Skip the PSL and Drink Amethyst’s Seasonal Lattes Instead

While Starbucks’ red holiday cups may be dominating coffee-related news as of late, we haven’t given them much thought. To be honest, we’re not that interested in drinking those saccharine Chestnut Praline or Caramel Brulée-flavored lattes to begin with. Especially when we could be drinking one of the beautifully crafted seasonal drinks from Amethyst Coffee Company instead.

This Golden Triangle java spot has been a favorite of ours since it opened in 2015; it was our pick for best coffee shop in our annual top of the town list that year. Owner Elle Taylor has only made the shop better since then, adding booze and cocktails to the lineup, as well as a seasonally-changing list of sophisticated coffee drinks.

The team at Amethyst crafts their well-balanced drinks as a bartender would approach building a craft cocktail. In fact, according to manager Cierra Brooks, the featured specialty items are the result of quarterly staff-wide brainstorming and presentation sessions, during which each barista brings forth his or her best idea and serves it for everyone to try. The winning drink is then added to the menu for a limited time. Past flavors have ranged from cinnamon honey to salted pistachio, and all are just barely sweetened so you can still taste the Commonwealth Coffee Roaster’s espresso base.

Our current favorite is the Dr. Captain Blackbeard latte, a mix of house-made black walnut syrup, milk, and espresso, topped with a sprinkle of aromatic clove. You’d better hurry over to try it, though: The Amethyst staff will debut a new menu of specialty drinks on December 1.

Whichever beverage you choose, be sure to sip it while sitting around the fire pit out front for the full seasonal effect.

1111 Broadway, #101