Conscious Cup

By: Lexi Reinstein

When I think of a local coffee shop, I think of Conscious Cup. As a local business they make pumpkin spice coffee syrup in house. I ordered the iced salted caramel pumpkin spice latte. I could definitely taste the caramel, however, I could not taste the salt that is supposed to accompany the taste of the caramel. The pumpkin spice flavor was faint. Although the drink lacked pumpkin spice, I did like the drink a lot. We had to wait quite a while for our drinks with all the hustle and bustle of the morning rush. It was as if everyone in the area had flocked to Conscious Cup to receive their morning coffee fix.

By: Megan Rakers

This chai latte with pumpkin spice was overall a fine drink. The only problem was the pumpkin spice because it took away from the chai. My cup was lined with cinnamon that seeped to the bottom of the cup. The issue I faced with Conscious Cup was my drink order. I received the wrong drink twice in a row; this was likely because they were overcrowded and understaffed. Because the shop is busy this can sometimes take away from the aesthetic atmosphere that the shop has created. Nonetheless, this is still a great spot for a morning coffee.

Starbucks

By: Lexi Reinstein

The Starbucks Pumpkin Cream cold brew is fairly new to the Starbucks fall menu as of the last couple of years. For years everybody was raving about the Starbucks PSL (pumpkin spice latte) but, I think the pumpkin cream cold brew might have it beat. The drink is an iced cold brew coffee topped with pumpkin cream cold foam and a sprinkle of pumpkin spice. At the first sip I only caught a taste of the cold foam. I am not usually a fan of foam, but I was delighted by the foam in this drink. After a couple sips, the coffee was the most apparent flavor, it was very bitter. The atmosphere was very understatedly elegant, with modern art and forest green walls.

By: Megan Rakers

I can not find words to describe how much I love this drink. With every sip, I was transported to warm memories of the holidays. The sweet cream pumpkin foam created an airy pillow full of sweetness with a blend of pumpkin spice and cinnamon. This drink created the perfect unison between chai, sweetness, cream, and fall species. Starbucks has a very simplistic and modern architectural style. One negative thing is that the shop can be distracting because of its popularity. This drink was by far my favorite.

Dunkin Donuts

By: Lexi Reinstein

I typically wouldn’t choose to go to Dunkin to buy coffee because I prefer to support more local coffee shops. I was pleasantly surprised with Dunkin. I ordered an iced pumpkin spice latte with almond milk. They topped it with a pumpkin spice whipped topping and a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar. The pumpkin taste was definitely evident. There was a caramel drizzle that added a subtle sweet flavor. Although I did enjoy the drink very much, I probably would not go out of my way to order it again because it tasted more like a dessert drink. The atmosphere was anything but extravagant. The only thing keeping Dunkin from looking like a gas station was the cheap-looking fall decor.

By: Megan Rakers

Dunkin’s chai latte with pumpkin spice and I have a love-hate relationship. At first, it had a great taste. But with more sips, I found the sweet cream overpowering. The latte was well made, but it lacked pumpkin flavoring. I enjoyed the drink but didn’t want to finish it. At Dukin supply boxes scattered over tables and fluorescent lighting created an ambiance similar to an office waiting room. Despite this, the service was very efficient. In summary, if you like sweeter drinks, try Dunkin’s chai. Personally, it’s not my cup of tea.

Anam Cara

By: Lexi Reinstein

At Anam cara I got an iced pumpkin spiced latte with almond milk. I couldn’t taste coffee because the pumpkin flavoring was overpowering. I took a sip of the drink and I caught a big gulp of pumpkin spice seasoning which was not very pleasant. The drink was quite warm despite being an iced drink. However I was very pleased by the atmosphere. The cafe was dimly lit with chic decorations. It was a dark vibe for sure, but in a good way.

By: Megan Rakers

At Anam Cara I ordered the Vanilla Chai Spiced Latte. The chai in the latte was tasty and the spices were perfect, but the cream in the drink was not very strong, and the drink tasted like cinnamon rather than pumpkin spice. Where the drink was lacking, the cafe made up for it. Their atmosphere embodied the idea of an eclectic coffee shop; Anam Cara is the perfect study spot. Its staff goes above and beyond to make sure each customer has a great experience. From a simple smile to a light-hearted conversation, their staff helped to start my morning off right.