Anyone who knows me knows that I am THE most basic of basic girls. I love Taylor Swift, posting my life on Instagram, and above all, pumpkin spice everything. So of course, this October I had to help all of my fellow pumpkin-obsessed sisters and find us the best PSL in the Fort!
The Rating System
I asked everyone I know where their favorite coffee shop in Fort Worth is and ended up with six locations. They’re listed below in alphabetical order.
I chose three main factors to rate each drink on, with one being the lowest and five being the highest. I had each latte with whole milk to make sure there was consistency as far as that.
(Strength of) pumpkin flavor
(Strength of) spiciness
Overall flavor (how well the flavors blend)
Overall rating (how well all of the flavors and coffee mix)
Disclaimer: My preference is more pumpkin, less spice, so that is what my overall ratings reflect.
Ampersand
Pumpkin flavor: 2
Spiciness: 4
Overall flavor: 3
Overall rating: 3
I am a frequent visitor to Ampersand and a big fan of their coffee and tea. However, their PSL left a little to be desired. I felt that I could barely taste the pumpkin over the spices.
Arcadia
Pumpkin flavor: 4
Spiciness: 2
Overall flavor: 4
Overall rating: 4
I had never been to Arcadia before writing this article, but after visiting, I want to go back and try more drinks! I loved that I was able to distinctly taste the pumpkin and the flavors blended together very well.
Common Grounds
Pumpkin flavor: 3
Spiciness: 5
Overall flavor: 3
Overall rating: 3
At first sip, I was HIT with the spice. After a few more sips, I got used to it, but the spice still overpowered the pumpkin a little bit. Solid average PSL.
Dwell Coffee & Biscuits
Pumpkin flavor: 1
Spiciness: 2
Overall flavor: 2
Overall rating: 2
I must say, I’m not the biggest fan of Dwell’s coffee. Even though I mixed this drink well, I still felt like the flavors were very separate from each other and it just tasted like a normal latte with nutmeg. Sorry, Dwell fans!
Dutch Bros Coffee
Pumpkin flavor: 5
Spiciness: 2
Overall flavor: 5
Overall rating: 4
Dutch Bros NAILED the pumpkin flavor. I really enjoyed this drink, especially since it’s a chain.
Starbucks
Pumpkin flavor: 4
Spiciness: 3
Overall flavor: 3
Overall rating: 3
As much as I hate to support coffee chains over small businesses, Starbucks makes a pretty above-average PSL. It has a very sweet, strong pumpkin flavor, which is a huge plus in my book. However, it’s a little too sweet, which is why the rating comes down to a very average 3 out of 5.
The Final Results
Most Pumpkin Flavor: Dutch Bros
If you’re looking for a TRUE pumpkin spice latte, Dutch Bros is the place. It was a little sweet, but this tastes just like a slice of pumpkin pie.
Most Spice: Common Grounds
Although I wasn’t impressed with the pumpkin element of the Common Grounds PSL, it definitely had spice and after a while, I got used to it. If you prefer spicy over sweet, CG is the place to be.
Best Overall PSL: Arcadia
Dear Arcadia, please open a location closer to TCU! I am blessed to have an internship within walking distance of this location, but it’s still worth the ten-minute drive to South Side. Thank you for the PSL of my dreams.
Thank you, Her Campus, for giving me an outlet to write this *very important* article. If you have any coffee shop recommendations for me, please DM me on Instagram @kenamcc! Have a great rest of your fall & happy PSL-ing!