Christmas – everyone’s favorite time of the year. There’s nothing quite like decorating your tree, getting a visit from Santa or pretending you throw away gift receipts! Above all, there’s one tradition you can’t forget about: sipping
on your favorite holiday coffee. These drinks may come around yearly, but the flavor is once a lifetime. Whether it’s Peets, Starbucks, Equator or Philz, you and your taste buds deserve the best this holiday season. Here are a few local holiday drinks to put on your wishlist this year.
Iced Holiday Spice Latte – Peet’s Coffee & Tea – ⅕
Just like the gift-giving season, this rating is gener
ous. A simple local pleasure with a warm atmosphere and friendly staff, I had come to Peets expecting an equally enjoyable holiday beverage. However, I was let down by this drink’s plethora of shortcomings. With a lack of flavor, a water-like consistency, a bland scent and an underwhelming appearance, I couldn’t help but be reminded that my $6 beverage was just milk and syrup. Despite a pleasant after-taste and the right amount of sweetness, I remained disappointed. Peets, you are on my naughty list this year.
Winter Bliss Cold Brew – Philz Coffee – ⅘
With mysteriously dim lighting, soft couches and a cozy ambiance, Philz Coffee is more than the perfect study spot for your winter finals: it’s also ideal for a delicious holiday drink. I went to Philz to recover from my “Holiday” Spice L
atte and was reminded what a real holiday drink tastes like. Fresh, sweet and perfectly bitter, Philz didn’t lie with the name “Winter Bliss.” My only complaint – the price. $6.60 for a medium-sized coffee may be moderately outrageous, but it’s up to you to see if it’s worth the cost.
Iced Peppermint Mocha – Starbucks – 4.9/5
The only thing I was dashing through was the door after seeing the price of this Mocha: $8.25 normally, or $6.75 without the cold foam. It may be costly and basic, but this drink is good enough to make you forget about your empty pockets. The Iced Peppermint Mocha with Peppermint Chocolate Cold Foam from Starbucks is
undoubtedly the best holiday beverage on this list. Earthy, subtly bitter, perfectly sweet and slightly acidic with delicious peppermint undertones, this would be the perfect drink to sip on as you take advantage of the holiday sales or snuggle up for a late-night movie – but reme
The $6.60 Philz Coffee winter Bliss Cold Brew is the ultimate holiday treat in a glassmber to order decaf.
Autumn Spice Cold Brew – Equator Coffee ⅗
Equator Coffee found a way to repurpose holiday joy without regifting presents—pretending autumn drinks are still relevant during the winter! I was incredibly disappointed to find out that on Dec. 6, Equator hadn’t set up their Christmas menu. If Amazon Prime can do it in two days, so can you, Equator. I guess the holiday season is a time for forgiveness, so I’ll let it go this year.
Even so, the Autumn Spice Cold Brew was flavorful, with a taste similar to that of Chai and a thick consistency, although a little too milky for my taste. As a chronic chai latte hater, this one wasn’t for me, but I could see this drink becoming a fan favorite if Chai is your cup of tea – or your cup of coffee.
