A week after the New York Times ran an op-ed titled “Will Pumpkin Spice Destroy Us All?” we offer a rebuttal of sorts, at least when it comes to fall’s signature seasonal coffee – the pumpkin spice latte. Here’s an unapologetic shout out to the many PSL around town.
Real Pumpkin
For beverages that include actual pumpkin – something the Starbucks version didn’t until 2015 – these are your go-to spots and the ingredients that make their drinks unique.
The Chocolate Moose Bakery & Café
Pumpkin Spice Latte (house-made pumpkin sauce with cinnamon)
Grateful Brew
Pumpkin Spice Latte (house-made syrup with pumpkin puree and spices)
Kuka Juice
Pump’d Up (pumpkin, sprouted almonds, organic coffee, medjool dates, H2O, coconut oil, hemp seeds, pumpkin spice, Himalayan salt); Pumpkin Spice & Everything Nice (heirloom pumpkin, carrot, apple, pumpkin spice, ginger). Both drinks are bottled and served cold.
Methodical Coffee
Spiced Honey Latte (honey syrup mulled with spices, pumpkin puree whisked in, Apple Jacks garnish)
Southern Pressed Juicery
Pumpkin Spiked (pumpkin, apple, ginger, chia seed, cardamom); Pumpkin Pie Mylk (pumpkin, almond, dates, H2O, agave, cinnamon, vanilla extract, gray sea salt); The Great Pumpkin smoothie (pumpkin, cold brew coffee, almond mylk, almond butter, all-spice, maca, vanilla extract, dates, banana) First two drinks are bottled and served cold.
Swamp Rabbit Café
Pumpkin Spice Latte (organic pumpkin puree with organic spices)
Tandem Creperie and Coffeehouse
Pumpkin Pie Latte (house-made syrup with pumpkin, spices, and sweetened condensed milk)
The Village Grind
Pumpkin Pie Latte (pumpkin puree with brown sugar syrup)
Pumpkin With a Twist
Plain ol’ pumpkin spice wasn’t good enough for these guys, so they amped up the flavors a bit.
Bex Café & Juice Bar
Pumpkin Chai (chai tea latte with shot of espresso and Monin pumpkin spice syrup); White Chocolate Pumpkin Spice (white hot chocolate with Monin pumpkin spice syrup)
Caviar & Bananas
Pumpkin Fluff Latte (toasted hazelnut and pumpkin syrups with marshmallow fluff)
Crepe du Jour
Caramel Pumpkin Spice Latte (house-made caramel and pumpkin spice syrups and a drizzle of caramel spice on top of whipped cream)
Liquid Highway
White Chocolate Caramel Pumpkin Latte (white chocolate, caramel and pumpkin syrups, whipped cream)
O-CHA Tea Bar
Pumpkin Spice Latea (brewed pumpkin spice black tea with steamed milk)
Not Pumpkin
Maybe PSL is not your thing, but fall flavors are. These two specialty coffee shops went all-in for fall, minus the orange gourd.
Due South Coffee Roasters
Frozen Lake (chai spices, steamed cold brew and milk, and crème brulée top)
Barista Alley
The Spinning Jenny (organic orange oil, house-made mocha, and gingerbread spice syrups)
