Not everyone is in love with Michigan’s four seasons, but even those who detest the forthcoming freeze can find one thing to look forward to in the winter—tasty seasonal treats. This winter, several cafes, both local and part of a chain, are serving up some new options certain to become new cold weather classics.
Three places to check out this winter are The Ugly Mug Cafe and Roastery, located on 317 W. Cross St., our campus’s very own Starbucks, nestled in the Eastern Michigan University Student Center and Biggby Coffee, which has several locations in the Ypsilanti/Ann Arbor area. Each cozy cafe offers some delicious winter-exclusive items, but how do they stack up?
Ugly Mug’s raspberry mint mocha: I’m a huge fan of Ugly Mug’s lattes, but the sheer number of flavors in this drink was slightly off-putting. Raspberry and mint could be pleasant together, as could mint and chocolate. Raspberry and chocolate even sounds yummy. But all of those together?
To my surprise, these three contrasting tastes went together as smoothly as the flavors of Neapolitan ice cream and packed as much punch as all three Powerpuff Girls. None of the flavors were particularly overpowering. You could taste the fresh coolness of the mint, the subtle fruitiness of the raspberry and the sweetness of the mocha.
It’s hard for me to choose one favorite thing to order at the Ugly Mug, but this drink slipped into my top five for this coffee shop. Its unusual but refreshing flavor was definitely welcome.
Starbucks’ vanilla spice latte: I had high hopes for this drink. The sign hanging in the Student Center Starbucks had been taunting me since classes started. It seemed like the perfect way to start off the semester.
It took me a few sips to get into it, but it wasn’t long before I couldn’t put the cup down. The flavor is smooth—a little creamy with a bit of spice. The spice is what makes the drink; the coffee has a flavor uniquely its own, with an aftertaste reminiscent of chai tea.
Still, I wasn’t absolutely astounded by the vanilla spice latte, at least not as much as I wanted to be. Another Starbucks drink that wowed me a little more is the salted caramel mocha. I’d suggest that as the go-to Starbucks winter treat, but the vanilla spice latte is definitely worth a shot, even if it’s just once.
Biggby Coffee’s s’more latte: Just take a cursory look at Biggby Coffee’s online menu. You’ll quickly discover one fact about this Michigan-based chain—they love their seasonal beverages. When I browsed the featured items for the perfect drink to review, I was faced with not one, not two, not even three, but seven options. The one that captured my attention, though, was the s’more latte.
The s’more latte involves a combination of three main flavors: chocolate, marshmallow and gingerbread, which are then topped with crushed-up graham crackers. The end result is something resembling the beloved campfire treat, certain to evoke happy memories of when it was actually warm outside.
This drink’s strength comes in the form of uniqueness. I can’t think of any other latte from any other coffee shop that tastes similar. It has a bit of sweetness, a bit of spice and a rich chocolaty flavor.
The drink’s weakness, though, seems to be that it has the opposite problem of the vanilla spice latte. The first few sips were nothing short of magnificent. But, as you get to the bottom of the cup, the flavor seems to lose its novelty.
Still, the s’more latte is a strong contender, even when you consider the fact that Biggby offers it alongside a truckload of other delicious drinks.
The verdict: Ypsilanti’s own Ugly Mug wins this cold-weather coffee competition, but Starbucks and Biggby Coffee’s yummy concoctions are certainly worth taking notice of.
