It’s easy to celebrate our thriving local coffee scene, and we do so weekly with our latte purchases, but this time of year, there’s an extra reason to notice the creativity in Greenville’s coffee shops. A little game popped up several years ago in our coffee-loving town, during which all local shops started crafting their own versions of the PSL (pumpkin spice latte) in the fall. But these fun-loving baristas didn’t stop there. Now, all manner of caffeinated autumnal libations grace the seasonal menus, creating a dilemma for those of us who like to play along: how do we try them all, and which ones are really worth driving out of the way for?

We gotchu.

Our team of six taste testers looked for creativity, prominence of the listed ingredients, balance of flavors, presentation, and overall good taste. And we found it all, including some surprises. Making no apology for the sheer number of delightful and interesting beverages that made our list, we present to you our extensive and robust Favorite Fall Coffee Drinks of 2022.

Team OTGG: Ariel H. Turner, Christen Clinkscales, Jackie Shapiro Brooker
Contributors: Adriana @plentifulbites, Kayla @interlacedvibes, Sarah @strikesofluck

Apple of Our Eye

Apple-themed drinks are all the rage this year. Our picks:
**The Gala** (pictured)
Barista Alley
A latte made with house made apple cider steamed milk that is finished with a cinnamon dusting to balance it out.
**Apple Bottom Jeans**
Cohesive Coffee
Their take on the classic caramel apple, but as a latte, that will transfer you straight to the orchard.
**Apple Cinnamon Latte**
Due South Coffee Roasters
It’s giving steaming hot apple crisp vibes but in a warm mug.
*Image by Kayla @interlacedvibes*

Cinnamon Sticks the Landing

Riding that fine line between seasonal and bitter can be tricky with cinnamon. These bevs nailed it:
**Nitro Cinnamon Honey Latte with oat milk** (pictured)
Grateful Brew
Imagine a frothy, dairy-free, and caffeinated cinnamon Teddy Graham.
**Cinnamon Roll Latte**
Unlocked Coffee Roasters
A cinnamon bomb that delivers on the name’s freshly baked pastry promise.
*Image by Ariel H. Turner*

Ginger Spice & Everything Nice

She’s spicy and pairs well with sweet. Ginger made quite the impression this year:
**Autumn In New York** (pictured)
Mountain Goat
Not-too-spicy ginger-infused caramel balanced with perfectly pulled espresso and steamed milk.
**The Rosemary-Ginger Snap**
Bridge City Coffee
An 𝖾𝗌𝗉𝗋𝖾𝗌𝗌𝗈 𝗍𝗈𝗇𝗂𝖼 with sweetened, herbaceous 𝗋𝗈𝗌𝖾𝗆𝖺𝗋𝗒 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖺 𝗋𝖾𝖿𝗋𝖾𝗌𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗀𝗂𝗇𝗀𝖾𝗋 𝗄𝗂𝖼𝗄 without the milk.
*Image by Jackie Shapiro Brooker*

Curry Up Now

When we tell you these two fall lattes featuring masala spices blew us away . . . You’d better beeline for these special beverages before they’re gone:
**Sari, Not Sari** (pictured)
Camilla Kitchen, inside M. Judson Booksellers
Unapologetically savory with a custom garam masala mix, this is the only pumpkin—and truly spiced—latte on the list.
**Maple Masala Latte**
Green Laundry Lounge
Our taster’s words deserve repeating: Warm and toasty like your favorite cozy blanket on a cold winter’s night. GLL’s culinary partner Oak Hill Cafe crafted a maple syrup infused with Indian spices, and GLL adds cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, and Indian masala powder on top.
*Image by Ariel H. Turner*

Plums & Fig Leaves & Tamarind, Oh My!

Honestly, what a surprising bunch these are. Collect them all:
**A Walk in the Woods** (pictured)
Junto Coffee
House made plum—with that signature tanginess—and brown sugar syrup set the mood.
**Something Wicked**
Junto Coffee
A truly unique seltzer crafted with tamarind (!) soda water, pear syrup and espresso.
**The Oz Effect**
Cryptid Coffee
Fig leaves infuse cold foam on top of cold brew with cardamom.
*Image by Ariel H. Turner*

Candy Land IRL

Sweet, yet sophisticated, with a definite outdoorsy vibe. These are trending like oversized flannels:
**Campfire Latte** (pictured)
Scändi Tiny Coffee
The complexity of mocha and cinnamon meets the whimsy of a floating marshmallow.
**Children of the Corn**
Cryptid Coffee
It’s corn! Real caramel corn (not the candy), corn milk and a shot of espresso.
*Image by Adriana @plentifulbites*

It is no exaggeration when we announce (or admit?) our consumption of at least two dozen different locally made fall coffee drinks in order to bring you these 2022 greatest hits. Our one cardinal rule for the annual list continues to be “no pumpkin, unless it really blows us away.” When we find one of those, you should see the Slack channel light up. And a word about how we narrow down the options when there are more than 50—we tasted mostly drinks that were new to menus as many of our past favorites return year after year, and you all already know where to find them (looking at you, Village Grind and your Pecan Pie Latte that we adore).

The bottom line: Wherever you choose to caffeinate locally this fall, you’re sure to find a winning cuppa worth waking up for.

Fall for GVL Coffee 2022