This has been a wild summer for new summer menus at our favorite fast food restaurants as we close out June and head into July. Starbucks brought a new Starbucks summer menu in May, which in my opinion, was a little lackluster. I’m not a fan of boba and I was hoping for a new sandwich to try out: Ask and you shall receive, some new menu items!
Today I went to my nearest Starbucks and ordered the following beverages and food for the review:
- Tropical Citrus Iced Energy Drink
- Melon Burst Iced Energy Drink
- Nondairy Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew
- Blueberry Streusel Muffin
- Egg, Pesto, & Mozzarella Sandwich
I had certain expectations before I tried these items and I was pleasantly surprised by the outcome of a couple; with one of them being a bit disappointed.
Starbucks Drinks Review
I’ll begin this review by stating I’m a big coffee drinker; so energy drinks are normally not my “go to” in the morning. However lunch time and afternoon’s I’m up for anything on a hot day. I didn’t discover this until later, that as of this writing, they are only offering the Iced Energy Drinks as a Venti Only option as well.
The Starbucks Spicy Refreshers, the Spicy Cream Cold Foam, and the Boba drinks were definitely not meant for me, as much as I love spicy food, having it as a drink on a hot day did not sound like a fun time. It’s about as fun as taking the One Chip Challenge in the blistering heat and thinking everything will be alright.
RELATED: Starbucks Secret Menu Drinks
1. Starbucks Tropical Citrus Iced Energy Drinks
A Venti Tropical Citrus Iced Energy Drink consists of the following:
- Calories: 5
- Key Ingredients: B Vitamins, Taurine, Green Tea, Spearmint, Lemon Verbena, Lemongrass
- Caffeine: 205 mg
- Sodium: 35 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 0 g (0 sugar)
How does the Tropical Citrus Iced Energy Drink taste?
The taste is very fruitful and tropical and will be a customer favorite in Starbucks stores. I tasted notes of pineapple and peach. The drink is light and low-carbonated, not the heavy syrup texture you get from canned energy drinks. It leaves a nice finishing aftertaste. The drink will remind you of the peach green tea lemonade but with some light carbonation and energy. Its a great handcrafted beverage.
How much does the Tropical Citrus Iced Energy Drink cost?
In California, a Venti costs $5.95; when we’ve tested the price in another state, it’s $5.75.
What’s the overall review of the Tropical Citrus Iced Energy Drink?
I was surprised I liked it. This is a great lunch / afternoon drink, but it is also a little heavy on the caffeine side (a normal cup of coffee is 180 mg of caffeine). I like that it’s light and it’s great for a hot summer day. I wouldn’t see myself getting this on a cold or rainy day. It doesn’t have any whole fruit pieces and my suggestion would be to try it with strawberries.
Rating: 8 out of 10
2. Starbucks Melon Burst Iced Energy Drink
A Venti Melon Burst Iced Energy Drink consists of the following:
- Calories: 10
- Key Ingredients: B Vitamins, Taurine, Hibiscus Flowers, Lemongrass, Fruit Juice
- Caffeine: 180 mg
- Sodium: 35 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 1 g (0 sugar)
How does the Melon Burst Iced Energy Drink taste?
The term melon is very loose when it comes to this drink because it has more fruity floral than any classification of watermelon or really any melon for that matter. The aroma was more mild than the Tropical Citrus, but was also a little heavier of a viscosity when you take a sip. I found the taste much more ‘watered down’ in flavors and it didn’t have the same carbonated punch that Tropical Citrus has.
How much does the Melon Burst Iced Energy Drink cost?
In California, a Venti costs $5.95; when we’ve tested the price in another state, it’s $5.75.
What’s the overall review of the Melon Burst Iced Energy Drink?
I am not a fan of this new beverage and I was surprised because I have had a number of people raving about it. It just wasn’t to my liking. Maybe if you add some strawberry inclusions or play around with some customizations it could be an amazing summer drink, however I preferred the Tropical Citrus instead.
However, I did get a second opinion from my teenage daughter who is 15, and she preferred the Melon Burst over the Tropical Citrus. In fact, she even grabbed it from me when I wasn’t looking and dashed off on her ebike to the beach.
Rating: 7.9 out of 10
RELATED: 10 Fast Food Discounts for Summer 2024
3. Starbucks Nondairy Cold Brew Drink Review
This new addition may come to a surprise, and you probably already assumed that this is just a normal menu item that is always on the app, right? I mean, you can get any nondairy option for cold brew, nitro, or hot coffee.
However, what is unique about this new Nondairy Cold Brew is that Starbucks formulated its own Nondairy creamer. The Barista showed me the box, which is a labeled blue box with very generic descriptions on the outside; it was definitely a ‘not for sale item’ (yet).
The official Starbucks website outlines the ingredients as having Canola Oil (used for froth and foam), Soymilk, Soy Protein, Oatmilk, Seasalt.
So what’s the big deal then? Low calorie without the sacrifice of taste!
If you compare the nutrition between the Nondairy, regular Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew, and the Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso, you have the following:
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How does the Nondairy Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew Drink taste?
It doesn’t taste watered down and you can still get a great balance between the creamy flavor and the coffee. For example, when you order skim milk as a creamer in your coffee, you might as well throw water in it, because it does very little effect to adding cream to your coffee with less calories. The nondairy option solves that problem without compromising the richness you love in sweet cream.
The Nondairy option can also be added to Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew, Chocolate Cream Cold Brew, and Nondairy Vanilla Swirl.
What’s the overall review of the Nondairy Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew Drink?
The new nondairy option is great and the blend of soymilk with oatmilk gives you a balance in taste. Lighter in calories, slightly lighter in taste but it’s a great addition for summer. I’d personally get this again and again for my future drinks, including the upcoming Pumpkin Spice season we all love.
