Final exams are looming like ancient demons seeking vengeance on humanity. Group project deadlines arrive quicker than teammates can ghost you. And holiday stress, class registration and depressingly early winter sunsets chew up what little time remains. Amid end-of-semester chaos, Comets are scrambling for their next caffeine kick, to find a pleasant place to study or simply find somewhere to relax with friends. Luckily, Richardson is plentiful in local cafes close to campus, with several offering the perfect treat to pair with your study session or hangout: matcha.
Two cafes within a 10-minute drive from campus specialize in making delicious, crave-worthy matcha. Junbi and 7th Day Coffee are the best spots to enjoy a wide variety of matcha flavors for the perfect morning treat or midday pick-me-up.
Less than two miles from UTD, Junbi on West Campbell Road offers unique flavors including guava matcha cold brew, rose water matcha and blueberry matcha. The cafe itself is smaller, which makes for a cozy feel.
“It’s very bright in [Junbi] and the walls are yellow,” software engineering freshman Ashwika Rajinikanth said. “It’s just a good study spot and the decorations are really cute and welcoming.”
Often, a well-decorated cafe entices customers immediately and allows them to form an opinion on the establishment even before trying a drink. Junbi curates a lovely atmosphere by creating a simultaneously bright and comfortable vibe through the open seating in the front of the cafe, and offering more individual spaces, perfect for studying, in the back. ATEC freshman Priya Mohan is fond of the atmosphere and the BT21 merchandise available at the cafe.
“I think it’s a good place to study, but it’s also a good picture spot,” Mohan said. “If you’re a K-pop fan or like BTS, there are BTS decorations.”
Junbi is unique in its specialty line of BT21 drinks — referencing the South Korean merchandise line featuring characters designed by BTS members — including a BT21 matcha latte.
Trying their popular iced Madagascar vanilla matcha latte, Mohan found it to be too sweet for her taste.
“This vanilla [tastes] different so it goes really well with the matcha,” Mohan said. “I can barely taste the matcha though because the vanilla is really overpowering.”
Rajinikanth, on the other hand, who enjoys sweet treats, ordered an iced strawberry matcha latte which she found to have the right amount of sweetness.
“I rate the matcha itself a six out of 10,” Rajinikanth said. “I’d come back to study, not for the matcha but for the vibes.”
Located four miles from campus, 7th Day Coffee is another cafe students have quick access to. This cafe had a similar atmosphere but was bigger, brighter and livelier than Junbi.
“I think [the cafe] is cute,” public health freshman Fareeha Choudhury said. “It’s a little bland right now because they are in the middle of renovating, but the music and the people add to a light fun atmosphere.”
Much of 7th Day’s popularity comes from its active social media presence, and as a result it is almost always filled with new people. Ordering the La Fresita matcha, which features strawberry syrup, Choudhury felt like it struck the perfect balance between the matcha and strawberry flavors.
“[The matcha] feels a little more authentic than most places,” Choudhury said. “I’m a big fan of strawberry so if you’re a big fan of strawberry matcha I would recommend this.”
Trying the same drink, Rajinikanth took on a different perspective, calling out the drink for losing flavor in the mix.
“The color of the matcha is really nice,” Rajinikanth said. “[But) to be honest after you mix the drink itself, you can’t really taste the strawberry, so it just tastes like a regular matcha latte.”
Ultimately, the matcha lattes at 7th Day Coffee were flavorful, high quality and sported the perfect amount of sweetness. The café also offers a 15% student discount.
“Overall, I would say it’s a good place to get matcha,” Rajinikanth said. “I’d give it a seven or eight out of 10.”
While 7th Day Coffee is open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day other than Sunday, Junbi is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day. Both are great places to grab a quick treat or hang out to enjoy the atmosphere. For many drink aficionados, including Rajinikanth, the social experience of a cafe itself is just as important as the drinks themselves — and increasingly crucial to cut through the mounting stress of finals season.
“Ever since I started drinking matcha, I started to feel more on trend,” Rajinikanth said. “Being able to go to different cafes with my friends and try new matcha is fun.”