How we score every matcha place
Every place on MatchaPlaces has a score from 0 to 100. Here's exactly how we calculate it — no black boxes, no pay-to-play.
The score at a glance
The Matcha Score is a composite rating that measures how good a place actually is for matcha. It's not a general restaurant rating — a place can have amazing food but a mediocre matcha score if their matcha isn't the focus.
Scores are recalculated automatically as new data comes in. No place pays for a higher score. No place is excluded for not paying.
Outstanding matcha quality. Worth a dedicated visit.
Good matcha that's worth your time if you're nearby.
Serves matcha but it's not their primary strength.
Score breakdown
The score is built from 6 categories. The heaviest weight goes to actual matcha quality signals from real customer reviews.
Matcha signal from reviews
0–60 pointsWe analyze every Google review for matcha-specific language. What percentage of reviewers mention matcha? Are they positive or negative? Do they reference premium techniques like hand-whisking, ceremonial grade, or stone-ground?
Premium signals (4 points each)
Standard signals (2 points each)
Google rating and volume
0–15 pointsOverall Google rating matters, but we penalize suspiciously perfect ratings with few reviews. High volume (500+ reviews) earns a bonus because the signal is more reliable.
Google AI Overview citation
0–15 pointsWhen you search "best matcha in [city]" on Google, the AI Overview synthesizes top results from across the web — Reddit, magazines, blogs, reviews. Being cited there is a strong consensus signal that a place is genuinely among the best. +12 points for any citation, +3 if featured in a specialized section.
Online presence
0–5 pointsInstagram following (10K+ = 3pts, 2K+ = 2pts, 500+ = 1pt) and website quality (matcha-related content on their site = up to 2pts). Only counts if the place shows sufficient matcha focus in reviews.
Business completeness
0–3 points+1 for having a website or phone number. +1 for listing 5+ days of opening hours. +1 if the business owner has claimed the listing on MatchaPlaces.
Bubble tea penalty
-5 pointsBubble tea shops where matcha is a minor menu item (less than 30% of reviews mention matcha) receive a -5 point penalty. This keeps the rankings focused on places where matcha is done well, not just offered.
Community review blending
As MatchaPlaces users leave reviews, their ratings gradually blend with the editorial score. The more community reviews a place has, the more the final score reflects real visitor experiences.
New and unreviewed places
New submissions start with a preliminary score based on Google rating, review volume, name signals, and category. As the place collects Google reviews mentioning matcha and community reviews on MatchaPlaces, its score evolves to reflect actual quality. No place is permanently stuck — scores update continuously.
Multilingual analysis
Our review analysis works across languages. We detect matcha-related terms in English, Japanese, Korean, Czech, Vietnamese, and Thai — so a kissaten in Kyoto with only Japanese reviews is scored just as accurately as a cafe in New York with English reviews.
No pay-to-play. Ever.
No place can pay for a higher score. No place is penalized for not advertising with us. The algorithm treats every place the same way — from a one-person kissaten in Kyoto to a chain with 50 locations. If you think a score is wrong, leave a review and it will be factored in.