The Starbucks Oleato combines coffee with a very surprising ingredient: extra virgin olive oil. Yes, olive oil! I'm still a bit skeptical about how good an olive oil-infused latte or cold brew could really be, but since EVOO is the gold standard for cooking food, I have hope that it's *quite* good in the drinks.
Read more about the cafe's latest flavor innovation, and how you can try the Starbucks Oleato for yourself.
What is Starbucks Oleato?
Starbucks Oleato is a newer line of Starbucks beverages that are infused with Partanna olive oil.
What are the Starbucks Oleato ingredients?
The ingredients in the Starbucks Oleato differ between the available drinks on the menu, but the most basic recipe is for the Oleato Caffé Latte: blonde espresso, Partanna cold-pressed olive oil, and oat milk.
Starbucks says this recipe reflects a tradition that's rooted in centuries of Italian history – enjoying a spoonful of olive oil daily for an uplifting experience and health boost.
What does Starbucks Oleato taste like?
Starbucks describes their Oleato drinks as "velvety smooth, delicate sweet and lush." I imagine you'll still get a substantial coffee hit from the espresso, but the olive oil notes could end up mellowing it out.
“When creating the beverages, we were inspired by the rich history and origin stories of coffee and olive oil – two of nature’s most transcendent ingredients,” says Amy Dilger, principal beverage developer for Starbucks. “Infusing Starbucks coffee with olive oil yielded a velvety smooth, rich texture, with the buttery, round flavors imparted by the olive oil perfectly pairing with the soft, chocolatey notes of the coffee.”
When will Starbucks Oleato be released?
Starbucks Oleato became available nationwide on January 30, 2024, with a brand-new olive oil-based drink in tow: theOleato Golden Foam Iced Shaken Espresso with Toffeenut.
The Oleato drinks were originally released in Italy on February 22, 2023. The Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Milan also dropped a few special Oleato-based drinks on that same day. A few Starbucks stores in the Seattle and Los Angeles areas started serving the drinks about a month later.
The Official Starbucks Oleato Menu
NEW! Oleato Golden Foam Iced Shaken Espresso with Toffeenut
Shaken espresso drinks are a mainstay in my own coffee routine, so this Oleato bev looks and sounds divine.
It's made with blonde espresso and toffeenut syrup shaken over ice, then is topped with a splash of oat milk and finished off with a layer of the Starbucks Oleato Golden Foam, which is just their vanilla sweet cream cold foam infused with olive oil. The foam does contain dairy, but you can ask for it to be prepped with alternative milk.
Oleato Caffé Latte
The Oleato Caffé Latte is starts with Starbucks' blonde espresso, which gets combined with steamed oat milk and olive oil. Adding the olive oil makes the drink incredibly smooth and velvety.
The standard recipe defaults to oat milk since it enhances the flavors even more, but you could customize the milk based on your personal preferences.
Customized Oleato Golden Foam
Starbucks makes drink customizations super easy in the app, in the drive-thru, or in-person, and you can now add on Oleato Golden Foam to any drink you please! These four vibrant sippers are highly recommended for their complimentary flavors (and extreme yumminess):
- Paradise Drink with Oleato Golden Foam
- Iced Matcha Tea Latte with Oleato Golden Foam
- Iced Chai Tea Latte with Oleato Golden Foam
- Dragon Drink with Oleato Golden Foam
Let us know what Starbucks Oleato drink you'd try first in the comments!
Images via Starbucks.
This post has been updated.