The latest Japanese teahouse to open in Manhattan provides a lesson in ancient matcha rituals.
The sensory experience begins with the smell of incense inside Sōrate’s new outpost in the Flatiron District.
After that, a tea master prepares and serves the brew, with guests quietly taking in a “meditative ritual to enjoy the visuals and sounds,” said founder Silvia Mella.
“You want to hear the water that is boiling and the whisk stirring the matcha with hot water in the ceramic bowl,” she added.
Then there is time to sip, savor, socialize and ask as many questions as you want.
The goal is to make customers in the city that never sleeps feel a sense of meditative stillness, according to Mella, whose shop recently opened in spite of an international matcha shortage and US tariffs on Japan.
“Every movement and moment has a meaning, so [guests] should pay attention to all the details that go into preparing a single serving of matcha,” she said.
Sōrate grew out of an online matcha subscription service Mella launched in 2020.
Nicola Zanatta, who worked for Möet Hennessy for 15 years, joined as a partner in 2023 to launch the duo’s first brick-and-mortar store in Soho, at 103 Sullivan St.
The new outpost, at 30 E. 18th St., is a sleek 600-square-foot space featuring dark walls and elegant wood inside.
Participating in a tea ceremony costs $120. Tea tastings are $60 in Flatiron, where they come with snacks, or $90 with light bites in Soho.
“The tea ceremony symbolizes harmony, respect, purity and tranquility — in a simple bowl of tea,” said tea master Keiko Kitazawa, citing the four principles that are known in Japanese as “wa,” “kei,” “sei” and “jaku.”
“People are so busy, but when they come to the tea ceremony, they can have their moment to relax and enjoy,” said Kitazawa, who was sporting a colorful kimono.
To go with the tea, the shop offers small, sweet Japanese treats known as wagashi. They include seasonal chestnut and pumpkin flavors made with sweet bean paste to counter matcha’s slightly bitter taste.
Matcha, a finely powdered green tea that is stirred with a bamboo whisk and hot water until smooth and frothy, is offered hot or iced.
The shop will add milk upon request — no judgement, though the vibrant green drink served for thousands of years in Japan and China is meant to be served in its purest form, said Mella, who previously worked in fashion advertising and marketing.
Japan now exports more than half its matcha. Retail sales of it grew 86% over the past three years, according to research firm NIQ.
This year was rough since Japan had a reduced harvest because of poor weather. That, plus higher demand and increased tourism to Japan, led to price hikes for ceremonial-grade matcha, according to Mella.
On top of that, US imports from Japan face a 15% tariff.
Sōrate’s house matcha, which last year sold for $29 for 40 grams, is now $40, while the highest grade matcha increased from $62 to $110 for 40 grams, Mella said.
Shoppers in Japan are currently limited to just one package per person, according to reports.
Even in the best of times, matcha can be fickle.
“High-quality matcha is hand picked and it’s seasonal,” said Kitazawa. “There’s a limited time to pick the leaves and to powder the matcha. It takes one hour for just 30 grams, and each person needs two to three grams of matcha per serving.”
Kitazawa explained ceremonial-grade matcha is sold in small batches based on relationships “between the tea houses and the tea ceremony practitioners.”
To keep up with demand, Mella said Sōrate had to expand its network and find new partner farms in Japan.
That didn’t stop her company from opening its Flatiron shop last month – and customers are undeterred by the price hikes, according to Mella.
“They understand that this is a global issue. Some people cancelled their subscriptions, but not many,” she said.
We hear… City Harvest’s fall tasting event and fundraiser comes this Tuesday as New York is grappling with federal funding cuts for programs that feed the homeless and fight food insecurity.
The event, dubbed “City Harvest Presents BID 2025: Fire & Ice,” will be at The Glasshouse in Manhattan and bring together star chefs and restaurateurs to support City Harvest’s work rescuing high-quality food that would otherwise go to waste. The group delivers the food for free to millions of New Yorkers struggling to make ends meet.
At the event, guests will sample light bites and drinks from more than 50 of New York City’s top chefs, restaurants and mixologists – including culinary stars like Eric Ripert of Le Bernardin, Tom Colicchio of Craft, Jean-Georges Vongerichten of The Fulton and others.
“There has never been a more important time for New Yorkers to come together to support our neighbors in need,” City Harvest CEO Jilly Stephens told Side Dish. “Visits to New York City soup kitchens and food pantries are at a record high, and the federal government shutdown is threatening to disrupt critical Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits as soon as this weekend.”
Last year’s City Harvest event helped feed nearly 4 million New Yorkers, the nonprofit said.
