Coffee is an all-year-round love for a lot of people, but when fall comes around and it starts to get cold, a cup of coffee can keep you warm through the season. Seasonal flavors add complexity to the coffee scene and help to bring the fall season to life. This review will rate each location based on three main criteria: how sweet the coffee is, how much flavor are you able to taste in the coffee and the coffee’s consistency. Additionally, an overall rating is included for each location.

Shortwave Coffee

Shortwave Coffee is known for its atmosphere. The natural lights and impeccable downtown location make for the perfect fall hangout spot. During the fall season, Shortwave has an autumn spice latte. This drink was a nice spin on the usual pumpkin spice latte. The strong nutmeg taste brought to mind a bite of apple pie or the whiff of a fall candle. If you prefer a coffee that is sweet rather than bitter, this is for you. 

Sweetness: 5/5

Body: 4/5

Flavor: 4/5

Overall rating: 4.3/5

Reviewed by Lola Jahant

Lakota Coffee Company

If I had to assign a season to the atmosphere of Lakota, it would be autumn. The dark wood and red colors provide customers with a warm, cozy, fall-feeling. Lakota has an array of seasonal drinks including an apple cider, caramel apple cider and a pumpkin spice latte (with a sugar-free option). I ordered an iced sugar-free pumpkin latte and also sampled some of my friend’s hot sugar-free pumpkin latte. I was envious of the hot latte; it was much richer due to the warmth and lack of ice. The hot latte enhanced the pumpkin flavor, while the iced coffee was a little watery. The lattes were pretty sweet, but not overwhelmingly pumpkin flavored. 

Sweetness: 4/5

Body: 2.5/5

Flavor: 3/5

Overall rating: 3.17/5

Reviewed by Lola Jahant

Acola Coffee Company

A greenhouse shop in a season of yellows, reds and oranges, Acola provides a three-story, plant-filled environment in addition to fresh coffee. The company offers two seasonal drinks this September: the ghost, featuring a syrup of ghost peppers and chili peppers, and the pumpkin pie latte, a much sweeter alternative to Acola’s other seasonal special. The iced pumpkin pie latte had a tinge of flavor from the nutmeg and other spices but was in no way overwhelming. Those too intimidated by a spicy coffee, or those who want something subtle but sweet are in luck with this flavor.

Sweetness: 4/5

Body: 5/5

Flavor: 4.5/5

Overall rating: 4/5

Reviewed by Kayla Davito

The Grind

Inside the J-School and overlooking the quad’s changing leaves, The Grind is a perfect on-campus stop for a fall pick-me-up. With stools looking out towards nature and students passing by, the cafe has been celebrating the return of cooler weather with its “Spooky Secret Menu.” Six drinks made up the list: midnight magic cold brew, butterbeer latte, s’more mocha, hocus pocus latte, trick or treat latte and pumpkin patch white hot chocolate. Most intriguing was the butterbeer latte. However, it did not provide the most magical experience. It is incredibly sweet. Even after a sip, there is a lingering aftertaste. Anyone with a definite sweet tooth or those who swear they hate the taste of coffee should check it out.

Sweetness: 5/5

Body: 4/5

Flavor: 3/5

Overall rating: 3/5

Reviewed by Kayla Davito

Vida Coffee Co.

Vida Coffee Co. is located on campus by Wolpers Hall and is connected to Mizzou’s Baptist Ministries. This is one of the many coffee shops on campus where students can go study, hang out and enjoy good coffee. The coffeeshop has four seasonal choices for the fall including the pumpkin pie latte, apple cider, the sticky bun latte and the pumpkin spice cold-brew. I chose to get the pumpkin pie latte. The sweetness was there, but due to being so watered down the flavor was a little lacking compared to some of the other coffees. Fortunately, I could still taste the bitterness in the coffee no matter how little flavor was presented.

Body: 2/5

Sweetness: 4/5

Flavor: 3/5

Overall rating: 3/5

Reviewed by Maddy Wilson

Fretboard Coffee

Fretboard Coffee is tucked in Columbia’s North Village Arts District. There was a rustic atmosphere with hints of Halloween decorations. The atmosphere was cozy like a fall sweater. Fretboard has a spiced apple syrup made of Fuji apples, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger . The Spiced apple syrup in my latte had a brilliant blend of spice, sweetness and bitterness. The spice came out in the coffee, and the body was the perfect thickness. This was my first experience at Fretboard Coffee and it certainly won’t be the last. 

Body: 5/5

Sweetness: 4/5

Flavor: 5/5

Overall rating: 4.5/5

Reviewed by Maddy Wilson

Edited by Alex Goldstein | agoldstein@themaneater.com

Copy edited by Hannah Taylor and Sterling Sewell | ssewell@themaneater.com