Ah, pumpkin spice: the universal sign of autumn. It truly is a staple of the season, with many cafés offering the seasonal flavor as early as August. This October, I embarked on a very important journey: I visited several coffee shops to determine which ones offer the best pumpkin spice iced coffees. Let’s unpack this list, from worst to best.
5. Rook: Because Rook doesn’t offer iced coffee, I ordered the next best thing: a pumpkin cold brew. The cold brew itself was pleasant, but the syrup was so subtle that I forgot I actually ordered pumpkin in it. The flavor disappeared like a ghost after approximately two to three sips. Ironically, Rook’s pumpkin cold brew tasted exactly the same as their cinnamon vanilla cold brew—their seasonal summer flavor—which means their flavors just aren’t bold enough to be distinct. Therefore, this beloved Monmouth County café falls last on my pumpkin spice list.
4. Dunkin’: This popular coffee chain is my go-to for my daily caffeine fix, especially since we have one right here on campus. Disclaimer: Dunkin’ coffees are difficult to rate, since they’re notorious for inconsistency—some days, it can taste like the coffee beans were hand-picked by the Gods above, while other days it can taste like it was brewed with creek water. Overall, though, Dunkin’s pumpkin spice iced coffees taste like liquified pumpkin pie—it’s a sweet, creamy, and indulgent taste of autumn right in your cup. I do find it to be too syrupy and artificial, though, like most of Dunkin’s other sweetened flavors. However, while Dunkin’ coffees are also notorious for getting watered down quickly, the pumpkin syrup never dissipates—it’s as loyal as an unskippable 30-second ad on a YouTube video.
3. The Parson Café: Located in the Great Hall, the cozy, fairly new Parson Café can be a great pitstop while you’re shuffling to and from class. Like Rook, they don’t offer iced coffee, so I ordered—you guessed it—a pumpkin cold brew. Their pumpkin syrup tastes exactly like Dunkin’s, which makes me wonder whether they just borrowed it from the Dunkin’ in the Student Center. In general, the Parson Café’s cold brew is extremely good, but they lose points for unoriginality and for charging a whole dollar extra for oat milk AND 75 cents extra for syrup. However, they gain points for location and for having super nice baristas. So, it balances out.
2. Starbucks: As a loyal Dunkin’ gal through and through, it pains me to admit that Starbucks’ pumpkin syrup is…is…dare I say it…better than Dunkin’s. Their syrup is just as creamy (and probably just as artificial), but at least it doesn’t taste like it’s going to increase my risk for an early heart attack. Starbucks coffee in general is also more consistent than Dunkin’s, so at least you know what you’re signing up for when you wait on the brutally long drive-thru line.
1.5. California Cold Co: This trendy café is a bit of a drive from campus, located on Rt. 9 in Manalapan, and they technically only offer pumpkin as a cold foam if you order cold brew, which is why it earns a half-spot on this list. The cold foam was light and creamy, and diffused perfectly into my cold brew. Cold foam is a great option if you desire the pumpkin flavor without the sweetness.
1. Offshore Coffee Co: This equally cute, trendy café is located on Brighton Avenue, not too far from the University Bluffs and a five-minute drive from the main campus. Offshore is the only one of these places that offers pumpkin as an actual spice rather than a syrup, which is the main reason it secures a spot at number one. Offshore’s pumpkin cold brew is infused with pleasant, natural pumpkin notes. The cold brew did taste a bit bitter, and it is a bit pricey especially if you order a non-dairy milk, but the barista sprinkled extra spice to top off the drink which was a nice touch. Plus, the café has a super vibey atmosphere, which helped me live out my pumpkin spice dreams.
So, there you have it: my ranking of pumpkin spice coffees, from worst to best. This was a difficult list to curate, since I generally enjoy coffee from all these places. I’m pretty sure I now have pumpkin syrup running through my veins after sampling these coffees all throughout the month of October. Was it worth it? Absolutely.
Are you passionate about pumpkin spice coffees and want to debate? Or would you like to see me rate something else? Email me! s1114229@monmouth.edu.