What better way to spend fall than with a festive, warm beverage in hand? This past week, I took it upon myself to find the very best fall drinks around KC. I started with the classic (and basic) pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks and shifted to local KC coffee shops such as Monarch and The Colony. I tried a variety of drinks, caffeinated and not, so you’re sure to find something that’ll get you even more excited about the start of fall.
Iced Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks
I would have to give this one an 8/10. It was delicious, as always, but there wasn’t anything really special about it. I have a huge sweet tooth, though, so I loved how sweet it was. It was as if I were drinking a blended pumpkin muffin. I would definitely recommend it to those who haven’t experienced it yet.
Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew from Starbucks
Even though I’m a sucker for iced coffee and cold brew, this one wasn’t what I expected. I was disappointed by the lack of pumpkin flavor. It tasted like any other cold brew I had from Starbucks. It had the bitterness of a cold brew coffee, but absolutely no fall festivity. I was forced to give this one a 6/10. It’s not that I didn’t enjoy it, it just lacked the fall spirit that I desired. So honestly, unless you’re dying to try this one, don’t sweat it. Even if you wait till after fall, you can have the same experience by ordering any of the other cold brew drinks that Starbucks offers.
Sweet Potato Latte from MonarchFirst things first, can we just take a second to admire this presentation? The burnt marshmallow added such a nice touch, both aesthetically and with its flavor. The latte itself was creamy, frothy and had an earthy taste to it that helped balance out the sweetness of the marshmallow. It was quite good, but didn’t give me the fall vibes that I wanted. I’d have to give it a 7/10 since it didn’t blow me away.
Smoked and Spiced Cider from Monarch
Let me just start by saying that I will love cider till the day I die, so this review may be a tad bit biased. However, this drink was just amazing and my first 10/10. I’m not sure I can truly put the flavor into words, but I’ll try my best. It was the perfect combination of sweet and spiced, but neither overpowered the other. I loved how much I could taste the sour apple in it as well. The cinnamon gave it such a homey smell, which contributed to the flavor as well. I highly recommend this for any cider lovers.
Pomme Pomme from Monarch
This was the drink that I was most excited for, yet it was the biggest let down. First off, it smelled like bacon. I have no idea why it would have possibly smelled like that. Also, it was so, so bitter. It felt like there was absolutely nothing in it to balance out the bitterness. Even though it looked like it would be creamy, it was surprisingly watery. I have to say though, the apple crisp on top wasn’t bad. But it also wasn’t worth having to suffer through drinking the rest of this coffee. Overall, I have to give this drink a 3/10.
The Robaniro from The Colony In all honesty, I was not the biggest fan of this one. It wasn’t nearly as bad as the Pomme Pomme, but it wasn’t much better. In the ingredients, they had listed “house-made habanero,” and I wanted to try something new. So I ordered it, but I wasn’t expecting the kick of spice after every single sip. It wasn’t a pleasant experience and I would not order it again, so I would have to give it a 5/10.
Baked Maple Pumpkin Latte from Kaldi’s Coffee
After my streak of unpleasant coffees, this was still mediocre and only deserves a 6/10. I didn’t hate it, but would I order it again? Probably not. I didn’t taste much maple or pumpkin. It was just another latte that they tried to make more ‘fall.’
Pumpkin Frozen Coffee from Kaldi’s Coffee
I would have to rate this one higher because I could taste the pumpkin, though not that much. So, I’d give it a 7/10. Other than the little taste of pumpkin, it tasted like any other frozen coffee. Although, I do have to say, the nutmeg on top did add to the flavor.
Iced Pumpkin Pie Latte from Mother Earth Coffee
I saved the best for last. This was, by far, the best fall drink I have tried. The pumpkin flavor is definitely noticeable, but not too overpowering. It was creamy and sweet, but you could still taste the slight bitterness of the coffee. I would recommend this to anyone and everyone. I have been waiting for the next time I pass by so that I have an excuse to get another.
Overall, I was quite impressed with the creativity of many of these drinks. To top it all off, I was able to find some super cute new study spots. In the end, these are just my opinions, and we all have different tastes so take my thoughts with a grain of salt. So go out with an open mind and find your new favorite fall beverage.