With the start of September comes the infamous Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte and the seasonal affinity it seems to incite. While it’s perfectly fine to enjoy a cup of syrupy goodness, know that there are other options just a short drive away. These five Miami coffee drinks are the best alternatives to your favorite fall staple.
The Cafe Leo
This creamy caramel and hazelnut latte is the signature drink of Coral Gables’s Cafe Demetrio. You can sit outside on a lush garden terrace while you sip this drink and snack on house-made pastelitos. Of course, make sure to order it hot if a fall breeze and 70 degrees sounds chilly.
Threefold Affogato
In the Miami September heat, ice cream is not out of the question. Visit Coral Gables’s or South Miami’s Threefold Cafe for a sweet scoop of vanilla with a shot of warm espresso. This drink, if you can call it that, pairs perfectly with a stack of Threefold pancakes or Mornin’ Monkey banana bread.
Pasión’s White Mocha
The closest you’ll get to a white Christmas in Miami, the Pasión del Cielo chain boasts the best off-beat flavor of coffee drink: white mocha. Get it hot with picture-worth latte art or iced and blended as a refreshing frappe.
Dirty South Chai
If you’re missing a little spice in your flavor profile, try Sweat Records’ Dirty South Chai with a shot of espresso. Just north of Wynwood in Little Haiti, this indie record store is home to the best selection of vintage vinyl, vegan treats, and live entertainment.
Books & Books Cappuccino
What’s better than good eats and good reads? The Café at Books & Books, Coral Gables, is the best place to get both. Pick a book from their wall-to-wall selection of local and globally-acclaimed authors, then sit down in the garden for a classic cappuccino.
Haley Walker is a junior majoring in Creative Writing from Stuart, FL. She hopes to pursue an MFA in Creative Writing and teach at the University level. When she’s not busy writing, you’ll find Haley lifting at the gym or training to be the next Pokémaster.
