As the air starts to cool, leaves start to crisp up, school crashouts intensify, local coffee shops begin to roll out their fall menus in an effort to both get customers in the fall mood. Here at Ripples, we are not only fall fiends, but arguably too caffeinated, so enjoy our top picks from local seasonal menus.
Fiddleheads:
This fall, Fiddleheads has a couple of seasonal changes. This includes new seasonal drinks and a new monthly rotation of featured art in the cafe.
The new drinks are: the Pumpkin Pie Latte, Cozy Cold Brew, Cinnamon Roll Cold Brew Au Lait, Pumpkin Cheesecake Latte, and the Harvest Chai. I (Pira) reviewed the pie latte, cold brew au lait, and Harvest Chai.
The Pumpkin Pie Latte had a distinct coffee bitterness, but it was still sweet. The drink had a slight pumpkin flavor but not nearly enough for its name. The whipped cream on top was a nice touch nonetheless, making it extra smooth and creamy. 5/10
The Cinnamon Roll Cold Brew Au Lait had a significantly more rich coffee flavor. Unfortunately, the cinnamon was almost entirely nonexistent, making the name pretty misleading. Regardless, there was still a better general coffee flavor than the PPL. Overall, it was an okay coffee drink but had nothing remarkable whatsoever and thus should not be seasonal. 3/10
The Harvest Chai was significantly better than the previous two drinks. It had a strong cinnamon flavor and actually tasted like something you would drink in fall. It was unique, unlike the other two. 8/10
Fiddleheads had good options and a high base quality, but their seasonal products did not stand out nearly enough to warrant a seasonal menu. Hopefully the winter menu will be better and more thematic.
Colectivo:
Colectivo has a variety of new and returning drinks and pastries for the season.
The Carmel Apple danish is a new addition to the menu. The outside is a soft pastry with a caramel drizzle and the middle has caramelized apples layered on top of whipped caramel cream. All of the elements are very well balanced and work together to make a very memorable treat. 7/10
One standout item on Colectivo’s seasonal menu is the Pesto Babka. Traditionally, Babka is a Jewish sweet bread usually filled with cinnamon or chocolate. Colectivo’s spin on the pastry, however, stands out from other seasonal menu items and other Babka because of its savory flavor. In place of cinnamon or chocolate is pesto and a crispy sprinkling of melted cheese. Though this item didn’t feel super related to the season, if you’re a fan of savory treats, it’s a must try. 6/10
One of the seasonal drinks on the menu is the Golden Light Tea Latte. This drink mixes Steven Smith’s “Golden Light” wellness tea with steamed milk and honey. In the actual drink the mix of tea and milk doesn’t work as it could and the taste of honey overpowers the others. 3/10
Finally, the most iconic drink of the season, the pumpkin spice latte. Colectivo’s spin on it is called the Pumpkin Spice Fluff Late, and though the name builds high expectations, it doesn’t really deliver. The taste doesn’t stand out from other pumpkin spice lattes but is in no way bad. 5/10
In sum, Colectivo is a great pick for seasonal snacks and drinks, with many more than were just mentioned here.
Stone Creek:
As a part of their fall menu, Stone Creek has a variety of coffee drinks. On our trip, we chose to indulge in the Maple Ube Latte, Almond Pear Spiced Latte, and the Maple French Toast Latte.
The Maple Ube Latte was Cat’s favorite, but Asha’s least favorite. While Cat found the drink pleasant, the sour, almost savory aftertaste was a bit too much for Asha. The sweet and familiar coffee smell was quite subtle compared to the others, and while Cat was able to pick out the Ube flavor, it was mostly dominated by other scents. 6/10
On the other hand, the Maple French Toast Latte was a perfect middle ground for the two taste-testers. While it didn’t stand out, the sweet coffee offered a pleasant experience. Similar to the Maple Ube, the original sip was extremely sweet, but became pleasant after a couple swigs as the flavors settled to a more mild and neutral tone. However, this drink is definitely meant for those with a sweet tooth. Asha enjoyed the sweetness, while Cat found it a bit overwhelming. Both testers did think the latte reminded them of a Baked Vanilla scented scrub from Bath and Body Works. 7/10
Lastly, but certainly not least, Stone Creek brought back their Almond Spiced Pear Latte. While Cat and Asha were a bit suspicious of these flavor combinations, the drink certainly did not disappoint. The strong almond scent with a hint of vanilla that came from the cold foam on top was delightful and very different from the other coffees. While it was the perfect amount of sweetness with a hint of sour, what made it stand out was the fruity taste that the pear added. This was a very unexpected experience, but the testers found it to be an exciting twist, making the Almond Spiced Pear Latte their favorite drink off the fall menu. 9/10