What Does Matcha Taste Like at Starbucks?

A Starbucks matcha creme Frappucino looks compelling, right? Bright green with a mountain of whipped cream on top…if you’ve never had one, you can’t help but wonder, what does matcha taste like at Starbucks? Read on to find out the answer, plus key nutritional facts about Starbucks matcha drinks.

So, what does matcha taste like at Starbucks?

Starbucks matcha green tea drinks use a matcha powder blend that includes sugar. As a result, Starbucks matcha is sweeter than traditional matcha. Probably, Starbucks uses sweetened matcha because many people prefer it over the standard matcha flavor, which can be bitter. Indeed, the top answer to the question of how to make matcha taste good is: add sweetener.

Starbucks’ matcha drinks have a smooth and creamy consistency, especially when mixed with milk for lattes. The flavor is mildly sweet and vegetal, with a hint of creaminess from the milk. You might taste a slight bitterness from the matcha itself, but it’s generally mild because of the added sugar.

Note that the taste can vary depending on the specific drink and how it’s customized. For example, adding flavors like vanilla or peppermint, or changing the type of milk, can significantly alter the flavor profile.

This post describes the matcha used at Starbucks in detail.

To learn more about the taste of traditional matcha, see our posts what does matcha taste like? and what does matcha latte taste like?

Starbucks matcha drinks and their nutritional content

The 2023 Starbucks menu includes a matcha crème Frappucino blended beverage, iced matcha tea latte, iced matcha lemonade, and a matcha tea latte. The nutritional content of each, including caffeine, by size is noted below.

Note that in addition to these four standard beverages, you can make your own matcha drink by customizing other Starbucks concoctions with a scoop or two of matcha powder.

Matcha crème Frappucino blended beverage

The table below shows the nutritional characteristics of Starbucks matcha crème Frappucino — assuming no customizations. The standard recipe includes both whole milk and whipped cream.  

Nutritional Factor	Tall	Grande	Venti
Calories	300	420	520
Caffeine	50 mg	70 mg	95 mg
Cholesterol	35 mg	50 mg	55 mg
Total Fat	12 g	16 g	18 g
Total Carbohydrates	44 g	62 g	81 g
Protein	5 g	6 g	8 g
Scoops of Matcha Powder	2	3	4

Iced matcha tea latte

The table below shows the nutritional characteristics of Starbucks iced matcha tea latte — assuming 2% milk and no added flavors, toppings, or sweeteners.

Nutritional Factor	Tall	Grande	Venti
Calories	140	200	220
Caffeine	55 mg	80 mg	110 mg
Cholesterol	15 mg	20 mg	30 mg
Total Fat	4 g	5 g	8 g
Total Carbohydrates	21 g	29 g	41 g
Protein	7 g	9 g	13 g
Scoops of Matcha Powder	2	3	4

Iced matcha lemonade

The table below shows the nutritional characteristics of Starbucks iced matcha lemonade — assuming no customizations, sweeteners, or toppings.  

Nutritional Factor	Tall	Grande	Venti
Calories	90	120	170
Caffeine	55 mg	80 mg	110 mg
Cholesterol	0 mg	0 mg	0 mg
Total Fat	0 g	0 g	0 g
Total Carbohydrates	21 g	29 g	41 g
Protein	1 g	1 g	1 g
Scoops of Matcha Powder	2	3	4

Matcha tea latte

The table below shows the nutritional characteristics of Starbucks matcha tea latte — assuming 2% milk with no added flavors, sweeteners, or toppings.  

Nutritional Factor	Tall	Grande	Venti
Calories	190	240	320
Caffeine	55 mg	80 mg	110 mg
Cholesterol	20 mg	25 mg	35 mg
Total Fat	5 g	7 g	9 g
Total Carbohydrates	25 g	34 g	45 g
Protein	10 g	12 g	16 g
Scoops of Matcha Powder	2	3	4

Starbucks matcha FAQs