At a minimalist Los Angeles matcha bar, powdered Japanese tea is prepared with precision, despite a global shortage driven by the bright green drink's social media stardom.

Of the 25 types of matcha on the menu at Kettl Tea, which opened on Hollywood Boulevard this year, all but four were out of stock, the shop's founder Zach Mangan said.

"One of the things we struggle with is telling customers that, unfortunately, we don't have" what they want, he said.