The Huntsville Fall Drinks I’d Actually Order Again

Fall coffee menus are one of my favorite parts of the season.

There is something about walking into a coffee shop in October and seeing an entire menu full of maple, apple, pumpkin, caramel, chai, and flavors that probably should not work in coffee but somehow do.

That said, seasonal menus can also get a little repetitive. There are only so many ways to make pumpkin spice before every drink starts tasting vaguely the same. And sometimes, if we are being honest, a fall latte tastes less like coffee and more like someone emptied a candle into an espresso machine.

So, I have been doing what I do best: trying my way through Huntsville’s fall coffee menus.

Some drinks were good. Some were very sweet. Some were interesting enough that I immediately wanted someone else to try them so we could talk about them.

And then there were the ones I kept thinking about afterward.

These are five fall drinks around Huntsville that I would actually go back and order again.

Honest Coffee: Gimmie S’more

Let’s start with something that completely skips pumpkin.

Honest Coffee’s Gimmie S’more combines mocha, marshmallow, and graham cracker, which sounds like it could very easily become dessert pretending to be coffee.

It is definitely on the sweeter side, but you still know you are drinking coffee. The chocolate and marshmallow give it that obvious s’mores flavor while the graham cracker makes the whole thing feel a little more interesting than a standard mocha.

This is the drink I want when it is finally cool enough to sit outside, I have nowhere to be, and I am fully committed to pretending Alabama has a long, picturesque fall season.

If pumpkin is not your thing but you still want something that feels seasonal, this is an easy place to start.

Canadian Bakin’: Pumpkin Chai Latte

If you want the full fall experience, Canadian Bakin’ makes it very easy.

Their Pumpkin Chai Latte combines two of the most obvious fall flavors in the best way. You get the warm spice of chai with that classic pumpkin flavor layered in, so it feels cozy without just tasting like a standard pumpkin latte.

It is definitely one of those drinks that makes more sense once the weather cools off and you are ready to fully commit to fall.

And if you want to take it even further, they also have pumpkin spice cream cheese.

So yes, you can absolutely pair your Pumpkin Chai Latte with a bagel covered in pumpkin spice cream cheese and just accept that you have chosen fall as a personality for the day.

I support it.

Rooster's Crow: Caramel Apple Crumble

The Caramel Apple Crumble goes much more in the fall-dessert direction.

You get the apple, the caramel, and that warm baked-dessert feeling that makes the whole thing taste like it belongs next to an orchard, a pumpkin patch, and probably a hayride.

It is not subtle, but I do not think it is supposed to be.

This is the drink for when you want the full seasonal experience.

You may technically just be driving around Huntsville running errands, but emotionally you are wearing a flannel shirt and wandering through an apple orchard.

Sometimes that is enough.

The Moon Bakeshop: Appalachian Memories

This was probably the drink that surprised me most.

Appalachian Memories is a salted maple rosemary chai, which already sounds completely different from almost everything else on a typical fall menu.

The rosemary is what makes it.

You still get that cozy sweetness from the maple and the warmth of the chai, but the rosemary adds something herbal and unexpected that keeps the drink from becoming overly sweet.

It feels thoughtful.

This is exactly the kind of seasonal drink I like finding because it is not just another version of something every other coffee shop is already doing.

If you are the person who looks at a menu and immediately wants to order the weirdest thing on it, this is probably your drink.

And if you usually play it safe, this might be the one worth taking a chance on.

(They also however were voted the Best Pumpkin Spice Latte in the state and it is really good.)

7 Brew: Pumpkin Blonde

Not every fall drink needs to be complicated.

Sometimes you just want pumpkin.

7 Brew’s Pumpkin Blonde is the easy, reliable option on this list. It gives you that classic pumpkin flavor without requiring you to analyze tasting notes or explain to someone why there is rosemary in your chai.

I also appreciate that it can be made dairy-free, which makes it an easy seasonal option for anyone who normally has to scan menus wondering what they can actually order.

It is sweet, very fall, and exactly what you want when the craving is simply: give me a pumpkin coffee.

There is room for weird seasonal drinks.

There is also room for this.

So Which One Would I Order First?

That depends entirely on what kind of fall coffee person you are.

If you want dessert, go with the Caramel Apple Crumble.

If you want something familiar but still seasonal, get the Pumpkin Blonde.

If you are avoiding pumpkin entirely, try the Gimmie S’more or Apple Pie Latte.

And if you want the drink you probably will not find anywhere else, order Appalachian Memories.

My favorite thing about Huntsville’s fall coffee menus this year is that there is actually some variety.

You do not have to order another pumpkin spice latte just because it is October.

Order the apple drink.

Try the rosemary chai.

Pick the seasonal special that sounds slightly ridiculous.

That is part of the fun.

And considering how many fall menus are still left for me to try, I have a feeling this list is not finished yet.