Coffee shops are a staple of fall culture. Imagine curling up in the corner of a cozy cafe with a sweater, a chill in the air, and your favorite seasonal drink. Of course, the most iconic of all fall drinks is the pumpkin spice latte.
Many coffee shops in Princeton have their own spin on autumn-themed beverages. While contributing writer for The Prospect Princess Fodeke ’28 already gave a great review on Coffee Club’s fall options, I was curious how they compare to other seasonal pumpkin-spice drinks offered in the local area.
Coffee Club: The Great Pumpkin Chai
As noted by Fodeke, Coffee Club’s pumpkin chai is a crowd favorite. It’s made as a regular chai latte, spiced up with a shot of pumpkin syrup. Unlike most pumpkin spice-flavored items — which would typically include an array of spices like cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger more so than pumpkin — this drink has genuine pumpkin flavoring. Coffee Club’s chai is a sweet, cinnamon-forward chai — a far cry from the spicy Lion’s Mane Chai at Small World — with the pumpkin adding a subtle depth of flavor.
Price: $5.45
Best for: sweet chai lovers not looking for too strong of a pumpkin flavor.
Small World: Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew
Small World’s Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew
Lulu Pettit / The Daily Princetonian
I had heard my friends rave over the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew at Small World, but at such a steep price, is a cold brew with special foam really all that special? Yes, it definitely is. First, I sipped the cold brew without mixing. The cold brew featuring a sharp, strong coffee flavor. Then, I tried the pumpkin cream on top. It was very sweet, but the sweetness was cut by the cinnamon and the strong, earthy flavor of pumpkin. It was so delicious that I scooped multiple spoonfuls into my mouth before mixing it into the coffee. Together, the flavor profile was enhanced, and the bitterness of the cold brew was eased by the pumpkin cream while still maintaining a sharp taste of coffee.
Price: $7.50
Best for: coffee folks looking for a pumpkin-forward flavor.
Playa Bowls: Pumpkin Sweet Cream Cold Brew
Playa Bowl’s Pumpkin Sweet Cream Cold Brew
Lulu Pettit / The Daily Princetonian
Although Playa Bowls is traditionally known for their açai bowls, they also offer coffee drinks, including the fall special Pumpkin Sweet Cream Cold Brew. The name of the drink closely mirrors that of Small World’s, but the addition of “Sweet” highlights both a subtle distinction in the name and a noticeable difference in flavor. For starters, Playa Bowls’s version has the sweet cream already mixed in, so you never taste the pure pumpkin and spice cold foam individually. Although Playa Bowls’ beverage had more of a pumpkin flavor than Coffee Club’s, it wasn’t as intense as Small World’s, finding a middle ground that leans on pumpkin more than spices, while still welcoming the toasty, slightly nutty flavor of the chicory coffee that Playa uses. As chicory coffee, it’s also naturally decaf, so if that’s what you’re looking for, this might be the drink for you.
Price: $5.50
Best for: decaf drinkers who want a balance of pure sweetness and pumpkin flavor.
illy at World’s End: Pumpkin Marshmallow Latte
Of all the pumpkin-spice drinks, the seasonal drink I tried at illy Coffee was definitely the least spiced. Their four seasonal drinks offered two pumpkin spice-themed ones: the pumpkin marshmallow latte and the pumpkin chai latte. I opted for the former, since I thought the marshmallow flavor might make it stand out among the drink lineup. However, upon trying the latte, I actually thought that the toasted marshmallow syrup masked the house-made pumpkin syrup. The result was a much more traditional sweet latte. Although I enjoyed the drink, I didn’t think the traditional flavors of autumn came through strongly. Their pumpkin chai might be a different story, though, as the cinnamon and spices in the chai latte could encourage a warmer, conventional taste of the season.
Price: $6.75 ($5.74 with student discount)
Best for: someone wanting a sweet dessert drink with a straightforward flavor profile.
While finishing this review, a friend asked me which drink I was going to dub the best pumpkin spice drink in Princeton. However, while trying each latte, I realized that there isn’t one “best” — each cafe brings their own unique spin to a seasonal classic. To celebrate the onset of autumn, you can’t go wrong with any of these pumpkin spice latte options.
Lulu Pettit is a member of the Class of 2027 and a staff writer for The Prospect from the suburbs of Philadelphia. She can be reached at lp3153[at]princeton.edu or her Instagram @itslulupettit.
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