Stop what you’re doing! Folks, the Starbucks summer menu is in full swing, and you need to try it now. The chain – in addition to the spicy drinks that hit menus on April 16 – just launched a never-before-seen lineup of Refreshersthat include popping boba – just as we predicted! Starbucks also introduced a few fruityfood items, too.
The new items on the Starbucks summer menu are the perfect fit for the season. Scroll on for everything you can order now, plus a review of the spicy Refreshers so you can suss 'em out for yourself.
When did the Starbucks summer menu come out?
The Starbucks summer menu came out in two different phases: the spicy Refreshers launched on April 16, while the boba drinks and more come out on May 7.
Does Starbucks have boba?
Photo by Telly Mina / PEXELS
Yes – with the new summer menu items, Starbucks officially has boba!
Starbucks has never served boba nationwide before this, but they did test it regionally for a brief period in late 2021. According to Tasting Table, only two Starbucks locations (one in California, one in Washington) tested out coffee boba pearls back then. The pearls were also popping boba (like the new summer drinks), but weren't received super well.
One person that tried the boba drinks in 2021 said the pearls were "really small and awkward to drink." People engaging in online discourse about the coffee boba pearls weren't happy about the attention and revenue the boba could potentially take away from small businesses serving authentic Taiwanese boba.
Everything On The Starbucks Summer Menu
NEW! Summer-Berry Starbucks Refresher
The Starbucks summer menu lists a brand-new line of iced Refresher drinks, with the Summer-Berry flavor leading! And... it has boba!
This new sip is described as "a sweet summer blend of raspberry, blueberry and blackberry flavors mixed with water, lemonade or coconut milk and shaken with ice." It's poured over raspberry-flavored popping boba, which amps up the berry vibes even more!
NEW! Summer-Berry Lemonade Refresher
This next sip is shaken with lemonade rather than water, which gives it a citrusy, zingy effect. Lemonade is the perfect bev for summertime, and I have a hunch it could pair really well with the raspberry boba pearls!
NEW! Summer Skies Drink Refresher
The Starbucks summer menu is heating up with this creamy drink! This one's essentially the Summer-Berry Refresher with a splash of coconut milk, much like the Starbucks Pink Dink. It also includes fruity boba! Starbucks will begin to supply wider green straws to help you sip up the pearls.
White Chocolate Macadamia Cream Cold Brew
We've seen this drink on Starbucks menus before, and it's made its return for summer 2024, and I am so excited. The White Chocolate Macadamia Cream Cold Brew features "Starbucks signature cold brew sweetened with macadamia syrup, topped with a silky white-chocolate macadamia cream cold foam and finished with toasted cookie crumbles," according to Starbucks.
I feel like nutty flavors are more fit for fall, but it's nice that Starbucks is offering an option for the warmer months with this returning iced coffee drink!
NEW! Orange Cream Cake Pop
The Starbucks summer menu also introduced a brand-new cake pop! The Orange Cream Cake Pop is described as "orange cream cake mixed with buttercream, dipped in chocolatey icing and finished with an orange slice design." The cute orange slice design honestly does it for me. I love an orange Dreamsicle!
NEW! Pineapple Cloud Cake
This new sweet snack is described as an "airy cake layered with a lightweight pineapple cream and pineapple spread with whole fruit pieces all topped with a sweet drizzle." It looks so yum.
What People Were Saying About The Starbucks Summer Menu Rumors
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The Starbucks summer menu rumors sparked a fair amount of excitement online. A few commenters on @markie_devo's initial menu leak post said the proposed lineup looks appetizing and exciting.
"Now this looks good 💯🔥," one person wrote. "Finally something DIFFERENT," another said.
Some Starbucks fans were anticipating entirely different drinks for the summer menu, like the S'mores Frappuccino that came out in 2019.
"Where's the smores frapp😫," the first comment reads. "Wish they’d bring back the S’mores Frappuccino 😔," another wrote.
Starbucks isn't the first big coffee chain to add boba to their menu. Dunkin' had featured strawberry-flavored popping pearls on their menu back in 2021, and Dutch Bros just debuted their version in February 2024. Some Starbucks customers commenting on the menu rumors noticed this.
