While it would be nice for the weather to chill out and finally cool down, those of us who love our fall flavors should not have to wait for this miracle to enjoy them. Though we might have to enjoy our fall beverages on ice for a while longer (or maybe the rest of the year?), the blazing sun won’t stop us from enjoying a taste of the new season.
As a self-professed pumpkin spice queen (you can read my round-up of delicious seasonal baked treats here) there is really nothing I like better at this time of year than finding and trying tasty new drinks. I’m yet to be disappointed by what is on offer across the Alamo City! Because whether it’s pumpkin spice, crisp apple, pecan, or something more exotic, the cafe scene in San Antonio is really bringing its A game for 2024.
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Local favorite Merit Coffee has an incredible four seasonal drinks on offer this year. The Harvest Latte is back by popular demand: spicy and earthy, not too sweet, and actually better enjoyed over ice, in my opinion. Pumpkin lovers rejoice that the latte is joined by The Great Pumpkin, a cold-brew based elevated taste of fall that combines smooth cold brew with pumpkin cold foam and a crystallized topping that takes just like pumpkin pie. Also on the menu, the return of their Shaken Maple Pecan and a Caramel Apple Latte. The former combines maple syrup and dark brown sugar with espresso and slightly bitter pecan, and manages to taste just like Stars Hollow in the Fall — it’s served iced only, making it a distinctly fall-in-SA-friendly option. The latter is oat milk based and available hot or iced, and tastes just like freshly baked apple pie and those caramel apples you enjoyed at the Fair when you were a kid. Try all of them across the season, and let me know your favorite!
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Popular coffee truck, Coffee Me Latte, has brought its popular Pumpkin Me Latte back for the 2024 season! It combines rich and creamy espresso, pumpkin spice, and a signature syrup made with Mazapan candy. Joining the crew this year are Pumpkin Chai and Pumpkin Cold Brew — pumpkin lovers unite! For the ultimate taste of fall, grab a delicious, flaky pumpkin cream danish to go alongside your coffee.
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Come and enjoy a fall sip on my side of town at The Cracked Mug in Helotes. This sweet little cafe in Old Town Helotes boasts plenty of outside seating in the oak sheltered courtyard, as well as cozy indoor nooks for cooler days. Their 2024 fall menu is the stuff of the Gilmore Girls’ dreams — in the best way — with a pumpkin patch cold brew, a pecan pie latte, and the Lorelai orange-spice tea. The crowning glory? A Stars Hollow Latte made with hazelnut, honey, white mocha, and pumpkin spice. Enjoy a house-made muffin or bar alongside your fall drink, or grab lunch (or split a cinnamon roll) from Spread the Loaves, the micro-bakery also located in the courtyard.
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Fall is on deck at Black Rifle Coffee locations across San Antonio, where their baristas can whip you up your coffee — just how you like it — with notes of smashed pumpkin, maple spice, or s’mores. Yum.
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Southbound Coffee 210 is an adorably eye-catching pink truck offering truly great coffee, located at 246 E. Cevallos. They certainly know their way around a good fall flavor combo, with 6 seasonal sips on offer this year: the Basic Bruja mixes pumpkin spice with sweet horchata; The G.O.A.T combines heavenly cajeta with cinnamon; Everything Nice is for pumpkin spice lovers of chai tea; Spice Spice Baby brings together cold brew, Mexican vanilla, and pumpkin-horchata cold foam; while U-Bae and Spellbound combine either espresso or matcha with the sweet and fruity notes of Ube cold foam. They are serving up magic this season, alongside some very tasty pastries, too.
Poetic Republic Coffee is a wonderfully bright and homey space to sit and enjoy a delicious coffee this fall. Their 2024 fall menu is an ode to pies! Their Pumpkin Pie Latte elevates the PSL with scratch-made, fresh pumpkin syrup, your choice of milk, and spice. Alongside this classic are the sweet, homely notes of the Apple Pie Latte; and the more unexpected Blueberry Pie Latte. I’m excited to try them all!
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Downtown’s hidden gem Estate Coffee Co. is just my kind of place to stop, sit, and enjoy a taste of the new season. The space is elegant and inviting, the pastries are delicious, and the coffee is expertly prepared. At the time of writing they hadn’t released their fall menu for 2024, but you really can’t go wrong with a Kentucky Smoke flavored latte (hot or iced) or an Espresso Old Fashioned.
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Medina River Coffee Co. is serious about roasting — and serving — coffee, especially cold brews. If you are too, check out this spot! Their 2024 fall drinks include an Autumn Spiced Cold Brew, classic Autumn Spiced Latte, and the eye-catching Purple Hollow — an Ube pistachio latte. Their Halloween fright flight also returns, featuring smaller versions of Purple Hollow and Pumpkin “Phantom” alongside the creepy Dracula Kiss and Franken-Brains; a chocolate swirl matcha with lavender Ube cold foam. These are flavors not for the faint of heart!
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Early Bird Coffee at Huebner Oaks is one of my favorite places to stop for coffee. It’s the perfect place to stop and watch the world go by, or just swing in for a truly great coffee to-go. I usually stick to the classics, and so do they — they don’t have a specific fall menu, but their Horchata Latte, and unique but delicious house-made syrups (try pistachio, butterscotch, or rosemary lavender) will transport you to a happy, cozy place.
Last, but by no means least, the Autumn Moon Latte and Autumn Moon cold brew are back at Summer Moon coffee locations across the city. Available hot, iced, or frozen (for ultimate Texas fall vibes) the former is the perfect combination of wood-fired espresso, moon milk, and organic fall spice blend.
Whether you’re team PSL or like your fall flavors on the more subtle end of the scale, I hope you’ll give one of these local coffee spots a go this season. Enjoy!
