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10 Best Starbucks Drinks
Overwhelmed by the extensive Starbucks menu? Here are the 10 best coffees to try at Starbucks.
Published October 22, 2021
Susan Rov
Coffee experts@The Coffee Lab
Starbucks is a coffee franchise known for its extensive menu of espresso-based drinks, including plenty of specialty lattes and frappuccinos. The truth is, their offering of hot and cold beverages is so vast and changing, it’s impossible to try them all. This is why we’ve put together the list of the best Starbucks drinks, including the items from the secret Starbucks menu.
Established in 1971 at the Pike Place Market in Seattle, Starbucks was the driver of the second wave of coffee that popularized coffee shop culture and espresso-based beverages (*). According to Finances Online, Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world with 32,660 stores across the globe. (*)
Since they were founded at the end of the 20th century, they’ve expanded their menu which now offers beverages far beyond the classic lattes and cappuccinos. If you want to explore the most popular Starbucks drinks or just mix up your next coffee order and try something new, here are our best Starbucks drinks to try.
1. Vanilla Latte
Starting with a classic pick, the Vanilla Latte is simple but delicious. Consisting of an espresso shot, steamed milk, and vanilla syrup, it is one of the uncomplicated choices and arguably the best hot coffee at Starbucks.
The subtle vanilla flavor adds some sweetness to the taste, providing a needed pick me up in the afternoon, making this classic pick the best Starbucks latte. You can swap the vanilla syrup for its sugar-free alternative if you want to keep your health in check, creating a delicious low-sugar caffeine hit. You can also consider switching the steamed milk to a plant-based milk.
2. Pumpkin Spiced Latte
One of the most famous Starbucks coffee drinks is the Pumpkin Spiced Latte, also known as PSL, which has been popularized all around the world. It is made with pumpkin and a mix of flavorful spices including cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. You can order it hot, iced, or blended, depending on your mood. Even though this latte is so popular, it is a limited holiday edition drink that is only available for a couple of months per year.
This is yet another reason to get your hands on it when it’s in season. The Pumpkin Spiced Latte is the most iconic latte from Starbucks that everyone should try at least once.
3. Cinnamon Roll Frappuccino
Next up, is an item from the ‘secret’ Starbucks menu. You won’t find it on the standard offering at Starbucks but your barista will probably know about it. And if not, he’ll be able to create it by mixing a few different syrups available at every Starbucks.
This indulgent treat is made like a vanilla bean frappuccino mixed with white mocha syrup, cinnamon dolce syrup and topped up with cinnamon dolce powder.
Cinnamon Roll Frappuccino was invented by Starbucks regulars who have discovered that this combination of syrups tastes exactly like a cinnamon roll. This indulgent drink packs a lot of flavor and doesn’t contain that much caffeine, providing a perfect alternative to afternoon dessert that will make you feel like you’ve just paid a visit to your favorite bakery. It’s a fairly sweet beverage, but if that’s your preference, you can check out some more sweet coffee here.
4. Iced White Chocolate Mocha
Mocha is one of the most popular Starbuck offerings, but they also offer plenty of its variations, including this Iced White Chocolate Mocha.
Perfect for those who love the sweet taste of white chocolate, this drink consists of white chocolate syrup, white chocolate sauce, a shot of espresso, steamed milk, and ice.
This drink is an excellent choice if you want to mix up your traditional mocha order and it can be a refreshing cold treat on a hot summer day.
5. Salted Caramel Cold Brew
If you’re in the mood for a cold coffee beverage but you are looking for something else than a mocha or a frappuccino with a stronger coffee taste, try the Starbucks cold brew. Even better, try their Salted Caramel Cold Brew.
Cold-brew is a brewing method that is different from iced coffee. Rather than brewing coffee at a high temperature and cooling it down afterward, cold brew is prepared with cold water, traditionally with a longer brewing time (more than 12 hours). This allows more delicate coffee flavors inherent in the bean to develop and makes a mild but strong coffee drink that has a serious caffeine kick.
Combine cold brew with a sweet and salty caramel flavor by adding the thick and creamy salted caramel sauce for a perfect combination, making it one of the good Starbucks drinks to try. You can try making a simple version at home.
6. Almond Milk Honey Flat White
For those avoiding dairy, this is one of the most essential drinks to try at Starbucks. Almond Milk Honey Flat white consists of two ristretto shots, almond milk, Starbucks honey blend, and sea salt.
The combination of the plant-based milk with honey and strong ristretto shots creates a delicious, slightly sweet, and nutty flavor with a solid caffeine boost that can be enjoyed hot or cold.
7. Iced Brown Sugar Oat Milk Shaken Espresso
Starbucks drinks can be a mouthful but nothing beats the Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso. This new drink has recently gained popularity on TikTok and became an instant hit.
It consists of 3 shots of blonde roast espresso mixed with brown sugar and cinnamon and then combined with ice and oat milk. This blend of creamy oat milk and mild blonde roast is perfectly complemented by cinnamon and brown sugar, which has quickly earned this concoction an instant status as one of the good drinks to get at Starbucks.
8. Dirty Chai Latte
Dirty Chai is a variation on the popular Chai Latte (also called a Chai Tea Latte), which is made out of condensed masala tea, a black tea spiced with cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and nutmeg. The masala blend is then mixed with steamed milk.
To take a normal Chai Tea Latte up a notch, dirty chai adds a shot of coffee to the already flavorful and aromatic beverage. The additional caffeine kick enriches the flavor of the chai and takes the drink to another level, great as an afternoon boost.
9. Iced Marble Mocha
Iced Marble Mocha, also known by other names, such as Tan Mocha or Black and White Mocha, is a mocha variation that combines both white and dark chocolate sauce into the drink.
If you’re a fan of marble chocolate bars, put the Iced Marble Mocha on your list of Starbucks drinks to try next. This beverage provides the perfect alternative for those who find the taste of dark chocolate too bitter and white chocolate just too sweet. The bittersweet combination works really well, especially when paired with espresso.
10. Green Tea Frappuccino
Finally, the Green Tea Frappuccino is an excellent choice for those who want to try different drinks as an alternative to coffee.
Starbucks uses matcha green tea to create the flavor as well as the lime green color of the drink. Matcha is powdered green tea that has been crushed into the consistency of flour. It is even more potent than green tea and provides a natural energy boost as well as superfood health benefits for your body, including faster metabolism and improved focus. Matcha powder can be mixed with steamed milk into a hot beverage but also served cold as Iced Matcha Latte or Green Tea Frappuccino.
This is one of the best coffees to try at Starbucks for those who are health conscious or just want a late afternoon boost that won’t give them the jitters.
How many best coffee drinks at Starbucks from our list have you tried? Next time you order, go for one of these popular Starbucks drinks to explore the new exciting flavors this coffee franchise offers.
About the author
Susan Rov
A retired barista who turned into a writer. I love discovering coffee flavors and learning more about the magic bean.
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