"Stole from Dutch lmao," one person wrote. "Dunkin did it first lol. But these are super interesting," another said.
Starbucks Is Doing Something Spicy...
Spicy Dragonfruit Refresher
Rumors about some spicy Starbucks Refreshers were floating around the internet after @markie_devo posted a potential lineup. The first drink (of three new Refreshers) is the Spicy Dragonfruit Refresher. The drink is your traditional fruity Refresher, except shaken with lemonade and a new Spicy Chili Powder Blend to bring a nice kick of flavor!
I got to try it out first thing on launch day, and I have got to say that the spice in this drink somehow makes this the most "dragonfruit" dragonfruit drink I’ve ever had from Starbucks. And it's good! Of course, I expected my sips to be spicy, but I underestimated just how much spice would be included. I personally think it’s such a nice balance between sweet and spicy, but I could see where it may be too much for non-spice-lovers.
The spicy Refreshers will be available for limited time. They were released in stores on April 16, 2024.
Spicy Strawberry Refresher
The Spicy Strawberry Refresher is the most refreshing of all the spicy Starbucks drinks. It's just the OG Strawberry Refresher base shaken with zesty lemonade, ice, fruit bits, and the chili spice blend.
When I ordered the Spicy Strawberry Refresher, I was not expecting it to come out an orange color. Though unexpected, the spice in the drink was spicing nonetheless, and I thought it was pretty good! I had sipped this one first out of all three, but it ends up last in my overall Refresher ranking. I think the other bevs do a better job at highlighting the fruit – in this one, the strawberry flavors were undoubtedly eclipsed by the chili spice blend.
I bet it'd be so heavenly if you ordered it blended with ice, so it becomes a nice slushy texture!
Spicy Pineapple Refresher
I was most excited about this new Starbucks drink because in my opinion, pineapple and spice are a classic combo! I've eaten way too much Tajin-covered fruit in my lifetime, and I hoped for this drink to directly emulate those flavors! And y'all, it DELIVERED.
The drink is literally gorgeous. With the spice blend, the Pineapple Refresher takes on a orange-y hue, while the pieces of pineapple float at the top. Upon first sip, it tastes exactly like Tajin-covered fruit. I did notice that a lot of the spice blend sunk to the bottom of my cup, so I had to keep shaking it to mix it up. Not a big tradeoff though, for how deliciously fruity this drink is.
Spicy Cream Cold Foam
Starbucks is also offering Spicy Cream Cold Foam for a limited time. It's crafted with Starbucks classic cold foam and their new Spicy Chili Powder Blend, and you can add it to any iced drink!
I tried the Spicy Cream Cold Foam atop an iced mocha. I had a vision, okay?! I really wanted the chili and chocolate to blend together for a tasty Mexican chocolate feel. I admired the specks of spice in the cold foam before sipping down a swig.
My first impression was that the spice isn't as intense in the cold foam as it is with the Refreshers – it honestly made the drink more enjoyable. The chocolate in the mocha made it so tasty, balancing everything out with lots of sweetness. I think the Spicy Cream Cold Foam could be an amazing addition to other sweet coffee drinks like these for those seeking coffee-based bevs.
My Review Of Starbucks Spicy Refreshers
Photos by Meredith Holser
Because of the intensity of the spice, I also think the new Spicy Refreshers work best as a slow sipper. I found that when I drank them quickly, the spice became overpowering, and honestly, unenjoyable after a time. I still need to try the Refreshers with alcohol, but I think adding a lil' splash of tequila for an easy summer cocktail is the move. I could take to the park or a friend's place on a nice weekend. 👀 I can tell these are gonna keep me up and goin’ through summer!
What People Are Saying About The Spicy Starbucks Refreshers
In the wake of brand-new spicy drinks at Starbucks, some customers were thrown off by the initial menu rumors that @markie_devo posted.
"🤮 Kinda takes away the “refreshing” aspect lol," one person wrote. "But I guess people who like spicy stuff on fruit will be happy."
One Starbucks barista commented on the validity of the menu rumors, saying: "As someone who works at Starbucks, this isn’t fake, we got our chili powder in already 😃"
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Images via @markie_devo on Instagram, Starbucks.
This post has been updated.
