Banana and matcha trends are taking off — and one Jacksonville coffee shop is mixing them up

Banana is showing up in more than smoothies and banana bread. Google searches for “banana coffee” and “banana matcha” have reached record highs, and restaurant chains introduced 100 new banana items from July 2025 through July 2026, according to market data highlighted by Axios. The numbers point to a growing appetite for banana-flavored drinks and desserts. At Hilite Coffee in Jacksonville’s San Marco neighborhood, owner Nate Mayo is pairing banana with matcha, miso caramel and even ube banana pudding. One of the shop’s creations is a banana miso matcha topped with house-made tiramisu. Mayo recommends sipping from the bottom first to taste the banana, then from the top for the matcha — without stirring the tiramisu topping into the drink. “It brings such richness to it,” News4JAX Anchor Joy Purdy said after trying it. Another menu item takes the dessert route: S’mores with ube banana pudding and a toasted vanilla bean marshmallow. The shop makes its chocolate and toasted marshmallow s