Coffee drinks are a staple amongst high schoolers. At West, you can see many students with a coffee in hand. There are many popular local coffee shops around West High, and they’ve recently released their holiday menus for the winter season. So WSS had West High students fill out a survey to find out which fan-favorite holiday drinks you must try this winter.
Starbucks
The Peppermint Mocha, a Starbucks classic, has been a fan favorite for years. Ordering a tall, also known as a small, Peppermint Mocha costs $6.45. The quantity is worth the price, as the customer is getting a good amount of coffee and whipped cream.
The Peppermint Mocha comes with whipped cream and chocolate shavings. The peppermint has a refined taste that’s not too overpowering. The mocha and the peppermint flavoring complement each other nicely, making a great taste. The whipped cream helps cool down the drink with each sip.
The drink comes with chocolate chip shavings, which melt in your mouth. The only thing some may dislike is the taste of peppermint being overpowering. Otherwise, the drink is a 10/10, having a good taste. The Peppermint Mocha is a must-try this winter.
Sidekick Coffee & Books
Sidekick Coffee & Books is a locally owned business located in University Heights. Selling pastries, drinks, ice cream and books. It’s one of West’s students’ favorite places to hang out after school.
Their most popular holiday drink is the Peppermint Mocha, and getting a regular-size Peppermint Mocha costs six dollars. The drink only tasted like a mocha with barely any taste of peppermint. Although the taste is simple, that drink is a good start if you’re trying peppermint for the first time.
Peppermint has a bold taste, so starting with a little flavor is better than a big, bold taste. The peppermint mocha is a 6/10. This is a good substitute if you’re not a fan of the Starbucks Peppermint Mocha. Sidekick’s Peppermint Mocha is a pass for this winter.
Scooter’s
Scooter’s has been a new fan favorite amongst students at West High. Scooter’s Queen Frostine Sugar Cookie latte was rated as the fan-favorite drink on their holiday menu. Ordering a size small costs $5.85. The drink was the size of a kiddy cup but did have a good amount of coffee.
The latte had a different taste. It didn’t taste like a sugar cookie with coffee, rather it tasted like a mix of overly sweet flavors and a hint of vanilla. The flavors clashed with the coffee making it unappetizing yet talorable. The drink has an aftertaste that makes all the flavors even stronger. The drink is a 4/10; the only good thing was the cup having a cute Candyland theme. The Queen Frostine Sugar Cookie Latte is a pass for this holiday season.
Java House
Java House is an Iowa City classic that has been around for decades, being a fan-favorite of both college and high school students. You can see West High students fill the local Java House after school.
This winter, Java dropped their holiday menu “Let’s Get Cozy” with drinks like Gingerbread Caramel Latte, Cranberry Mocha and Candy Cane White Mocha. The students’ favorite out of all of them was Candy Cane White Mocha. Ordering a regular size for $5.45, the cost and quantity ratio is worth it.
If you like the peppermint mocha, then you’ll enjoy the Candy Cane White Mocha. It has a slightly sweeter taste than peppermint, and the white chocolate gives it a much lighter taste. Both flavors complement each other nicely, making a really good drink. The Candy Cane White Mocha is a 10/10; it’s simple yet unique with the switch from peppermint to candy cane, and the change from a mocha to a white mocha makes a nice difference that you don’t usually taste. The Candy Cane White Mocha is a must-try for this winter.
Dunkin’
Dunkin’ is another popular coffee shop amongst West High students. Their holiday menu includes drinks like the White Hazelnut Bark Iced Coffee, the Holiday Cookie Iced Signature Latte and the Peppermint Mocha Signature Latte.
The White Hazelnut Bark Iced Coffee was rated as a fan favorite. Ordering a size small costs $3.30. You get a good amount of coffee for your order, making the price and quantity worth it.
The coffee had a bitter aftertaste and the hazelnut was overpowering and strong. The whipped cream was good, but the cookie crumbs on top were hard as a rock. The one good thing was the service, with the baristas being extremely nice and efficient. The drink is a 2/10 with the strong taste of the hazelnut and the bitter aftertaste making it unappetizing.
This winter, you must try the Peppermint Mocha from Starbucks and the Candy Cane White Mocha from Java House. Although they’re pricey, the drinks are worth it with a good drink-to-price ratio, and with the classic flavors of peppermint and candy cane, these drinks are a staple for the winter.