Rating: 8.2 out of 10
RELATED: Starbucks Lemon Loaf Recipe: Moist, Bright, and Perfectly Sweet!
Starbucks Summer Food Menu Review
Starbucks added two new food items to the menu, both great additions that I’m going to recommend:
- Blueberry Streusal Muffin
- Egg, Pesto, & Mozzarella Sandwich
1. Starbucks Blueberry Streusel Muffin Review
I ordered the Streusel Muffin at room temperature, but you can also get it warmed up. Before we dive into the overall taste, lets breakdown the nutrition:
- Calories: 370
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Sodium: 330 mg
- Cholesterol: 50 g
- Carbohydrates: 47 g (27 g sugar)
- Protein: 5 g
How does that compare to others on the menu?
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What’s the overall review of the Blueberry Streusel Muffin?
The muffin at room temperature tasted fresh and fluffy. The blueberries had some great flavor throughout, and it was a great muffin. I’m not a sweets person, and the muffin wasn’t too sweet like a scone, and it had a light summer fluffiness with berries that complemented my Nondairy Sweet Cream Cold Brew.
Rating: 8.3 out of 10
2. Egg, Pesto, & Mozzarella Sandwich Review
I’m saving the best for last. My initial take on this new sandwich prior to taking a bite was filled with skepticism. I imagined a Mozzarella and Tomato Egg Sandwich for some reason, but I was wayyy off. 😂
First let’s go over the nutrition:
- Calories: 390
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Sodium: 790 mg
- Cholesterol: 175 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g (1 g sugar)
- Protein: 21 g
All of the Starbucks breakfast sandwiches have a pretty similar nutritional breakdown with the exception being the Spinach and Feta Wrap. Starbucks does classify this sandwich as Vegetarian and High Protein.
How much does the Egg, Pesto, & Mozzarella Sandwich cost?
The sandwich costs $5.75, which is cheaper than the Bacon, Gouda, & Egg Sandwich or the Impossible Breakfast Sandwich.
Starbucks is offering a new ‘Pairings’ deal this summer to compete with McDonald’s and its new $5 value meal. If you order a breakfast sandwich with either a tall iced coffee or tall hot coffee, you get a ‘Pairing Discount’. So, for a low-cost breakfast, you can get an iced coffee with a breakfast sandwich for around $7.
What’s the overall review of the Egg, Pesto, & Mozzarella Sandwich?
Delicious! If you’ve watched my video, you can see my surprise at the first bite. I wasn’t aware that the bun had onions and cheddar cheese toasted on top of it, and it really stood out with the pesto sauce. I couldn’t taste any mozzarella cheese; it was definitely a side note, and I personally would have named the sandwich something different.
The sandwich is larger than a Bacon Gouda Sandwich but smaller than the Impossible Breakfast Sandwich. For a vegetarian sandwich, it held its own in terms of filling me up for breakfast, and the flavors were beyond what I expected.
Rating: 8.5 out of 10 (Still doesn’t beat my Bacon Gouda or Impossible Breakfast, but it’s a great change for summer).
Quick Summary
Name: Tropical Citrus Iced Energy Drink
- Smell: Great tropical, pineapple smell. Strong but smells great.
- Texture: Light, not syrupy and easy to drink with hints of carbonation.
- Taste: Light, fruity. Great summer drink with a burst of energy.
- Cost: $5.95 (California) / $5.75 (Average)
- Rating: 8.0 / 10
- Overall Review: If you’re looking for a summer drink without coffee, this is a winner among teenagers and myself.
Name: Melon Burst Iced Energy Drink
- Smell: Faint smell, not very strong but you can get a little fruit scent.
- Texture: Medium, slightly heavy on the syrupy side, but the ice melts down to make it a bit easier.
- Taste: Not really a melon flavor, more like a lighter version of Hawaiian Punch with fruit juice and Habiscus.
- Cost: $5.95 (California) / $5.75 (Average)
- Rating: 7.9 / 10
- Overall Review: If you like fruity drinks, you would enjoy this. But if you’re expecting ‘Watermelon’ or any type of melon I think you’ll be disappointed.
Name: Nondairy Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew
- Smell: Hints of vanilla and coffee. The smell of the Gods.
- Texture: Lightly creamy, easy to drink on a mildly hot day. A better substitute for a hot day than dairy.
- Taste: Lighter vanilla sweet cream flavor. Not watered down, and still giving you the coffee fix without compromise
- Cost: $5.45 (California)
- Rating: 8.2 / 10
- Overall Review: Low calorie option for your coffee for nondairy drinkers. Easy to drink for a nice cold morning coffee.
Name: Blueberry Streusel Muffin
- Smell: I could smell the sweet blueberry essence, but I’m sure it would be stronger if it was warmed up.
- Texture: Fluffy, easy to pull apart, doesn’t crumble much except for the top.
- Taste: Tastes fresh, the blueberries really stand out. Love the crumble topping to compliment the muffin.
- Cost: $3.75 (California)
- Rating: 8.3 / 10
- Overall Review: Delicious and light treat. It pairs great with a cold brew coffee.
Name: Egg, Pesto, & Mozzarella Sandwich
- Smell: Smell of warm pesto and had me salivating on the drive to my house while it sits in the bag.
- Texture: The warm bun was soft and easy to eat, with the fluffy egg fritata making the sandwich very easy to devour.
- Taste: Loved the onion / cheddar bun! It was the show stealer. The pesto and egg combo is something I need to cook more of. I couldn’t taste the mozzarella; which was a bit disappointing. But still a great sandwich for breakfast.
- Cost: $5.75 (California)
- Rating: 8.5 / 10
- Overall Review: I recommend giving this a shot. My teenagers gave me the ‘ew’ prior, but once they tried it, they were in shock and loved it.