REVIEW: Lindt Tokyo Style Matcha Strawberry Bar

If grocery store shelves are any indication, the Dubai chocolate craze is still going strong: the combination of creamy, crunchy, and visually striking is too compelling to go away overnight. But if your layover in Dubai has lasted a little too long, Lindt can place another stamp in your culinary passport. Its new Tokyo Style Matcha Strawberry bar utilizes a similar formula that supported Dubai chocolate’s success—but with a vibrant flavor profile that pays homage to Japanese tea culture.
The bar consists of a white chocolate base infused with matcha, finely ground green tea known for its earthy flavor. Matcha also boosts the filling, which includes freeze-dried strawberries and genmai, which is roasted brown rice commonly blended with green tea.

The chocolate bar is a beautiful spring green color with a fruity, slightly floral aroma. Matcha can be a polarizing flavor, and if the thought of the sometimes-grassy drink turns YOU green, this white chocolate will please your palate. The matcha flavor is not prominent; it seems to work backstage to tone down the white chocolate’s sweetness. The chocolate is smooth, gently sweet, and not overly rich, with a little strawberry essence and a whisper of earthy matcha in the finish.

The green filling is an amalgamation of flavor and texture: matcha, freeze-dried strawberries, and brown rice (per the product description), as well as almond paste, almonds, kadayif, and hazelnuts (per the ingredients list).

Despite everything going on, the flavors don’t feel muddled. The strawberry flavor is deliciously bright, and the genmai is toasty, slightly nutty, and pops with crunch. The genmai is both a highlight and a detriment, because its deep roasted flavor can carry a burnt aftertaste. These textural components are held together by a thick, not-too-sweet matcha filling.
This is a strange comparison, but it’s the best I’ve got. This chocolate bar reminds me of Special K with Red Berries cereal, re-envisioned as an elegant Swiss chocolate bar: light sweetness, toasty crunch, and berries. Just add matcha milk. I wonder if the Lindt chocolatiers pair that cereal with their morning matcha lattes.
Compared to Lindt’s Dubai chocolate bar, the Tokyo Style Matcha Strawberry bar is more intentionally designed and successful in its inventive, balanced flavor profile. For both bars (and most similar varieties of trendy chocolate), price will always be a contested factor. Despite my slight preference for the Tokyo Style Bar, I’m still not convinced that either bar’s ingredients, thin layer of filling, and overall size warrant the hefty price tag. Call me cheap, but I factored my doubt into my overall rating.

Tea drinkers who love bitter, grassy notes should seek satisfaction from their favorite café, but fans of sweet confections should try Lindt’s Tokyo Style Matcha Strawberry bar. If you enjoy Dubai chocolate but are ready for a change, the product is a sweet, green alternative with a bright berry flavor and interesting genmai crunch. Maybe that ubiquitous pistachio-and-chocolate combination has finally met its matcha.
Purchased Price: $14.99
Purchased at: Target
Size: 5.1 oz (145 g) bar
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (per 2 pieces, or 1/5 bar) 150 calories, 10 grams of fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 40 milligrams of sodium, 15 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 14 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.


















