Every season is iced coffee season, but some drinks are more optimal than others. Not just a Pumpkin Spiced Latte or Vanilla Cold Brew, the iced Lavender Latte is one superior option. A smooth blend of slightly nutty, aromatic syrup combined with creamy milk and a mild coffee (or tea) flavor, the lavender calms you down at the same time the caffeine wakes you up. Here is the ECHO’s review of the best Lavender Lattes around Chapel Hill.
Honeysuckle Tea House — Iced Latte + Lavender Syrup
Vibes – Excellent. A twenty-minute drive from East, you can visit the original Tea House (they also have a Cafe in Carrboro) on the rural skirts of Chapel Hill. There is a great roomy indoor patio space with good farm views, but you can also frolic through the fields as you drink.
Drink – It’s super creamy and smooth, with a prominent lavender flavor in each sip and a very faint coffee taste. Try it with oat milk!
Cons – The lavender syrup does tend to sink to the bottom and requires you to periodically mix it up. It is pretty pricey (around $7.50).
Joe Van Gogh — Iced Latte + Lavender Syrup
Vibes – Pretty good, a few small outdoor tables and several indoor tables. It has a bright interior with the popular coffee-shop combination of modern wood tables and steel espresso machines. In the Timberlyne shopping center, it’s uber convenient for the East student; you are only five minutes away from a good drink!
Drink – Joe’s latte has a rather prominent coffee flavor, and while the house-made lavender syrup is nicely fragranced, it does have a slight tangy aftertaste. The price is reasonable at around $5 for a 16 oz cup, depending on choice of milk.
Cons – It’s not as creamy as others and feels less luxurious. There is a good bit of ice too, so drink it before it waters down the coffee.
Open Eye Cafe — Iced Latte + Lavender Syrup
Vibes – The indoor seating area has an emphasis on silence. It’s not the same ambiance as pre-COVID, though there is a lovely, and frequently vacant, outdoor seating area. The indoor seating of the cafe is frequented by UNC students and isn’t the place to loudly gossip.
Drink – This latte is an excellent balance of coffee and lavender flavoring. There is no slightly-sour aftertaste as there sometimes are with this type of latte.
Cons – The parking can be slightly difficult unless you park in the nearby lots around downtown Carrboro and walk to the cafe. It’s also expensive, about $7, but pretty much worth it.
Cha House — Matcha Lavender Latte
Vibes – This Franklin Street boba shop is always bustling with UNC students, so it’s fairly loud. When it’s not busy, it’s a relatively pleasant environment. There is indoor and outdoor seating.
Drink – Pretty! Great alternative if you don’t like coffee, though you have to enjoy matcha, which is the leading flavor. The lavender comes through in the aftertaste and settles as you drink it.
Cons – It requires mixing unless you want straight lavender syrup, which is on its own very sugary. Decreasing the sweetness does lessen the lavender flavor. There is no oat milk alternative. At around $6, it’s expensive for what it is; there are much better options for the same price at Cha House.
Epilogue Books Chocolate Brews — Sea Salt Lavender Latte
Vibes – This Franklin Street store is also popular with college students, though still has exquisite vibes, and is the most unique among all Chapel Hill coffee shops. The books make the atmosphere all the more distinctive–it’s Barnes and Noble charm plus an urban coffee shop. Wonderful food selection–freshly-made churros with chocolate sauce, what else needs to be said.
Drink – At first, the saltiness is surprising (especially after sampling four other lattes before). It grows and develops as you drink it, accentuating the lavender flavor in a pleasing way.
Cons – Their small size is roughly the same price as larger lattes from other establishments, at $6. The paper straw is a bit of a hassle (BYOS!).
Caffe Driade — Iced Latte + Lavender Syrup
Vibes – Driade, in the woods of East Franklin Street, has a very nice and spread-out outdoor environment, perfect in spring and fall. It’s good for social distancing. The Bolin Creek trail system is right next to it. Receipts are an additional vibe: color coded nicely and efficiently laid out.
Drink – The syrup is quite sweet. The drink itself is homogenous as it is sipped through a lid, though the aftertaste of the oatmilk version is bitter from time to time.
Cons – The wait can be long, though unpredictable–anywhere from five to 25 minutes. The Wi-Fi is not the most functional in the woodsy seating areas.
Photos by Caroline Chen, Eloise Rich and Walker Livingston/The ECHO.
