Pumpkin spice lattes have become a fall staple, sparking an annual craze and signaling the start of a new season. From coffee shops to grocery stores to social media feeds, pumpkin spice is everywhere.

Given how seemingly popular PSLs are, we couldn’t resist diving into the pumpkin-spiced frenzy ourselves to see which latte truly reigns supreme. Armed with our rubric, we set out to compare the best (and maybe the worst) of the season’s most iconic drink.

Where are we testing?

We wanted to try PSLs from cafes in the Foggy Bottom area. However, a quick Google map search shows that there are many cafes abound, so we decided to limit our taste-test to cafes within a ten-minute walk from GW Law itself. This way, we could tailor our recommendations for busy students who need their PSL fix between classes or study sessions.

Our curated list of cafes included:

What are we looking for?

When imagining the perfect pumpkin spice latte, several key elements come to mind, from the quality of the espresso to the balance of pumpkin and spice flavors. To approach our taste test with fairness and objectivity, the Taste Buds ™ developed a comprehensive list of criteria to evaluate each latte.

1. Pumpkin flavor – Is the pumpkin flavor prominent, or does it get lost among other ingredients? Does it give the consumer fall vibes?
2. Spice flavor – Are the spices noticeable but not overpowering? Do they blend well, or is one spice dominating the drink?
3. Color – Is the latte too milky? Is the latte visually appealing or off-putting to consumers?
4. Espresso quality – Is the espresso well-brewed, with no bitterness or burnt taste? Does it balance with the pumpkin and spice, or does it feel like an afterthought?
5. Smell – Is the smell appetizing, or does it come off as too sweet or synthetic?
6. Mouth feel – Is it smooth and luxurious, or thin and watery? Does it leave a pleasant feeling in your mouth, or is it cloying or gritty?
7. Sweetness – Is the level of sweetness enjoyable? Is the latte too sugary in a way that masks the pumpkin spice?

We also determined that our ideal latte was iced, so for consistency’s sake we ordered all lattes iced with 2% milk (with the exceptions of Whole Foods and Dunkin, as neither had 2% milk available the days we ordered). When 2% was not an option we ordered our latte with the standard milk each café used in its lattes, which conveniently was whole milk for both locations.

By sticking to these criteria, we aimed to assess each drink on an even playing field and determine which one truly deserves the title of The Best PSL (within a 10 minute walk from GW Law). In addition to the factors above, the Taste Buds will collectively give each latte a score between 1 and 10, with 1 being the worst and 10 being the best.

How did the lattes stack up?

	Pumpkin	Spice	Color	Espresso Quality	Smell	Mouth Feel	Sweetness
Dunkin	1	6	8	4	5	8	3
For Five	4	3	8	9	7	7	4
Peet’s	1	1	4	1	1	1	6
Starbucks	4	2	2	1	5	4	3
Uptowner	3	4	5	8	5	8	7
Whole Foods	4	6	8	8	8	8	5

Disqualified / Did Not Have Pumpkin Spice Lattes

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Lulu’s

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Jason’s Best and Least Best

The best pumpkin spice lattes this season were the ones that tasted the least like pumpkin and the most like a regular latte. Starbucks and Dunkin’, which I found to be the worst, tasted chemical-y, almost like drinking cough syrup. If I had to give one the edge for being worse, I would probably give it to Dunkin’, but it could honestly go either way. Both were unpleasant from the first sip, and remained that way throughout. And I am no pumpkin spice hater, I have enjoyed it every fall season for years and even make my own at home, but the quality from these chains has taken a steep and unfortunate decline.

As for the best, I would have to give that to For Five Roasters (with a close second being Uptowner). That’s not to say they make a good pumpkin spice latte, though. Their latte was simply the best in spite of any added pumpkin. For Five’s PSL tasted like a solid, normal latte with maybe the slightest hint of pumpkin, and the same holds true for Uptowner’s PSL. Perhaps there is something different with the pumpkin spice flavoring being used at these cafes, or perhaps something else was changed, but the quality of the pumpkin in pumpkin spice lattes has taken a nosedive across the board, and For Five is saved just by the fact that it has a good standard latte to start with.

Lexi’s Best and Least Best

My top two picks were For Five Roasters and Whole Foods, both serving lattes I would order again. Each featured high-quality espresso, which made them stand out. However, I have to note that while the Whole Foods latte was enjoyable, it lacked a distinct pumpkin flavor, which gave For Five the edge as my overall favorite. Its balance of rich espresso and well-executed pumpkin spice was hard to beat, and that is coming from someone who does not personally gravitate towards PSLs.

At the other end of the spectrum was Peet’s, which, to put it bluntly, was almost undrinkable. The flavor was harshly artificial, leaving an unpleasant, chemical aftertaste. Another surprise was how underwhelmed I felt by Starbucks, the brand practically synonymous with the PSL craze. I expected their version to be the gold standard of the PSL; instead, the latte fell flat compared to the others we tried. I’ve enjoyed the pumpkin flavoring in Starbucks’ cold foam before so I know Starbucks can nail the pumpkin taste in certain variations, but this particular iteration disappointed all three of the Taste Buds.

This Taste Buds journey showed me that I do not personally enjoy PSLs. That said, PSL fans should still order from the cafes they love for their daily caffeine boost, but for a delightful upgrade, I’d recommend branching out to For Five Roasters for a sweet treat.

Kim’s Best and Least Best

Naming the worst pumpkin spice latte in the Foggy Bottom area is the easiest decision I’ve ever had to make: Peet’s. No pumpkin (although the presence of pumpkin in a PSL is controversial, as many believe that the “pumpkin spice” flavor refers to the spices found in a pumpkin pie, not both pumpkin and spice), no spice, and an undrinkable latte base. The espresso tasted the way Neutrogena Clear Pore astringent smells: overpowering, clinical, and very much not like espresso.

Before I get to my least best, I would like to note that, unlike Jason and Lexi, I found both the Starbucks and Dunkin PSLs bearable. I wouldn’t actively seek them out, but I volunteered to finish both after our testing.

The best was, undisputedly, For Five Roasters, but I think that the espresso quality was doing a lot of heavy lifting. It was pretty standard in terms of sweetness and texture, and honestly the pumpkin spice flavor wasn’t that different from other places, other than the fact that there seemed to be no underlying chemical taste that plagued many of the other competitors. However, For Five comes at a price; for a cheaper, near equivalent alternative that’s just a touch sweeter, go to Uptowner.

What did we find out?

After tasting our way through Foggy Bottom, the Taste Buds crowned For Five as the home of the best pumpkin spice latte. Their blend of rich espresso, good mouth feel, and authentic pumpkin flavor stood out among the competition.

However, during our coffee crawl, we noticed a surprising trend: the pumpkin spice latte, once the undisputed icon of fall, seems to be losing its grip on the seasonal spotlight. In fact, when talking to a barista at Tatte, they said pumpkin spice is done, even though they personally wanted it to come back. Many cafes have begun phasing out the PSL in favor of new and innovative flavors like marshmallow mocha, brown sugar, or apple crisp. These emerging flavors hint at a shift in customer preferences, signaling that the pumpkin spice era may be coming to an end.

This discovery leaves us with a pressing question: Has the PSL’s reign officially come to an end, and if so, what will the next big trend be in the fall beverage world?