Here's our list of local places to get your pumpkin spice fix, as well as some creative, equally tasty autumnal alternatives.
Deja Brew
11881 South Parker Road, Parker
720-336-8382
On October 1, Deja Brew will launch four new seasonal drinks — and the good news is, you don't have to choose. Its specialty drinks are always available as a flight, and this month's theme is "all the vibes." It includes four pumpkin-based beverages: a pumpkin latte; a pumpkin pie latte with a marshmallow-soft top; the BSC pumpkin cold brew with brown sugar cinnamon-flavored cold brew and pumpkin soft top; and a pumpkin-spiced chai. And in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, its homemade horchata currently comes mixed with a blend of fall spices in the pumpkin horchata latte.
Front Porch Coffee Shop
3101 South Kipling Street, Lakewood
303-872-9291
Move over, pumpkin pie. Front Porch has created a fall-inspired latte without the pumpkin. Its apple pie latte is made with creamy lotus cookie butter, housemade apple syrup, espresso and your choice of milk, hot or iced. It’s like a slice of apple pie in a cup. If you're craving pumpkin, it's got that covered, too, with a housemade pumpkin spice syrup that can be added to most drinks.
Green Bus Cafe
1426 East 22nd Avenue
The pandemic coffee trend of the Dalgona is still going strong at Green Bus Cafe. It has fall-ified its signature drink and affectionately named it the Pumpgona — homemade pumpkin sauce mixed with the milk of your choice, poured over ice and topped with whipped freeze-dried coffee and more pumpkin sauce. Pair it with a gluten-free treat from Starfish Bakery, like a pumpkin spice oatmeal cream pie with maple buttercream, or pumpkin pecan muffin with chocolate chips. You can get all of this and more from the walk-up window at its upcoming brick-and-mortar Thursday through Sunday, or from the bus or coffee cart at a farmers' market on weekends.
Legends Coffee
24100 East Commons Avenue, Aurora
720-297-9396
There are seasonal drinks galore at Legends Coffee. The cafe features house-roasted coffees in all of its beverages, including four seasonal drinks: the pumpkin pie latte, made with warm-spiced pumpkin sauce, vanilla and real pumpkin; the Sleepy Hollow, with housemade spiced butterscotch sauce; the brown butter sage latte garnished with sea salt and raw cane sugar; and the Mulberry Street, with housemade white chocolate sauce and muddled mulberries. Those who prefer pumpkin spice without the latte should also try the pumpkin hot chocolate.
Lilac's fall lineup.
Lilac Coffee Express
4736 East Colfax Avenue
What's more fall than a campfire? Sure, you can go the traditional PSL route at Lilac Coffee Express, one of the city's best locally owned coffee drive-thrus. Or you can branch out with one of its other seasonal drinks. The Campfire latte is basically s'mores in a cup: mocha topped with marshmallow and graham cracker sprinkles. There are also a few other fun options, including the Korean cereal latte (made with Jolly Pong plus honey and vanilla syrup) and the cardamom rose latte.
Mango Tree
3498 South Broadway, Englewood
720-532-1648
Mango Tree's Lil Pumpkin is the perfect fall drink. It combines brown and white sugar, pumpkin purée, pumpkin pie spice, ginger and vanilla, served in a pumpkin-shaped mug. It also has a fall version of its cold brew topped with a mix of heavy cream, milk, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg.
Opt for Autumn Fig at Novo.
Novo Instagram
3617 West 32nd Avenue
1700 East Sixth Avenue
1600 Glenarm Place
Fall spices are on the menu at Novo, but it's thought outside the pumpkin box. The barista special, Autumn Fig, combines cinnamon and brown sugar with the subtle natural sweetness of fig along with steamed milk and espresso for a cozy fall beverage. It also has a harvest spice syrup made with cinnamon, allspice and clove, which can be added into any beverage for a fun fall twist. Bonus: With three locations, there's probably a Novo nearby no matter where you are in the city.
Procession
3501 Wazee Street (inside Zeppelin Station)
720-593-0294
Fall favorite caramel apples are hard on the teeth, so Procession made a liquid version with cajeta (caramel made with goat's milk) and apple syrup. In classic Procession fashion, it's too cool for trends, offering homemade pecan spice as an alternative to pumpkin spice as well as a rosemary maple syrup for a different spin on fall flavors. Drinks are best enjoyed while listening to one of the cafe's curated moody mixtapes on Spotify.
Scr3am & Sugar
1974 South Acoma Street (inside Horrid)
Halloween is on the menu year-round at Scr3am & Sugar. Housed inside the horror-themed shop HORRID, the coffee shop serves creative beverages named after popular scary flicks like the Hiya Georgie (a creamy Nutella latte with a red raspberry swirl). It also has a seasonal menu with options such as the Basic Witch, a PSL with caramel drizzle and a candy treat. Check out the full list of its Happy Hallow-Scr3am seasonal menu on Instagram, all of which pairs nicely with the DIY popcorn bar at the shop's second-Wednesday horror movie nights inside its new event space, the Creepatorium.
The Sugar Cube Drive Thru Coffee Shop
4313 Wadsworth Boulevard, Wheat Ridge
This drive-thru-only cube is decked out and ready for fall with a seasonal menu of drinks that live up to the shop's name. The sugar-forward options such as salted caramel pumpkin chai are all made with house-roasted coffee and can be made dirty with a shot of espresso. You can opt for a classic PSL here, too.
Ti Cafe
30 North Broadway
720-940-6663
Ti Cafe offers a Vietnamese take on classic fall flavors, with pumpkin black sesame Thai tea topped with black sesame whipped cream. Or opt for the pumpkin pie hojicha latte made with pumpkin pie kem and a graham cracker crumble with either hojicha (Japanese roasted green tea) or espresso. Or the ca phe trung (egg coffee), an espresso with pumpkin spice egg topping (egg yolk beaten with sweetened condensed milk for ten minutes until it's airy, frothy and sweet).
