Downtown’s Vesta Coffee Roasters craft a pretty matcha latte

It may not be easy being green but it’s easy enough to drink, with the Matcha Latte at Vesta Coffee Roasters. Owner Jerad Howard said he uses culinary-grade matcha (powdered specially produced green tea); only the ceremonial grade is higher, and “it wouldn’t be great to mix that with milk.” Howard steams the matcha with water and steaming milk and pours them together like a latte. It’s unsweetened, but he recommends adding a touch of simple syrup. Many customers order the nondairy version made with house-made macadamia-almond milk. He said matcha latte is the most popular non-coffee drink at Vesta, which is at 1114 S. Casino Center Blvd. in the Arts District. It’s $6.