Cafe owner sparks fury for banning customers over divisive menu item in angry sign: ‘Finally someone said it’

It’s the bright green latte that’s taken Instagram by storm, but not everyone is on board with the matcha craze.

One outspoken café owner in Germany has had enough of the trendy drink, and his brutal stance against it has gone viral, racking up more than 880,500 likes on social media.

Dritan Alsela, a barista who owns three cafés and even runs his own barista school, is usually known online for his jaw-dropping latte art.

But this time it’s his hatred of matcha that has made headlines.

Declaring war on the green powder, Dritan first launched a cheeky ‘anti-matcha campaign’ on Instagram, posting slogans like: ‘Coffee lovers of all nations, unite against matcha.’

As well as his most recent post that reads: ‘Respect the beans. Coffee lovers of all nations, unite!’

But the coffee purist has since taken his protest offline too, erecting a bold sign outside one of his venues that bluntly warns:

‘Matcha drinkers not permitted. This is a coffee establishment. Respect the beans.’

The unapologetic stance divided followers instantly, with coffee enthusiasts cheering him on while matcha devotees leapt to defend their beloved drink.

‘Finally someone said it,’ one person applauded.

‘Some people drink matcha for health… I drink coffee so I can survive the people who drink matcha,’ another joked.

Others weren’t so kind, branding him a coffee snob.

‘Coffee snobs will never really beat the allegations will they, lmao,’ one critic wrote.

‘Matcha is for the fun people, coffee is for the traumatised souls,’ another teased.

One furious fan even fired back: ‘Coffee is grim and nasty. Matcha rules! They’re just scared of a far superior drink! May you have the stinkiest coffee breath for being disrespectful!’

Meanwhile, some matcha drinkers admitted they actually appreciated the honesty.

‘Thank you for this notice, because as a matcha drinker I hate asking for a matcha all the time. Saves me the time to come in,’ one said.

‘As a matcha lover I actually love this because I hate not being able to know beforehand if the store sells matcha or not,’ another agreed.

Love it or loathe it, Dritan’s bold ban proves one thing – the war between coffee and matcha has officially brewed.

This comes off the back of celebrity chef Gino D’Acampo also recently shocking coffee lovers around the globe by revealing that cappuccinos should never be consumed after 11am.

Surprisingly it has less to do with the caffeine high, and more to do with digestion.

The 48-year-old Italian-born TV star, best known for his food-focused shows and cookbooks, recently took to TikTok to explain the unwritten rule of Italian coffee culture – racking up a staggering 2.4 million views in the process.

‘As far as an Italian is concerned… there is a time for cappuccino and espresso,’ he told his followers.

‘An espresso for an Italian is something that you can drink all day long, especially after dinner or after lunch, or after any meal.’

The reason, according to Gino, is surprisingly scientific: ‘Caffeine makes your blood circulation faster,’ he explained.

‘So the faster your blood circulates around the body, the better your digestive system will be, and that’s why Italians eat espresso after meals.’

But when it comes to milk-based coffee, Gino insisted timing is everything, with consumption after 11am a no-go.

‘The milk in the cappuccino after a meal goes into your stomach, [and] it will do the opposite of the espresso [to] slow down your digestion system.

‘It’s the last thing that people should do.’

However, some comments from fans show they didn’t all agree on Gino’s theory about what coffee to consume and when.

‘Can’t have milk in the coffee after dinner, but a huge Tiramisu? Si! Italians are the best,’ one joked.

‘I don’t follow rules of any country I eat and drink what I want whenever I want,’ another argued. ‘If I want a cappuccino at 5pm so be it.’

‘If that’s the reason, I guess no cheesecake, ice cream, dairy-based puddings, after a meal either?’ one fan asked.

They have a point.

The rule comes from a deeply ingrained Italian belief that milk is a substantial breakfast food.

While a frothy cappuccino paired with a pastry makes the perfect morning kickstart, consuming milk later in the day is thought to interfere with digestion and leave you feeling heavy or bloated.

That’s why after breakfast, Italians traditionally switch to lighter, milk-free coffees such as espresso or macchiato.