I just wanted to preface my review by saying that I had low expectations for all the coffees I tried. I don’t like a lot of sugar in my coffee, and my normal order is a Starbucks Coldbrew or black coffee. When I set out to try fall coffee drinks, I was expecting overly-sweet, overly-expensive coffees. However, 3 drinks later, I was pleasantly surprised. 

The Roasterie: Pumpkin Spice Latte

My first stop was the Roasterie in Leawood. I nervously asked the barista, “Do you actually like the pumpkin spice latte?” She responded with a yes (I’m pretty sure she has to say that though). With my first sip, I was happily surprised. The pumpkin spice flavor was not overwhelming, but rather a great complement to the coffee. It also was not overly sweet. The flavor reminded me of a cold, fall morning and wearing a cozy sweater. It also woke me up effectively and actually had a lot of caffeine. Overall, I would rate it a 5 / 5 for its great fall flavor. 

Starbucks: Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew

My next stop was Starbucks. I deviated from the typical pumpkin spice latte, instead trying the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew. I was pleasantly surprised by this drink. It is perfect for a fall day that is chilly in the morning but warm by afternoon  — a common occurrence in Kansas City. It had a great pumpkin spice flavor but also tasted very sugary. By the bottom of the cup, I was a little overwhelmed by the sugar. The cold brew part of it effectively woke me up by first period. For all of the iced coffee lovers out there, this is a great drink since it has a distinctively fall flavor but is still a cold drink. I would rate it a 4 / 5 because it had a nice flavor but was a little too sweet for me. 

Messenger Coffee: Butternut Squash Latte 

Messenger Coffee’s fall menu featured a butternut squash latte — a  “latte featuring butternut squash, caramel, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, molasses.” I was immediately taken aback by the idea of squash and coffee. Don’t get me wrong, I like vegetables — just not in my coffee. I honestly could not taste the butternut squash or caramel in the latte, but instead I tasted a hint of cinnamon and vanilla. Its strange, grainy texture and underwhelming flavor made for a very mediocre latte. It was definitely an innovative idea to use butternut squash in a latte, but it was executed very poorly. The most disappointing part was that it did not remind me of fall in the slightest. It tasted more like a vanilla latte, and it wouldn’t have been a good vanilla latte either.  Overall, I would rate it a 2.5 / 5 for its boring flavor and strange texture.