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Coffee lovers await Starbucks menu launches every season with bated breath. Some reliably delicious standbys come and go annually (looking at you, Pumpkin Spice Latte), alongside brand-new offerings in stores for the first time. On that note, the chain’s spring menu launched on March 3, and it’s a pretty even split between returning favorites and unexpected novelties.
I, a former Starbucks barista, tried six core beverages from the lineup to find out which ones are worth the hype (and which ones will make you wish you made coffee at home). Whether you’re into green tea, cold brew, or all things coconut, the spring selection offers something for every palate. But beware: There are a few picks on the menu that aren’t worth the splurge.
What is the best Starbucks spring coconut drink?
It totally shocked me that the new Ube Coconut Macchiato was my favorite coconut option. Ube isn’t exactly new to Starbucks’s menu, since it was first released at Starbucks Reserve locations in 2025 before being introduced nationwide. It was the only drink that came with the sweet-and-salty coconut topping (which was divinely crisp and balanced), so it caught my attention the instant I received it. The deep mauve ube topping was striking, and its flavor was sweet, almost candy-like in a, um…bubblegum sort of way? It sounds strange, and the topping is thick enough that you may have trouble sipping the espresso and milk beneath if you let it sit for a few minutes, but this was hands-down the tastiest of the coconut bevs. The ube coconut cold foam is only available for a limited time, so try this one while you can.
My second choice was the new Toasted Coconut Cream Cold Brew. I much preferred this to the latte (more on that next), since it tasted more like coconut. Chalk it up to the cold foam topping, since the cold brew itself is only sweetened with vanilla flavoring, not coconut. The foam on top was potent in flavor, but its fluffy, whipped cream-like texture was my favorite quality, since it made the simple cold brew feel indulgent without turning it into a liquid dessert. Of course, it melts into the drink as it sits and you’ll only get a taste every few sips, so if you want your drink to be more consistent, stir the foam in from the start. Alternatively, to double down on the tropical energy, replace half—or all—the vanilla pumps with coconut.
I was most excited to try the new Toasted Coconut Latte, but honestly, it fell flat. Maybe it’s because I had it hot, but it delivered more winter vibes than spring. The coconut was very faint but still punishingly sweet, offering nutty, vaguely fruity notes that somehow reminded me of the chain’s Caramel Brulée Latte from the Starbucks holiday menu. While comforting, its flavor wasn’t robust enough for me to order it again, and it didn’t deliver the warm-weather magic I hoped for. That said, the toasted coconut syrup (and toasted coconut cream cold foam) will be available all year long, so I’d be curious to try it again in something more bitter and coffee-forward, like an Americano, to see if it shines brighter. Alternatively, I might order the latte again with a coconut milk base.
What is the best Starbucks spring lavender drink?
Full disclosure: I’ve been a fan of Starbucks’s iced chai for years, and as a former barista, I can attest to the fact that customers have long wanted a chai concentrate they could sweeten to their liking. Fortunately for them, the coffee giant just released a new chai base that allows guests to tweak the sweetness and spice level of the warm-spiced mix, teeming with black tea, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, and honey.
The first time I tried the new recipe was in the revived Iced Lavender Cream Chai. Right off the bat, I noticed the spices in the base were less muted than in the original formula. However, the drink was still pretty cloying for my taste, and the app didn’t prompt me to adjust the chai’s sweetness, although I could have reduced the four Classic pumps that came with the drink by default. I’d advise asking for up to two pumps (for a grande) to keep the drink from being too sweet and to let the chai work its magic, especially since it’s already topped with sweetened, lavender-kissed cold foam. (And instead of defaulting to plain syrup, choose vanilla, cinnamon, or brown sugar flavoring, which would all pair well with chai, too.)
The Iced Lavender Cream Matcha has also returned for another season, and I enjoyed it more than anticipated. That said, the lavender topping was pretty negligible atop the sweet, approachable, only slightly earthy matcha latte base. Maybe it’s because the baristas only gave me a swirl of the purple stuff instead of a two-fingers-thick layer, but it was essentially undetectable. I’m betting a proper application would offer more balance, and the aromatic, delicate floral notes of the lavender are surely a match for the creamy green tea and milk beneath. Of course, I wouldn’t mind a pump or two less of Classic syrup next time.
As easy on the eyes as it is, the back-again Lavender Frappuccino is my bottom pick of the category. Lavender as a color and flavor both scream spring, so it’s no wonder this annual treat is such a hit with Starbucks fans. However, if you’re easily overpowered by lavender’s smell or flavor, you may want to skip this Frappuccino altogether. (Personally, I’m shocked to see niche drinks like this on the menu when we lost timeless classics, like decadent Java Chip and salty Caramel Ribbon Crunch Crème, in the March 2025 gutting of the Frappuccino menu, but I digress.) In terms of tasting notes, there’s not much going on besides milk, ice, and very sweet lavender flavoring. If you’re already a fan of floral teas and herbal lattes, though, you may find this blended sipper to be oddly similar to a frozen London fog.
The TLDR: What to buy—and what to skip at Starbucks
My favorite drinks on the Starbucks spring drink menu are the Ube Coconut Macchiato and the Iced Lavender Cream Chai. To get in on the seasonal splendor with as little sugar as possible, go for the Toasted Coconut Cream Cold Brew, or a plain hot or iced chai with your custom levels of sugar and spice.
I’d advise skipping the Lavender Frappuccino altogether, unless you love saccharine drinks and perfumey, potpourri-like, lavender-flavored things. As for the rest of the drinks, they’re all decidedly sweet. But with a few tweaks, I can see them still being tasty, particularly the Iced Lavender Cream Matcha and Toasted Coconut Latte.
