Toronto's matcha scene arrived the way most food trends do here: unevenly, enthusiastically, and with varying degrees of actual knowledge about the source material. I spent three weekends in February and early March working through eleven spots across the GTA. Some surprised me. Several did not.

The methodology

I ordered the same thing at every spot where it was available: a straight ceremonial matcha, whisked, no milk. Where that wasn't on the menu, I ordered the closest equivalent. I was looking for quality of powder, preparation care, and whether the staff could tell me anything about where the matcha was sourced.

The sourcing question alone tells you almost everything. If a café can't tell you the grade or origin of their matcha, they haven't thought about it seriously.

S-tier

Tsujiri, Bay St
Kyoto import with actual Japanese sourcing. Soft serve is mandatory. The straight matcha is serious.
4.3
$$
Chado Tea Room
Out west but worth it. Traditional preparation, thoughtful space, knowledgeable staff.
4.3
$$$

A-tier

Matcha Kyo, Yonge St
Thick lattes, Japanese snacks, consistent quality. The ube matcha latte sounds wrong and is correct.
4.1
$$
11
Spots visited. 3 worth your time. 4 fine. 4 skippable.

The honest verdict

Toronto's top three are legitimately good. The middle tier is fine: drinkable, photogenic, priced correctly for what they are. The bottom of the list is serving commodity matcha at ceremonial prices and hoping no one notices. Someone noticed.

Full tier list with addresses in the map section of the main page. The three I'd send anyone to without hesitation: Tsujiri, Chado, Matcha Kyo. In that order.