Bema cafe

the matcha here is worth the trip out to w 36th ave on its own. bema sits in a strip of anchorage that doesn't ask much of you, which is part of the appeal. you're not navigating a trendy corridor or competing for a seat with a line out the door. people who come back to this place tend to come back consistently, which says more than most descriptions can. the coffee program is taken seriously without being made into a whole event, and that balance is harder to get right than it sounds. anchorage has a small enough specialty scene that a shop either holds up or gets ignored, and bema clearly holds up. start with the matcha, stay for a second cup.