With the completed renovations of the Bishop Dougherty University Center last November, Seton Hall introduced an official Starbucks on campus. This semester marks the first pumpkin spice season for the campus café, offering students a greater variety of food and drink options which they shared.
1. Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai Tea Latte with Whole Milk
The latte is a twist on their regular chai tea, adding pumpkin cream cold foam with the traditional cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon that make up their spice.
Jillian Vincent, a freshman political science major, said her old fall order before the pumpkin chai was an iced pumpkin spice latte.
“This is the only drink I order that doesn’t need any alterations,” Vincent said. “Everything else I customize, but this is exactly perfect as it comes.”
Before fall arrived at the café, Vincent said her all-time favorite drink is the chai tea latte.
“I have two pumpkin iced chai lattes a day,” Vincent said. “It’s a real issue.”
Vincent said fall starts when Starbucks releases their seasonal menu, even if it happens in July.
“Pumpkin’s a feeling,” Vincent said. “I don’t really care about it as a flavor, but it’s the feeling that fall is here.”
2. Pumpkin Spice Crème Frappuccino
The Frappuccino is a blended pumpkin spice beverage served with whipped cream and dusted with additional pumpkin spice.
Jenna Dancsecs, a freshman nursing major, said she first tried the frappuccino last year.
“I feel like the taste defines what it’s like to be in autumn,” Dancsecs said. “It’s really sweet, and I love my drinks to be sweet and sugary.”
Dancsecs said the return of pumpkin spice indicates the end of summer and the start of the spooky season. She added that the frappuccino is a “good wake-me-up drink.”
“Not only does it taste absolutely delicious like I’m walking through a pumpkin patch right now, but it tastes so yummy that it makes me energized to start my day and be productive,” Dancsecs said.
3. Iced Apple Crisp Macchiato with Whole Milk
The macchiato is espresso with apple, cinnamon and brown sugar topped with Starbucks’ spiced apple drizzle.
Sara Paul, a freshman undecided major, said while she won’t go out of her way for a coffee run, she’ll make the trip when the fall drinks are released.
“I’m not a pumpkin person,” Paul said. “I’m more of an apple-fall person, so I like the apple-fall stuff.”
According to their 2022 press release, Starbucks changed the recipe for their macchiato last year, making the switch to oat milk and their blonde espresso.
“They made it with whole milk and a different kind of espresso,” Paul said. “Then they changed it, and I didn’t like it anymore. It tastes more fall-y now, but it’s a stronger apple flavor.”
4. Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin
The Starbucks treat is a spiced pumpkin muffin filled with cream cheese and sprinkled with pepitas.
Madison Walter, a freshman diplomacy major, said the muffin gives her “nostalgia” as it reminds her of her mother’s home baking back in Tennessee.
“My mom loved to make those pumpkin rolls during the fall,” Walter said. “That’s basically the muffin form. Love them dearly.”
Walter said she likes to pair the muffin with the pumpkin cream chai tea latte.
“If everything there wasn’t so expensive, I would get it every day,” Walter said.
5. Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew
The returning cold brew includes vanilla syrup and is laid with Starbucks’ pumpkin cream cold foam and pumpkin spice combo.
Lianie Ochoa, a freshman biology major, said she recommends the drink for those who don’t like a heavy pumpkin flavor.
“It doesn’t actually taste like pumpkin,” Ochoa said. “I’m not a huge pumpkin person, but it’s a low-key pumpkin. It tastes kind of normal, but I feel fall when I drink it.”
Ochoa said she had the cold brew for the first time this past week.
“It was amazing,” Ochoa said. “I was walking to class, and I thought, ‘Fall is here.’”
Calla Patino can be reached at calla.patino@student.shu.edu
