On a 50-degree day, I was sitting on the slope with no puffer jacket, and I felt it — spring. With blooming flowers, a comforting breeze and mild weather, spring reminds me of new beginnings, happier times and, most importantly, a new spring drink menu. With the sudden urge to walk to the nearest café and order all the new drinks, I knew I needed to discover those worth students’ money. Thus, here are my reviews on all of the campus cafés’ limited edition spring drinks after two weeks of comprehensive research (spending 60 BRBs to fulfill my caffeine addiction).
1. Lavender Oat Latte at Libe
Lavender Lattes are one of my favorite treats during the spring season, so I entered Libe with high expectations. The drink should have floral notes and a slightly sweet Lavender essence. When made perfectly, a Lavender latte is refreshing, not too sweet and a balanced blend of coffee and comfort. However, this drink fell short of my expectations. With just one sip, I was hit with an overwhelming sugary, floral taste, which reminded me of the scent of my lavender fabric softener. My friend, Hazel Tjaden ’28 described the taste as reminiscent of her “grandma’s underwear” after the laundry. I tried to give this drink a few more sips and stirs, but alas, I couldn’t get past its overpowering syrup sweetener, and this drink only became tolerable once the ice melted. I think this drink would be elevated with less syrup and or even a combination of its ingredients with another syrup such as vanilla.
2. Matcha With Lavender Cold Foam at Libe
There are only two words to describe this specialty beverage — Lavender Milkshake. Starbucks’ unsweetened matcha topped with an inch of lavender cold foam creates an earthy drink matching the vibe of a beautiful sunny Ithaca day. You can’t go wrong with this order. However, if you’re looking for a sweeter drink, I would suggest asking your barista to add lavender syrup to the matcha for an extra boost.
3. Shamrock Shake at Rusty’s
I’ve never tried a Shamrock Shake before, so I was excited to discover this quintessential spring drink at Rusty’s. Consisting of matcha shaken with peppermint and white chocolate syrup, this drink was daunting, but it sounded pretty good in my head. It was a Friday morning when my barista told me I ordered the last available shake, which excited me to try such a popular drink that sold out at 10 a.m. My expectations were, unfortunately, not met. My tongue was shocked by a taste similar to that of Colgate toothpaste; there was no matcha or white chocolate flavor — this drink tasted like straight-up mouthwash. Shamrock Shake connoisseur Sofia Perez ’28 told me that my drink was an outlier, and that when compared to the other shakes she’d ordered, my drink was “too minty.” So, it is possible my Barista added too much peppermint in my drink. Nonetheless, drinking a mouthwash shake at 10 a.m. was not my favorite taste-testing experience
4. Salted Maple Latte at Gimme! Coffee
Gimme! Coffee never lets me down. They always deliver a solid drink, this one included. The rich maple, caramel-like flavor mixed with a bold espresso amidst Gimme’s comforting nugget ice made it the perfect midday pick-me-up. My only complaint was that I had to order it with almond milk, as they were out of my usual oat milk, so the drink was missing a much-needed creaminess. I would suggest ordering with whole, 2% or a creamier alternative milk to fully enjoy. While $7, this drink was well worth the hefty price tag.
5. Pot’O’Gold Iced Matcha Latte at Cafe Jennie
When I saw this St. Patrick’s Day drink special displayed next to the cashier, I literally started sweating. Iced matcha with a shot of espresso and caramel — this is confusion in a drink. Separately, the components of this drink are yummy, but together? One sip in, I was questioning my life choices. It tasted like murky swamp water. The coffee heightened the natural flavor of the matcha, and while the caramel tried to bring a hint of sweetness to the drink, I couldn’t get past thinking I was drinking dirt straight from the earth. Don’t get me wrong, I love the earthiness of matcha, but this drink felt like a crime against matcha drinks everywhere.
6. Blushing Rose Latte at Novick's Cafe
I love rose-flavored drinks. Just like how lavender brings an extra element of depth to a specialty beverage, rose brings a rich, sweet floral fragrance to any drink. However, when overdone, rose drinks can taste like drinking perfume. With lofty expectations, I took a sip of this drink to be initially hit with comforting, floral sweetness. The aftertaste, however, was reminiscent of a pungent, unnatural taste that I couldn’t get out of my mouth. However, after mixing the drink and waiting for the ice to melt, the aftertaste disappeared, so I thoroughly enjoyed the drink then. If you are to order this, I would suggest asking for less rose syrup.
