Gone are the days of the humble coffee shop a la Central Perk in Friends— in our current era of Instagram, many cafes moonlight as bars or performance venues during off-hours, featuring trendy, eye-catching drinks and a strong social media presence as well.
MoMaCha, recently opened at 312 Bowery, is no different. The café, whose name is a play on MoMa’s, also doubles as a gallery, which makes sense considering it’s next-door neighbors with The Hole. Featuring a rotating selection of art, the current artist featured in MoMaCha is Dan Lam. Currently on display are some of her biomorphic blobs, drips and squishes, all covered in glittery textiles and Swarovski crystals.
MoMaCha only offers variations of its namesake beverage; some of the more exotic offerings include blue algae and charcoal sesame matcha lattes. Not surprisingly, the café specializes in cheeky latte art. And in terms of sweet treats, there are brightly colored ube balls (filled with purple ube cream) and croissants, designed by Lam, as well as soft-serve ice cream, available in matcha or black coconut. Feeling adventurous? You can even add a sprinkle of charcoal on top.
The drinks and eats at MoMaCha aren’t cheap (we’re talking $7-$9 for a latte here), but the café as a whole is fun, bright, and very aesthetically pleasing. It’s worth a trip for the Instagram opportunities alone, if you’re one to document your drink experiences.