5 Summer Treats with a Coffee Twist

1. Almond Syrup

Starbucks’ almond syrup was subtly nutty all while adding sweetness to fan-fave drinks like lattes and hot chocolates! Despite its loyal following, Starbucks discontinued it around 2008, likely due to low demand and a general restructuring of their menu. Many fans still miss it for its unique taste and versatility, though the chain still offers plenty of nutty flavors like hazelnut and pistachio (though the latter is seasonal).

2. Raspberry Syrup

Gone, but not forgotten! Starbucks’ raspberry syrup was always so tasty in an iced white mocha or in their lemonade bevs. It offered a bright, fruity flavor with a nice sweet-tart balance. Plus, it added a fun color to any sip! Sadly, Starbucks began phasing it out around 2023, likely due to waning popularity and a shift toward more natural fruit inclusions.

3. Butterscotch Syrup

The butterscotch syrup debuted in 2016 with Starbucks’ very own Smoked Butterscotch Latte, bringing all the nostalgic, candy-like flavor notes with it. The syrup itself was fairly rich, buttery, and caramel-y. Mmm. Though it was beloved at the time, this flavor was only around seasonally and eventually discontinued, probably due to lacking demand.

4. Juniper Syrup

Widely known as one of Starbucks’ more-experimental flavors, the juniper syrup launched around the winter holidays in the famed Juniper Latte that carried botanical notes of pine, citrus, and sage. This now-discontinued flavor turned out to be notoriously divisive among Starbucks fans, though the small niche that really adored it still beg for the flavor to come back to menus!

5. Pineapple Ginger Syrup

This summery flavor was introduced to the Starbucks menu back in the spring of 2020 for a few limited-time drinks. With the sweetness of pineapple but the subtle spice of ginger, it was a pretty bold syrup choice at the time. It came and went from menus super quick, though Starbucks still offers plenty of fruity options like strawberry, blackberry, and cherry.

6. Sangria Syrup

Sangria syrup was first used in Starbucks' iced teas to mimic the fruity, wine-inspired flavors of a traditional sangria… all without the alcohol. Sneaky! It tasted slightly of apple, berry, and citrus, making them taste like a true mocktail! It likely didn’t stay on menus long because it was a limited-time offering and didn’t gain enough traction to return.

7. Valencia Orange Syrup

Starbucks’ Valencia orange syrup was another of the fruity variety. It was widely used in iced drinks like Refreshers, though some baristas really enjoyed it in mochas for a unique orange mocha vibe! It was super summery, though it ended up being phased off menus as Starbucks tested new flavors like dragonfruit, pineapple, and passionfruit.

8. Mango Syrup

This one’s a total throwback! Starbucks’ long-gone mango syrup was super tropical and, of course, fruity. It paired especially well with the chain’s green teas and lemonades, though they ended up trading the more-artificial, syrupy mango flavor for a natural juice blend over the years.

9. Marshmallow Syrup

Made popular with the S’mores Frappuccino that hit menus in 2015 (and made a reprise in 2019), Starbucks’ marshmallow syrup was truly one of a kind. Creamy and sweet, it had a nostalgic quality that not many other Starbucks syrups did. Unfortunately, Starbucks cut it from the menu since the S’mores Frappuccino was only around for a single summer.

In case you haven't experienced the sheer magic that is the Whole Foods Berry Chantilly cake, it’s an item from their bakery counter that’s earned cult-favorite status since its launch 13 years ago.

The cake features layers of vanilla cake slathered with Chantilly cream frosting and a fresh medley of berries like strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries. Per Whole Foods, it’s so iconic that customers have stood in line for it through power outages and natural disasters.

Seeing that the cake itself is so adored, it’s no surprise that Whole Foods’ coffee bar just dropped a latte inspired by each sweet, sweet bite. The new Berry Chantilly Latte highlights notes of "creamy vanilla sweetened with berries and a whisper of almond.”

Per Food Network, the development team behind the new sip desired a “not-too-sweet” effect, ultimately choosing a combo of strawberry and almond for the drink. Of course, it's loaded up with shots of espresso to round out the sweeter flavors.

Once Whole Foods introduced the Berry Chantilly Latte on Instagram, tons of coffee-loving shoppers sounded off with excitement.

“Say no more. On our way!! 😍😍” one person commented.

“My favorite latte of all time 10/10,” another said.

“Got it this morning and it does not disappoint!!” one more user said. “Wish it was permanent!!”

Available to order hot or iced and with your choice of milk, the new Whole Foods Berry Chantilly Latte will be in participating locations through July 1.

1. Ellie is dealing with some major trauma.

In The Last of Us season 1, episode 8 "When We Are in Need," we had the unpleasant experience of meeting a man named David, who says he's a pastor who found God. And over the course of the anxiety-inducing 51 minutes, David kidnaps Ellie, Joel attacks David's men to get her location, and, oh, Ellie realizes David has turned the group into cannibals without their knowledge.

At the end of the episode, David attempts to sexually assault Ellie while the lodge burns down around them. Ellie winds up killing him with a literal meat cleaver before stumbling outside covered in his blood. (I still think about this scene, I hate it so much).

Joel finds her, and from this moment until the end of episode 9, Ellie's a changed person (duh). She's still curious and fun, but she's definitely more closed off than she was before — and we'll have to see how much it affects her five years later.

2. ​Joel saves Ellie at the expense of the Firefly hospital.

Ellie's troubles are far from over after her run-in with David. In episode 9, "Look for the Light," Joel and Ellie arrive in Salt Lake City. After a very sweet conversation about how she helped Joel heal from his daughter Sarah's death that had me emotional, the Firefly rebels arrive and both knock Joel out and take Ellie.

Joel wakes up in a hospital room, where he learns that the Fireflies will operate on Ellie (who's immune, remember) to get the cure for the infection. The only problem? She won't make it out alive. And in a fit of pure paternal rage, he takes out the entire hospital, including both doctors and soldiers.

3. Ellie is immune thanks to her mom.

The show finally explains Ellie's immunity in the final episode during a flashback. Ellie's mom, Anna, gives birth to our leading lady right around the moment she's attacked by an immune. And since the umbilical cord still connects Ellie and Anna, the cordyceps infection enters Ellie's body, and immune system, differently than if she'd been bitten.

4. Joel and Ellie return to Jackson.

The beginning of The Last of Us saw Joel trying to find his brother Tommy, and they do reunite in episode 6, "Kin." After everything that happens at the hospital, Joel and Ellie head back to Tommy's home in Jackson to start their new lives alongside Tommy, his wife Maria, and the rest of the town (including Dina and Jesse, two new friends Ellie has in season 2).

5. Joel lies to Ellie about the cure.

Perhaps the most important thing to remember about The Last of Us ending is that not only does Joel kill a dozen Fireflies, but he tells Ellie that there were multiple immune people, and that raiders had attacked the hospital. Ellie doesn't know that the cure would cost her life, but she's obviously disappointed by the fact she couldn't help — especially since it's clear she feels like her purpose as an immune is to help develop a cure.

In the final moments of the episode, she tells Joel to swear he was telling the truth. And when he does, all she says is, "Okay."