With fall coming up around the corner, pumpkin spice is making its way back into stores across the country. Once these items are seen on the shelves, you know that the leaves are going to start changing soon. The most well-known “pumpkin spice” item would have to be the pumpkin spice latte. Annually, millions of these beverages are sold each fall, from the end of August to the beginning of November. In fact, Starbucks itself sells more than 20 million pumpkin spice lattes each year! Why are people so fond of this sweet, creamy coffee? According to USA Today, the notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger in this beverage evoke feelings of comfort and nostalgia. There is a sense of coziness and warm-heartedness associated with pumpkin spice.  Not to mention the extra boost of caffeine that is mixed in with these other flavors. There is no better beverage to hold when roaming the pumpkin patch than a pumpkin spice latte.  So, let’s get to the bottom of this, what Corona coffee shop has the best pumpkin spice latte? I visited 4 different coffee shops in Corona, and I tasted each store’s iced pumpkin spice latte. Here are my results.

The first coffee shop I visited was Mojos down on Sixth street. I found this latte to be very enjoyable. The pumpkin flavor was prominent, and the coffee flavor was very strong. Maybe a little bit too strong. I also thought that this latte could have used more milk. It wasn’t as creamy as preferred. So overall, I rated this first pumpkin spice latte a 7/10.

The second coffee shop I visited was Sunrise Grind, located on Bedford Canyon road in Eagle Glen. In my opinion, this was the “perfect pumpkin spice latte.” The pumpkin flavor was vibrant, along with the spices. The coffee itself wasn’t too strong, but it also wasn’t too weak. It was a perfect balance. It was very creamy and gave me an autumn feeling, and would pair perfectly with a pastry. I would rate this pumpkin spice latte a 10/10.

Then, I went to Starbucks to taste their signature and very popular pumpkin spice latte. I had high expectations for this pumpkin spice latte, as Starbucks manages to sell millions of this beverage each year. However, I was unexpectedly disappointed. It was overly bitter and lacked sweetness of any sort. The pumpkin flavor was there, yet not bold whatsoever. The strong, bitter coffee flavor completely overrode the pumpkin. It lacked milk and was overall not very enjoyable. I would have to rate this latte a 3/10. I was expecting much better.

Next, I attended Dunkin. In the past, I have always been more fond of Starbucks than Dunkin. However, in this case, Dunkin was definitely preferable. The spicy yet mellow pumpkin flavor was obvious, and there was just the right amount of milk. It wasn’t overly sweet. The only downside was that it appeared to be slightly watered down, but other than that, it was delightful.

Lastly, I visited Crave, located by Ontario street. I was also very pleased with this latte as well. Just about everything you need in a pumpkin spice latte. The flavors were all present, and it definitely fits the fall aroma. It did, however, lack a bit of sweetness, but that was easily fixed with a packet of sugar. This was a solid 9/10.

So overall, it is clear that Sunrise Grind produces the best pumpkin spice latte. Of course, it depends on your preference, but in my opinion, this one is the most comforting and my idea of a perfect pumpkin spice latte.