17 Best Starbucks Drinks You Must Try

While there are many delicious options on the Starbucks menu, what are the best Starbucks drinks worth trying? Keep reading to find out.

Although determining the best Starbucks drinks is a bit subjective, there is one simple way to find an answer — ask your barista what they find themselves making the most. You can also look at what beverages appear the most online. 

In this article, we have covered not only coffee-based Starbucks drinks but also options without coffee for people who do not like coffee. Keep reading to discover the best Starbucks drinks you must order.

1. Vanilla Latte

The Vanilla Latte, despite being a pretty simple drink, takes the number one spot on this list due to its sheer popularity. You might regularly see this online in those iconic white cups.

The recipe for Vanilla Latte is very simple — espresso, vanilla syrup, steamed milk, with a thin layer of foam. How much espresso and vanilla is in this drink varies:

• For Tall, one espresso shot and three vanilla pumps.
• For Grande, two shots of espresso and four pumps of the vanilla syrup.
• For Venti, two shots of espresso and five pumps of vanilla.

You can also customize this drink to make it more exciting:

• Add more espresso for a stronger brew
• Add extra vanilla syrup to up the sweetness
• Swap hot milk for cold and ditch the foam

You can add hazelnut syrup to turn this drink into a French Vanilla Latte.

2. Nitro Cold Brew

The Nitro Cold Brew is still pretty new but soon became a classic. Starbucks created this drink by infusing cold brew coffee with nitrogen, which enhances the flavor and creates a velvet-like crema. There are two different ways to customize this drink:

• Add syrup (e.g., toffee nut, caramel)
• Add cold foam on top (e.g., sweet cream, vanilla)

3. Honey Almond Milk Flat White

This drink makes espresso all the more exciting. The Honey Almond Milk Flat White Latte uses Starbucks’ blonde espresso, their own almond milk, and honey syrup. It is a latte-type drink that balances the sweetness, sharpness, and nutty flavor of espresso.

Like many popular Starbucks drinks, it can be ordered hot or cold, with the warm version being the classic drink that allows each ingredient to shine. There are also a few different ways to customize this drink:

• Add espresso shots to enhance the coffee flavor
• Request for caramel to bring out the honey
• Add extra vanilla syrup for a sweeter taste

4. Blonde Roast Coffee

The Blonde Roast Coffee is not boring black coffee. Starbucks blends light-roast Latin American coffees to create this drink. This drink is the lightest coffee roast available in Starbucks — with chocolatey, malty notes.

Take your Blonde Roast Coffee to the next level by adding steamed milk to turn it into a Caffè Misto or adding two espresso shots to turn it into a Black Eye Coffee. You may also be interested in reading our What is dead eye coffee?

5. Pumpkin Spice Latte

The pumpkin spice latte perfectly captures the fall flavors. As popular Starbucks drinks go, it is the face of the autumn season. This drink combines espresso shots, steamed milk, whipped cream, pumpkin spice syrup with pumpkin spice topping.

Regulars at Starbucks have made a ton of different modifications to the original recipe for a more complex flavor, including:

• Extra espresso to bring out the coffee flavors
• Say no to whipped cream
• Add a caramel drizzle
• Add some cinnamon dolce syrup
• Ask for brown sugar syrup for sweetness
• Choose white mocha sauce for a twist

These are some of the most popular customizations of many regulars at Starbucks — but you’re free to experiment!

6. Caramel Macchiato

One of faces of Starbucks is the Caramel Macchiato, which is just as iconic as a vanilla latte or PSL – and was one of the franchise’s first offerings. It consists of vanilla syrup. frothed milk, and espresso. The trick is the espresso shots are poured over the foam, and finished with a drizzle of caramel on top.

There are also a few different ways to customize this drink:

• Add espresso shots to enhance the coffee flavor
• Ask an upside-down drink
• Use other syrups instead of vanilla

7. Caramel Brulée Latte

The Caramel Brulée Latte is another beloved seasonal item. This drink is created by combining espresso shots, vanilla syrup, dark caramel sauce, and milk. They add whipped cream and, of course, the caramel brulée pieces to top it off.

There are also a few different ways to customize this drink:

• Use plant-based milk
• Add extra dark caramel sauce for a sweeter taste
• Add espresso shots to enhance the coffee flavor
• Ask for no whip to reduce calories

8. Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino

The Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino is a Starbucks specialty coffee that takes caramel to a whole new level. This drink has Starbucks’ signature coffee Frappuccino base combined with dark caramel sauce, standard Starbucks caramel, and vanilla, topped with whipped cream and crunchy caramel sugar.

