Actually Good Matcha has opened a new matcha window in Burleigh Heads
Burleigh Heads has a new destination for matcha lovers. Tucked into the side of Après Surf on the Gold Coast Highway, Actually Good Matcha is the permanent home of Caitlin Merriman’s matcha brand, serving carefully sourced Japanese matcha alongside a menu of creative drinks featuring miso caramel, collagen cold foam and coconut water. While the menu embraces the playful side of modern matcha culture, the focus remains firmly on quality.
The problem with matcha, according to Caitlin Merriman, is that too many people are selling it without really understanding it.
“All these cafes saw it go viral,” she says. “They just bought whatever they thought they should buy and no one actually knows anything about the product or quality.”
It’s a frustration that ultimately led Caitlin to open Actually Good Matcha, a new permanent matcha window tucked into the side of Après Surf on the Gold Coast Highway in Burleigh Heads. If the name sounds a little tongue-in-cheek, that’s because it is.
“When I worked in cafes, people would always ask, ‘Is it actually good?'” Caitlin laughs. “I thought, why don’t I just put it in the name?”
The tiny window may have come together quickly, but the idea has been brewing for much longer. Caitlin has spent the past year building her matcha business through pop-ups, warehouse sales and collaborations with brands, while also working in hospitality. It was a trip to Japan that helped crystalise the direction she wanted to take.
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Rather than chasing trends, Caitlin became fascinated by what separated exceptional matcha from the mediocre versions showing up across cafe menus.
That pursuit of quality eventually led her to Shizuoka, a renowned tea-growing region in Japan. While many suppliers focus on Uji matcha, Caitlin opted for a product from Shizuoka, drawn to its smoother, more balanced flavour profile.
“With the climate and everything, it keeps it a lot smoother,” she explains. “It blends really well if you’re having it with milk, which is how most people here drink it.”
For Caitlin, quality starts with understanding the product itself. She is quick to dismiss the obsession with marketing buzzwords and believes many consumers have been sold a simplified version of what good matcha actually means.
Subscribe for updates“A lot of people talk about ceremonial grade matcha, but that doesn’t really exist in Japan,” she says. “What matters is the quality of the leaf and where it’s grown.”
The menu reflects that same approach. While traditional matcha remains the hero, Caitlin has created a selection of drinks designed to complement rather than overwhelm the tea’s natural flavour.
The standout is the Miso Sticky & Sexy, which combines matcha with a house-made miso caramel. The pairing might sound unusual, but Caitlin says the shared umami qualities make it a natural match.
Other signatures include the Fit GC Babe, which layers collagen cold foam over coconut-water matcha for a lighter, more refreshing take, alongside a playful collection of drinks featuring ingredients like banana, maple and strawberry. Even the cold foams have been carefully considered, with Caitlin favouring more natural ingredients over overly sweet additions.
Perhaps the biggest compliment comes from customers who claim they don’t even like matcha.
“I’ve had people come in and say they’ve never liked matcha before and then tell me they actually love this,” she says.
Located within Après Surf, the window has quickly become a morning fixture for Burleigh locals. And for anyone who has spent years ordering disappointing matchas in the hope of finding a good one, that’s very good news indeed.
Head to The Directory for opening times.
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