The temperature is dropping, evenings are getting darker, and sweaters and Ugg boots are coming out of hibernation. You may be looking for a hot (or iced) cup of fall goodness. Here are some small, local businesses to get your pumpkin fix!
Drip Coffee Shop
1501 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa Junior College, Santa Rosa, CA
In the Bear Cub’s own home is a coffee cart, Drip Coffee — their newest location opened on Monday, Sept. 9 in front of the Lindley Center for STEM Education. They have a vast fall-themed coffee menu, including the ever-popular pumpkin pie latte. They also have pumpkin-flavored macchiatos, chai and matcha. Grab a pumpkin iced coffee on the warmer fall afternoons and get some homework done in the Lindley quad.
Retrograde Coffee Roasters
130 South Main St., Sebastopol, CA
Retrograde always has unique specials for every season, and fall is no different. They have the classic Pumpkin Spice Latte and a Pumpkin cold brew made of their Rocketman cold brew and house-made pumpkin cold foam. They also showcase a maple hazelnut latte for those less spice-inclined. Their newest special, The Black Cat Mocha, is a mocha made with black cocoa, giving it a deeper cocoa flavor. Purrrfect for Halloween!
Lady Blume Microbakery + Coffee
8059 La Plaza, Cotati, CA
Lady Blume is a newer coffee shop off the Central Plaza in Cotati. Unique fall-focused specials include a Pumpkin Spice Latte, a Wildflower latte (lavender-infused sugar, spicy chai, espresso), and a Cajeta latte (plant-based Mexican caramel, cinnamon, espresso). Pair any of these specials with their orange blossom cake and you’re in for a treat!
Avid Coffee
2365 Midway Drive, Santa Rosa, CA and 21 4th St., Petaluma
Avid Coffee is utilizing a local creation — pumpkin pie latte syrup from Sonoma Syrup Co. — for their seasonal specials! Avid’s seasonal creations include The Autumn Dream (nitro cold brew with pumpkin syrup and cold foam), Pumpkin Latte and Pumpkin Chai. Avid is a short drive from Santa Rosa Junior College’s Santa Rosa campus, perfect for a pick-me-up in between classes.
Red Bird Bakery
560 E Cotati Ave., Cotati, CA and 463 Sebastopol Ave., Santa Rosa, CA
Red Bird Bakery offers more than killer pastries and bread — it also has an impressive seasonal coffee menu, including a vanilla almond chai latte that utilizes Sonoma Syrup Co.’s Vanilla almond-infused simple syrup “orgeat.” Other innovative seasonal drinks are the honey lavender latte and vanilla hazelnut latte. Although it may be too early, you can get a peppermint mocha at Red Bird!
Black Oak Coffee Roasters
324 Center St., Healdsburg, CA and 476 N State St., Ukiah
Black Oak has creative seasonal offerings, including the Biscoffee Latte (a latte blended with cookie butter and topped with Biscoff cookie crumbles), the Fall Spiced Pumpkin Cold Brew made with house-made pumpkin sauce, the Horchata Latte made with house-made horchata sauce and the classic Pumpkin Latte. Enjoy one of these creations in the Healdsburg Plaza among the scarecrows for the perfect fall-themed afternoon.
DCW Rocks • Oct 20, 2024 at 10:44 pm
Makes me wish I lived up there. Some of these sound really good. It’s sounding more like a couple road trips might be in my near future.