mango sticky rice parfait and banana pudding matcha latte

Blog August 9, 2026

Hey Matcha Cafe Maiko, Make Mango Sticky Rice Forever

Mango sticky rice with ice cream was not something I was used to but now it’s my new normal. And it’s all thanks to Matcha Cafe Maiko.

It was the perfect place to devise my game plan for the Hello Kitty Cafe Truck stop in Charlotte, NC.

Matcha Cafe Maiko began in Hawaii in 2016, specializing in high quality matcha from Uji, Japan.

Since then the cafe has grown to 20+ locations across the U.S. and one in Canada.

Here’s what I ordered and how to prepare for your visit.

What to order from Premium Matcha Cafe Maiko in Charlotte

Mango Sticky Rice Parfait: $9 USD

Summer must be mango sticky rice season and you can celebrate with the limited-time only soft serve parfait.

The Mango Sticky Rice Parfait has:

soft serve ice cream (choose from mango, matcha, ube or a mango/matcha swirl)
fresh mango cubes
coconut sauce
sticky rice
topped with sesame seeds

I’ve had this dessert before at various Thai restaurants, sans ice cream, and loved it but I was skeptical of how the sticky rice would work next to something of a completely different temperatue.

Would the sticky rice harden or become gummy?

At first, the sticky rice was room temperature but eventually became cooler and complemented the chill from the soft serve.

I selected the mango and matcha swirl but had no idea about the ube swirl until someone ordered it about 20 minutes later.

The mango cubes were the right size and soft without being mushy.

Maybe it’s because of the rice but this parfait felt like a meal so I recommend sharing it or not ordering it on a full stomach.

Banana Pudding Matcha Latte (16 oz): $9 USD

The only kind of banana pudding I want is one without fresh bananas.

And Matcha Cafe Maiko delivered.

I’ve seen photos of this latte with banana slices but the one I bought from the Charlotte location didn’t have them, to my relief.

However, everything else you’d expect was present like the wafers and whipped cream.

Although, I’m not sure if there was actual pudding.

The staff did a great job infusing the whipped cream with a strong but not artificial banana flavor.

The matcha itself didn’t taste like banana so I recommend mixing the topping into the drink and waiting for all the flavors to meld.

You have a choice of non-dairy milks: soy, almond and oat.

They are $.75 and I chose oat milk.

Ube & hojicha soft serve ice cream from the Boston location: $8.50 USD

If you’ve seen the matcha shortage article, then you know how I feel about hojicha – I prefer it over matcha.

Ube’s another favorite of mine so this soft serve combo is a go-to for me when it’s available.

The soft serve was lightly dusted with hojicha powder and had a syrup I don’t remember but you can choose from options like black sugar, choco hazelnut and condensed milk.

It doesn’t look like the hojicha soft serve is available at the Charlotte location at this time, but I was able to order this at the store in Boston.