I don’t generally drink coffee. And beyond grabbing turkey sandwiches at airports, I don’t consume Starbucks.
So earlier this year when the company I contract for gifted me one Starbucks coffee a day for a couple of weeks, I was at a loss as to how to take advantage of this perk.
In true “me” fashion, I did some research and decided to utilize the gift card to try non-coffee drinks at Starbucks.
Here’s a compilation of the drinks I sampled along with my honest opinion on each.
Caffeine-Free Drinks
Pink Drink
I’ve heard a lot about this one, so it was the first one I tried. The website indicates this is a refreshing strawberry açai and coconut milk drink.
On paper it sounds delicious, and, while it does taste good in general, it’s way too sweet for my tastebuds. I ordered a tall cup, and I couldn’t finish it.
But this is a great option if you’re looking for a refreshing, caffeine-free drink and don’t mind A LOT of sweetness.
Mint Majesty
A tea blend of mint and lemon verbena? Sold! This is truly revitalizing yet calming. It also has this hint of citrus, which I love as a good Mexican.
This tea checks all the boxes for me. I asked for a cup of ice on the side and poured the hot tea on ice. Chef’s kiss!
And the fact that this is an herbal tea (it’s caffeine-free) is a nice bonus.
Iced Teas
Iced Chai Tea Latte with Oleato Golden Foam
OK, this one is delicious. I love chai tea. But what made this drink exceptional was the Oleato golden foam.
I had never heard about it, but I learned that it’s an olive oil-infused cold foam. It costs an extra $2 to add the Oleato foam, but it was worth it.
The slight hint of the olive oil mixed with the strong flavor of chai tea (black tea infused warming spices like cinnamon, clove, and black peppercorn) is masterful. It really gave my tastebuds something silky, vibrant, and complex to enjoy.
Iced Green Tea
As a non-coffee drinker, green tea is my jam.
I think the Starbucks version tastes a bit different from what I’m used to. Their website says their green tea is blended with mint, lemongrass, and lemon verbena.
I really enjoyed this rendition of green tea. It’s extra fresh and citrusy, which I’m a big fan of.
To me, this feels like the caffeinated brother of the Mint Majesty hot tea. And they’re both going in my “I would order this again” list.
Iced Matcha Tea Latte
I like matcha tea and its earthy, slightly bitter yet sweet taste. So I was excited to taste this one. Unfortunately, Starbucks makes a rather flavorless version of this favorite.
I’m not sure if it was the ice that watered down the tea, but there was nothing interesting here. There was no earthy taste, no bitterness, no sweetness, no punch. Nothing.
This was, simply put, an underwhelming cup of iced milk.
Frappuccinos
Pistachio Crème Frappuccino
I love pistachios. I love pistachio ice cream and pistachio butter. And I love snacking on pistachios and using them in baking. I. love. pistachios.
After the matcha tea fiasco, I was a little nervous to try this, but I’m glad I did.
It’s a crème Frappuccino, which means it’s a milk frappè blend. This makes for a nice simple base that allows the pistachio flavor to shine.
This Frappuccino comes with whipped cream on top. I ordered mine with no whipped cream to cut down on the sweetness factor.
Overall, this drink feels light and its taste is very pistachio-forward, which I appreciate. I can see how the whipped cream can take this Frappuccino to sweetness central, so I was glad I did not have it.
This is another one that I would order again.
Chai Crème Frappuccino
I liked the chai latte, and I liked the pistachio Frappuccino. It made sense to give this one a try. Again, I ordered it without the whipped cream.
This is a simple but enjoyable drink. They add a dash of cinnamon on top which was probably the most exciting part taste-wise.
I did find the chai tea flavor gets a little lost in the frappè blend. So if you’re looking for a punchy chai flavor, the iced chai tea latte may be a better choice.
I tried a few other non-coffee Starbucks drinks and thought they were OK but a little sweet for me: the Strawberry Crème Frappuccino, the Paradise Drink with Oleato Golden Foam, and the dragon Drink.
I wish I had tried the honey citrus mint tea and the Teavana London Fog Tea Latte. Maybe next time. Overall, this was a fun little research project!
I don’t know that I’ll become an avid Starbucks drinker as I tend to favor local coffee shops. But it’s nice to know that there are good non-coffee drinks at Starbucks that I can enjoy alongside those airport turkey sandwiches.
Check out our Guide to Local Coffee Shops here!
The opinions expressed in this post are those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of El Paso Mom, its executive team, other contributors to the site, its sponsors or partners, or any organizations the aforementioned might be affiliated with.