There are also a few different ways to customize this drink:

• Add espresso shots to enhance the coffee flavor
• Use salted caramel syrup
• Use nonfat milk, oat milk, or coconut milk instead of whole milk

9. Cinnamon Roll Frappuccino

The Cinnamon Roll Frappuccino is usually not part of the regular Starbucks menu. In it’s original form, it’s coffee-free. However, we prefer the version with espresso — it tastes better for us coffee lovers! This drink is created from some of Starbucks’ key ingredients, including:

• Include a sweet frappuccino blended coffee base
• Drizzle cinnamon dolce syrup or powder
• Sprinkle some vanilla bean powder
• Garnish with white chocolate sauce and whipped cream

This drink is an excellent choice, especially for non-coffee drinkers and coffee drinkers who limit caffeine. If you want more caffeine in your Cinnamon Roll Frappuccino, ask for extra espresso or an “affogato” on top of your drink.

10. Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew

Starbucks now has an invigorating new coffee base for creating drinks, thanks to cold brewing — a Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew takes the cake. This drink combines cold brew, vanilla and caramel syrups, and is topped with caramel sweet cream cold foam. There are also a few different ways to customize this drink:

• Add espresso shots to enhance the coffee flavor
• Add even more caramel
• Use cinnamon dolce to spice it up

11. Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew

The Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew is like a desert combining vanilla and coffee. This drink has a frothy texture from the cold foam, making the drink rich and smooth.

There are also a few different ways to customize this drink:

• Add espresso shots to enhance the coffee flavor
• Add flavored cold foam for a twist
• Add whole milk to reign in the cream

The Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew is like a delicious coffee-flavored ice cream in a cup! You may also be interested in reading our guide on the best coffee ice cream recipes.

12. Peppermint Mocha

Starbucks’ Peppermint Mocha is more popular during the festive season, but you can get it at any point of the year if you know what to ask for. This drink combines Starbucks’ signature espresso roast with steamed milk, sweet mocha, and peppermint syrup, topped with whipped cream and dark chocolate curls.

There are also a few different ways to customize this drink:

• Add espresso shots to enhance the coffee flavor
• Add extra vanilla syrup for a sweeter taste
• Add white mocha

13. Dirty Chai Latte

If you’re struggling to choose between tea or coffee, you should try Starbucks’ Dirty Chai Latte! This drink combines espresso and chai spices for a sweet and spicy flavor with a caffeine kick. So, just order a Chai tea latte with a shot or two of espresso. The blend is quite simple:

• Starbucks’ chai latte concentrate
• Espresso
• Hot water
• Milk

The extra coffee will help balance out the chai latte concentrate while adding an extra boost. So, we recommend asking the barista not to add water to your latte, as the espresso shots already help dilute the Chai flavors.

Some customers like to add brown sugar syrup or vanilla to make it sweeter. You may also be interested in reading our guide on Does chai tea latte have caffeine?

14. Iced White Chocolate Mocha

If a regular Caffe Mocha is too strong for you, you can opt for an Iced White Chocolate Mocha! This drink combines white chocolate and espresso and milk for a revitalizing treat. There are also a few different ways to customize this drink:

• Add espresso shots to enhance the coffee flavor
• Add raspberry syrup
• Add strawberry puree
• Freeze-dried fruit inclusions, such as strawberries

This drink does not come with a whip, but you can request the barista for it just like many Starbucks regulars do.

15. Caramel Frappuccino

Starbucks’ Carmel Frappuccino was part of the brand’s original Frappuccino collection, and the demand for it is still high. While Starbucks fans love this drink for its robust coffee flavors, those who don’t like coffee, love it because it’s sweet.

This drink is made by blending coffee Frappuccino base, caramel syrup, ice, and milk into a slush-like texture, and drizzled with caramel and whipped cream. There are also a few different ways to customize this drink:

• Add a drizzle of mocha
• Add espresso shots to enhance the coffee flavor
• Ask for chocolate chips for a fun texture
• Request some extra caramel sauce around the cup

You can also consider adding some vanilla or cinnamon dolce if you want your drink to become even sweeter!

16. Honey Citrus Mint Tea

If you can’t simply choose between green tea and herbal tea, you can try the Honey Citrus Mint Tea — an excellent choice for tea lovers! This drink combines Jade Citrus Mint green tea with Peach Tranquility herbal tea blend, a steamed lemonade, and some honey blend syrup to create one of the most interesting hot tea drinks Starbucks offers. There are also a few different ways to customize this drink:

• Swap out the honey blend syrup for another choice (e.g., Starbucks classic syrup) for a more neutral flavor
• Request for it to be served as iced tea

Whether hot or cold, this drink is very satisfying!

17. Emperor’s Clouds & Mist

Emperor’s Clouds & Mist is a fun twist on green tea with sweet, smokey notes if you’re sick of regular green tea or matcha. It’s low in caffeine, with a well-rounded, earthy flavor for those with a sophisticated pallet. 

It’s best to enjoy this tea in its pure form since adding sugar and milk to herbal tea is not always a good idea. However, if it’s a hot day, you can ask for a cold version of this drink to cool you down.