Taste of the Point – Pumpkin Spice Lattes

This month we thought a seasonal coffee drink would be appropriate for October, so we immediately zeroed in on finding the best Pumpkin Spice Latte in area. The Pumpkin Spice Latte was first perfected by Starbucks in 2003 and became an instant hit – and now it seems like pumpkin spice products are everywhere this time of year. We wanted to look at more local coffee houses in the area, so no Starbucks. We settled in on three coffee houses – Portside Coffee, Better Buzz Coffee, and Bird Rock Coffee Roasters and the winner is…Better Buzz Coffee.

First up was Better Buzz Coffee, which is one of the two drive through coffee places in Point Loma, the other is Starbucks. We wanted to see what all the “buzz” was about, so when we first drove up to Better Buzz at 3pm on a Thursday there were 6 cars ahead of us, so we knew something was up. The place looks like a barn, and stands out like a sore thumb on Rosecrans, but they serve up a good cup of Jo. When we took the lid off the Pumpkin Spice Latte, the foam had a dusting of pumpkin pie spice, which was a nice touch, and it was something we didn’t get anywhere else. With the first drink we experienced the combination of the pumpkin spice aroma mixed with the pumpkin flavor of the coffee, and it was excellent. The pumpkin/spice taste was very appealing and didn’t overpower the coffee. You will not be disappointed. Also, on a side note, they have the best designed cups, very fun and colorful with their bee logo plastered on it. Plus don’t forget to ask for the free “Life Is Better Buzzed” stickers when ordering!

Honorable mention goes to Bird Rock Coffee Roasters. Their Pumpkin Spice Latte was also delicious, but there was no spice flavor, which we liked so much about Better Buzz, but it had a good pumpkin aroma and taste that didn’t overpower the coffee. The barista created a heart design in the foam – which was charming, and the Coffee Roasters space had a nice vibe to it, with a relaxing courtyard out front where you could sit and enjoy your coffee.

The last coffee shop we tried was Portside Coffee and we were not terribly impressed with what we received. While the other two places had what we would consider “craft coffees”, this place seemed to be the Coors Light of Pumpkin Spiced Latte’s! It is a very small place, and when you walk inside the first thing you notice is an impressive selection of gelato ice cream behind a glass case. The coffee offerings seem to be secondary to the gelato. The Pumpkin Spice Latte didn’t really have much a pumpkin flavor that we could tell, and the coffee was average at best.

Enjoy the beginning of Fall and have a happy Halloween, and remember it is what you drink that matters!