Despite enjoying coffee from Starbucks or Dunkin, I often find their menu rather limiting. They don’t always have the same flavors, and they rarely offer any fruit flavors aside from their refreshers. One thing I love about the University of Connecticut Storrs campus is all the different cafes, which have a diverse menu and flavor selection. For those of you like me, who are looking for a coffee order a little out of the ordinary, I think that the UConn cafes could be just the place for you. Therefore, I wanted to take the time to share my favorite drinks: a combination of both items on the menu and ones I created myself.
1. Raspberry Mocha
I found out about this drink through a friend who worked at one of the UConn cafes. She told me to order a hot mocha and add raspberry syrup plus whatever kind of milk you like. Personally, I find that oat milk is the best if you’re looking for something creamier, but any milk tastes great. This coffee order tastes exactly like my favorite snack: Tru Fru frozen dark chocolate covered raspberries. Sometimes, when I can’t get Tru Fru, I order a raspberry mocha, and it hits the spot. One thing I will say is that the raspberry flavor is very strong and the combination with chocolate makes the drink rather sweet. So, if you’re not a fan of something along those lines, this might not be the best for you.
2. Raspberry Vanilla Latte
I got some weird looks the first time I ordered this at the nanoByte cafe. However, I feel like it’s the perfect drink for Valentine’s season. The espresso flavor still comes through, and I find that vanilla and raspberry are the perfect combo for a semi-sweet drink. If you want to try this coffee, you’re going to order an iced vanilla latte with one pump of raspberry syrup. Again, you can get whatever milk you’d like, but I tend to get skim milk in my iced drinks.
3. Iced Dirty Vanilla Chai
I recently started drinking chai after trying it at my job back home. At first, I was really scared because of all the strong spices, but I ended up loving it! Even though there is some caffeine in the tea, I still need my daily espresso. Therefore, the best way to get both warm spices and smooth espresso is by ordering a dirty chai. At the UConn cafes, they use a vanilla chai concentrate (if you ask for a vanilla chai) with one or two shots of espresso. Again, you can choose whatever kind of milk you prefer, but I am always going to pick skim milk. If you want to try this drink, my exact order is an iced dirty vanilla chai with skim milk.
4. Summer Sunset
I cannot live without coffee, but there is one drink that I will break that rule for: a Summer Sunset. This drink is a UConn cafe special that is only offered during the Spring semester. So, what is it? Firstly, it’s iced tea. The actual drink is a mixture of berry tea, lemonade, raspberry syrup, and red passionfruit syrup. The fruity and floral flavors from the tea and syrups pair perfectly with the tartness of the lemonade. I have only had this drink once, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. My best friend, on the other hand, gets them consistently whenever the UConn cafes start making them for the season. To order, just go to the Beanery and ask for a Summer Sunset.
5. Italian Soda
Italian soda is an anomaly on this list because there’s absolutely no coffee or caffeine involved. An Italian soda is essentially just seltzer water with one of the many fruit flavored syrups the UConn cafes have to offer. Some of the fruit flavors include raspberry, strawberry, pomegranate, and blue raspberry. Personally, I enjoy the pomegranate or raspberry flavors, but all of them are great if you are looking for a fruity drink. The Italian soda is also perfect for a warm day when studying outside because it’s so refreshing. When I order this drink, it’s usually after I’ve already had my coffee for the day, so don’t worry, I am still feeding my caffeine addiction.
6. Iced Americano
This last drink is not as fun as the other ones, but it always does the job. As a pharmacy major, I am up crazy hours working on assignments and projects, so a strong coffee drink is a must. An Americano, for anyone unfamiliar with the term, is simply espresso and water. You can order it hot or iced, but like a true New Englander I always prefer an iced drink. Also, unlike the other drinks on this list, I never get an Americano with milk; it’s the one coffee order I enjoy black. I usually add three raw sugars to cut through some of the boldness of the espresso. This drink is super easy to order! All you have to do is ask for an iced Americano and then add your own sweeter.
Hopefully this list inspired you to order from the UConn cafes instead of going to Starbucks or Dunkin. If not, maybe you learned about a new coffee or drink that you want to try, or at the very least, inspired you to get creative with your coffee order. Another perk of going to the campus cafes, especially if you’re a student, is that you can use your meal plan on any of these items. Either way, student or visitor, the cafes are worth a try.