Quest for the perfect fall latte

My favorite part of fall is not the vibrant colors of the changing leaves or the crisp feeling in the air when you walk outside. No – it’s all the pumpkin-flavored goodies that pop up everywhere. Pumpkin bread? Yes, please. Pumpkin beer with a cinnamon-rimmed glass? Don’t mind if I do!

Before the season ends and all things pumpkins are replaced with all things peppermint or eggnog, I decided to treat my tastebuds and sample a few pumpkin lattes. Why a latte, you ask? Well, I figured even if the pumpkin part didn’t taste so good, I would still get to drink a frothy, caffeinated beverage. Being the Food Snob means lots of sleepless nights (those back issues of “Bon Appetit” won’t read themselves) and therefore daily vats of coffee are required to keep at my perky best.

I’m happy to report that of the three places I visited, there wasn’t a bad pumpkin latte in the bunch (or should I say patch?) Here are my findings:

Starbucks
240 Loudon Road
Hours: Monday through Friday 5:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Saturday 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Contact: 223-2395
Cost for a “tall:” $3.50

Starbuck’s pumpkin spice latte was the least pumpkiny tasting out of the three. In fact, it tasted eerily similar to the vanilla latte, the only difference being a sprinkling of cinnamon on top. Luckily, I happen to like Starbuck’s vanilla latte, so I didn’t mind that so much.
This latte was also the sweetest, especially when I got to the bottom of the beverage, where all the syrup sat. I got a petite vanilla scone to go with it, and by the time I finished my latte, I kind of wished I had skipped the scone. Sugar overload aside, I would recommend Starbuck’s latte to anyone with a sweet tooth.

True Brew Barista
3 Bicentennial Square
Hours: Monday through Wednesday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday and Friday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Contact: 225-2776
Cost for a small: $2.50

I was impressed to see that True Brew Barista not only had a “pumpkin spice” latte, but they also had a “pumpkin pie” latte, among a plethora of other non-pumpkin flavors.
I went with the pie option since I had already tried a pumpkin spice flavoring at Starbucks. True Brew received bonus points not only for asking if I wanted a dark roast or a light roast (I chose dark), but also for letting me write out a check for only $2.50 when I discovered they didn’t take credit.

My like for True Brew continued after taking a sip – my latte really did taste like a slice of pumpkin pie. Although True Brew’s “small” is slightly smaller than Starbuck’s “tall,” the portion was just right for this sweet treat.

I was tempted to hang out longer at True Brew – the atmosphere was cozy and welcoming, begging me to plop down on an oversize chairs with my latte and a good book – but I still had one more latte to try. However, with its expansive menu, I’m sure I’ll be back to try one of the coffee shop’s gourmet teas or some other delicious hot beverage. I’ll just have to remember to hit up an ATM beforehand.

Honeydew Donuts
374 Loudon Road
Hours: Sunday through Thursday, 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Contact: 856-8825
Cost for a small: $2.45

Although I enjoyed the other two, this latte was my favorite. Like Starbucks, Honey Dew had “pumpkin spice” flavoring, but Honey Dew’s was much more reminiscent of a pumpkin – plus the spiciness was nice. Also, I could really taste the espresso, which made it less sticky-sweet tasting.

I loved the bitterness and the strong-espresso taste, but you may want to ask for sugar if you prefer a sweeter drink. However, with a wall of donuts and muffins staring at you, you may decide to get your sugar fix from somewhere other than your beverage. Pumpkin muffin anyone?