Alicia S.
Yelp
I stopped by Luce Coffee Roasters with my sister while visiting Houston-- it's a really cute shop with clean decor, friendly staff, and bathrooms that were clean.
Their Black Label menu immediately caught my eye. As a matcha lover (and admittedly a bit of a matcha snob), I was excited to try something different and went with the Black Forest -- a matcha and charcoal combo that sounded promising. I asked about sweetness levels since I'm not a fan of overly sweet drinks, and was told the matcha is pre-mixed with sugar, so making it less sweet would mean using less matcha. At that point, I had a feeling it wouldn't be for me, but I committed anyway.
Unfortunately, the drink was exactly what I was hoping to avoid -- beautifully presented, but overwhelmingly sweet and lacking that signature matcha flavor.
My sister ordered the Luce Bloom (a honey lavender oat milk latte) and a brisket taco. She loved the taco but said her drink had way too much lavender and was also too sweet for her taste.
Overall, Luce is a cool spot to try if you're in the area -- the vibe is welcoming and the space is cute -- but I wouldn't come here for a high-quality matcha experience. I might return to try something else (I saw some herbal teas on the menu) , but next time, I'll definitely steer clear of the matcha.