German cafe owner bans matcha, sparking online feud over coffee culture

A German cafe owner has triggered a viral debate by banning matcha drinkers outside one of his venues with a blunt sign that reads: “Matcha drinkers not permitted. This is a coffee establishment. Respect the beans.” Dritan Alsela, who runs three cafés and a barista school, has long been known online for his latte art, but this time his stance on the green powder has dominated headlines. He launched an anti-matcha campaign on Instagram, posting slogans such as “Coffee lovers of all nations, unite against matcha” and later “Respect the beans. Coffee lovers of all nations, unite!” The posts have drawn hundreds of thousands of likes and sparked a heated discussion across social media.

The sign outside his venue—bold in its wording—has become a focal point for online arguments about taste, health perceptions, and competing coffee cultures. Supporters cheered the stance as a refreshing call for purity in a crowded beverage landscape, while critics argued that coffee purism risks gatekeeping and ignores personal choice. Comments ranged from celebratory gibes to sharp quips about snobbery, illustrating how a local business decision can become a global talking point in the social-media era. “Finally someone said it,” one commenter wrote, while another joked that they survive the day on coffee rather than matcha. Others labeled Alsela a “coffee snob,” and some matcha enthusiasts pushed back with humor or defense of the trend. Still, a notable portion of matcha drinkers told reporters they appreciated the honesty and the clarity of the establishment’s policy, noting it helps them decide where to shop and what to order before visiting.

The episode sits within a broader wave of coffee culture discourse that has recently stretched beyond cafe counters and into social feeds. In a separate flashpoint of the moment, celebrity chef Gino D’Acampo stunned coffee lovers by arguing on TikTok that cappuccinos should never be consumed after 11 a.m. His video, which has amassed millions of views, veered into a discussion about digestion and tradition in Italian coffee culture. D’Acampo explained that while espresso is widely consumed throughout the day, milk-based drinks like cappuccino are best kept for earlier in the day because of how milk interacts with digestion. He cited science to explain that caffeine speeds up circulation, and that milk-based drinks after meals can slow digestion, making late-day cappuccinos less comfortable for some people. The post spawned a range of reactions, with fans debating the science, roaming from strict adherence to tradition to light-hearted skepticism about universal rules.

Taken together, the online flare-ups around the German cafe owner and the Italian chef underscore how social-media platforms magnify debates that once lived only at the counter. They reflect a culture where authenticity and tradition are increasingly negotiated in public view, and where a single sign, post, or video can spark a wider conversation about what counts as acceptable behavior, what counts as a “real” coffee, and how trends shape everyday rituals. Whether readers align with Alsela’s hard line against matcha or with those who defend the drink as a valid, health-conscious option, the moment highlights how culture and entertainment intersect in the digital age, turning a routine choice at a neighborhood cafe into a shared topic of national or even international interest.

As the online dialogue evolves, the core tension remains familiar: the pull between a purist approach to specialty coffee and the growing popularity of diverse, trend-driven beverages. The clash also tests how cafes navigate customer expectations and how much weight a simple sign can carry in a crowded marketplace. In an era when viral posts can define a day for a business and a brand, the lines between personal stance, market strategy, and cultural commentary can blur quickly. The ongoing exchange suggests that the war between coffee and matcha—like many cultural debates in entertainment and lifestyle—has officially brewed, with no clear end in sight.