Swanston is busy or you’re closer to the CBD end of town. Expect to pay somewhere in the $25 to $50 range per person depending on what you order, which lines up with what we spent. It’s a popular spot, especially around lunch and on weekends, so if you’re going with a group, it’s worth keeping that in mind before you head over.
If you’re planning a Melbourne trip during the school holidays, check our VIC school holidays and term dates for 2026 page, or browse more of our Melbourne food and cafe reviews.