The air had a distinct smell as the afternoon sun baked the moist grass and newly fallen leaves. The breeze had a chill and the crispness was welcoming after the humid summer.

It is fall in the Lehigh Valley.

The first best thing about fall is the colors – the trees changing their clothes to vibrant reds, yellows, and oranges that glow in the daylight. The second best thing is pumpkin – pumpkin EVERYTHING.

The infamous pumpkin flavor spurred a journey, or quest – if you will – to try every pumpkin spice latte in all of Bethlehem! We have all had Dunkin Donuts, Starbucks, and Saxbys, but this journey was to focus on local coffee shops – the small businesses that make Bethlehem unique. They too indulge in the joy that is pumpkin spice and are ready to serve it up to you if you venture into their doors.

So let’s do this!

Interactive map can be found here.

THE WISE BEAN COFFEE & ESPRESSO BAR

634 N New St, Bethlehem, PA 18018

Price: $4.95 (medium)

This latte is served piping hot in a clear glass mug. As it sits on the table you can ogle the beautiful autumn hue of the beverage.

This latte was excellent because it felt more like a real latte where the coffee is an evident flavor. You are also left with no weird residue at the bottom of the glass like some of the bigger chain competitors. This is a legit pumpkin spice latte here and feels and tastes like a regal choice more than a dubbed ‘basic’ one – per the internet. The Wise Bean prides itself on serving the best coffee as it is exclusively a “coffee and espresso bar”, so it is no surprise that this pumpkin spice latte is true to the ‘latte’ taste and not turning all the taste over to the pumpkin spice.

They are also now serving a maple pumpkin latte – it’s on the radar to try ASAP!

To read more about The Wise Bean, check out an earlier post here.

THE JOINT

77 W Broad St, Bethlehem, PA 18018

Price: $6.25 (medium)

A constant positive of The Joint is they are open on Sundays which helps the coffee addicts relax on the most leisurely day of the week. The Joint’s medium pumpkin spice latte runs more like a large which is no problem here! It does however have a familiar taste similar to Starbucks. So if you are looking for that infamous brand of flavor head to The Joint!

Although the flavor was closer to Starbucks – what set The Joint’s latte apart from all the others in this post was the foam design at the top of the beverage. Out of all the lattes, The Joint was the only one to dabble in the latte foam art with a leaf design at the top of the cup.

DEJA BREW COFFEEHOUSE & DELI

101 W 4th St Suite 1, Bethlehem, PA 18015

Price: $3.25 (medium)

Cafes with different mugs are always novel. Deja Brew is very unique inside and has a warm, comforting feel, like a tree fort. It is just cozy. Its pumpkin spice latte matches that – it came served in a unique mug pulled from a cabinet, foamy, with a sticky rim, and great sweetness. What made this latte different was it was more similar to a hot cocoa with a thick top of whipped cream sprinkled with cinnamon.

The pumpkin spice latte is actually a staple on their menu and can be enjoyed all year long! Keep this in mind when you are jonesing for one deep into the winter months, or if you are a PSL addict – in the summer too!

CAFE THE LODGE

427 E 4th St, Bethlehem, PA 18015

Price: $2.95 (medium)

Served in a wide mouthed mug, this latte resembled a pumpkin the most as it was a deep rusty-orange color. Although the hue differed from some of the other lattes, it still hit the spot on the cooler autumn evenings! It was a bit thicker and very rich with the pumpkin flavor – so you if want that heavy pumpkin flavor The Lodge is your place!

If you are looking for a latte and to support a cafe with a cause – head here. Cafe the Lodge’s slogan is “Catering with A Cause” as its full name is “The Mental Health Recovery Lodge of Northampton County.” It looks to help our community provide opportunities for adults with mental health disabilities. For more information, head to their site here.

NOTABLE MENTIONS:

Below are some pumpkin spice latte ‘cousins’ worth mentioning! They are less of the conventional pumpkin spice latte, but still taking advantage of the season!

BACK DOOR BAKESHOP

92 E Broad St, Bethlehem, PA 18018

Price: $2.99 (medium)

They may not make espresso drinks, but the Back Door Bakeshop does serve a Pumpkin Cayenne Spice coffee. It’s a “Booskerdoo fresh roasted coffee, mixed with the shop’s house-made pumpkin cayenne spice puree.” There are not many coffee blends these days where you take a sip and are blown away – this coffee does that. The cayenne spice really adds a unique twist that warms you up in a whole different way! It is a fun punch to jazz up your coffee for fall! You need to give this a try – trust me.

SOCIAL STILL

530 E 3rd St, Bethlehem, PA 18015

Price: $11.00 (one size)

Yes, this latte has alcohol in it! It is no surprise since the Social Still is our local distillery. What may surprise you though, is that this pumpkin spice latte is actually a cold martini. It is the alcohol that soothes the autumn chill from your bones!

It is comprised of the following: Pumpkin spice infused vodka, coffee liqueur, almond syrup, pumpkin puree, splash cream, and a spiced rim.

Be prepared for a more fruity than spicy pumpkin ‘latte’ here. The taste is surprisingly light and reminds you of those good old summer days. Be sure to try this drink soon as it is a seasonal special!

If you are interested in more alcohol-based pumpkin beverages – check out the Lehigh Valley with Love Fall Beer Tasting video here!

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Are you serving pumpkin spice lattes and would like to be added to the list? Feel free to send an email to: residenttouristbethlehem@gmail.com!

Cheers!