Editorial standards · October 7, 2026
This page explains how we check café information, what Buzzy and Top Pick labels mean, and what evidence is needed before an award.
We check a spotâs address, opening status, matcha menu, hours and published milk options against cafĂ© menus, official announcements and other named sources. Listings link to those sources. Announced locations can appear as planned only when their address and matcha program are credible; they arenât described as open.
A menu is evidence that a drink is offered. It doesnât tell us that it tastes better than another cafĂ©âs drink. Prices, hours and recipes can change, so check with the cafĂ© before a special trip.
Buzzy highlights a documented opening, distinctive matcha program or recent coverage. It isnât a rating or a claim about sales, queues or social popularity.
New and renewed labels require a specific reason, source, verification date and a review date within 90 days. At that review, we check the sources again and keep or remove the label. Earlier labels are being reviewed against this standard.
Top Pick is a recommendation label, not an award or a scored comparison. Existing picks come from the original directoryâs shortlist. They havenât all been compared in a head-to-head taste test.
Future pick write-ups will explain their basis. We wonât describe a pick as a taste-test winner without a recorded firsthand tasting.
Plant milk does not establish that a whole drink is dairy-free. Foams, condensed milk and toppings need their own ingredient check.
Our first planned categories are banana matcha, cold foam, dairy-free options and value. No winners have been selected under this new award program.
Before naming a âBestâ winner, we need dated firsthand tasting notes for the specific drinks being compared, a list of the drinks we compared and clear criteria. Notes should record the order, milk choice, sweetness request, price and any toppings. We assess matcha flavor, balance and preparation; category-specific comparisons add banana flavor, foam texture, dairy-free ingredients or value.
Guides based on menu research identify verified options and make clear when a description comes from the cafĂ©. Their order isnât a taste ranking. Future reader-voted awards will be labeled separately, with dates and an explanation of how we check votes. We wonât publish invented scores, tastings or votes.
Taking part in a café offer, sponsoring content or providing a sample does not buy an award, a Top Pick or a Buzzy label. Any commercial relationship or complimentary tasting relevant to an article will be disclosed alongside it.
We update factual listings as evidence changes and date editorial reviews. If a source no longer supports a claim, we correct it. Reviews show when information was checked.
explore the guides â