What do you get when you cross a barista with a travel-lover? You get someone who can’t resist stopping at Starbucks in every new country that they visit! As a barista with years of experience, including time working at Starbucks, I can’t resist finding a Starbucks location in every new country that I visit.
I have spent years loving coffee and brewing beverages for others. From small coffee shops to the world-famous Starbucks coffee company, I have dedicated countless hours as a barista crafting delicious coffee beverages.
In my travels to over 50 countries, I am always on the prowl for the best
Starbucks coffee drinks around the world.
This post will highlight all of the best coffee drinks to buy from Starbucks in India, which is booming in popularity with travelers from all around the world. My list includes some of my traditional favorites, as well as local specialties Starbucks doesn’t offer at home in the United States. Go grab one of Starbucks’ famous espresso-based drinks and get ready for your mouth to water.
Disclaimer: All coffee and food photos in this post belong to ©Starbucks.In
Starbucks Offers a Unique Menu All Around the World
Something that many people don’t realize is that many major international fast food and coffee chains offer unique menu items around the world. That’s right, the Starbucks menu varies depending on what country or region of the world you are in. Starbucks in Italy is vastly different from Starbucks India, and many things you find at international Starbucks locations can’t be found in a Starbucks in the United States.
This is something that really sets Starbucks apart. The company makes an effort to serve up local favorites and appeal to special tastes within a given country. One of my favorite examples is the Envuelto Poblano in Mexico, which is a delicious turnover stuffed with chicken and poblano peppers that can’t be found anywhere else.
From food items to a unique cup of coffee, Starbucks does a great job of tailoring its menu to appeal to locals wherever it operates.
What Makes Starbucks India Unique
In India, the Starbucks coffee company operates as a joint venture with Tata Enterprises to form a unique company known as Tata Starbucks. Starbucks in India serves up some familiar favorites that are standard to Starbucks’ menu around the world, but it also serves up some special drinks that will make all coffee lovers’ sweet tooth tingle.
Starbucks doesn’t usually serve beef anywhere in the world, but if they did, they certainly wouldn’t serve it in India. Similarly, Starbucks offers a slew of sandwiches and wraps filled with Indian staples like tandoori chicken, paneer, and tandoori soya. They do this while also including global offerings and customizations, like oat milk and almond milk, the famous peppermint mocha, and the iconic java chip frappuccino.
Best Coffee Drinks to Order from Starbucks in India
1. Belgium Chocolate Latte
In India, Starbucks serves a decadent Belgium chocolate latte. This menu item has come and gone in Starbucks stores around the world, but it tends to appear more often in Starbucks’ best locations in India. We tried it in New Delhi.
This drink contains a rich Belgium chocolate syrup that is much brighter in flavor than Starbucks’ typical mocha sauce. The first time I tried it, I fell in love.
When you couple a few shots of espresso with this sauce, you wind up with a flavor that really capitalizes on the natural sweetness of milk. I quickly learned that I am partial to the rich flavor of Belgium chocolate over traditional mocha, and you might feel the same way!
2. Velvet Vanilla Latte
The velvet vanilla latte gets its name from its creamy texture that comes from the use of half and half. This latte is little more than a latte made with vanilla syrup and half and half, but boy does it deliver. While I couldn’t drink something so rich every day, this is a special treat that vanilla lovers are sure to enjoy.
3. A Flavored Cortado
A cortado is a drink that consists of a shot of espresso and steamed milk. What sets it apart from a latte is the ratio between the two. A cortado is usually 50% espresso and 50% steamed milk, creating a much stronger drink than a latte which tends to be closer to 30% espresso and 70% milk.
In India, Starbucks lists cortados on the menu and couples a few flavors along with them. While you could get a cortado made with any flavored syrup, they usually promote vanilla, mocha, and hazelnut. You can’t go wrong with any of these, and I really enjoy coupling Starbucks’ smooth espresso with the sweetness of caramel syrups.
4. White Mocha Caramel Nitro Cold Brew
Judging by the name, this is nothing you couldn’t order at a Starbucks anywhere else in the world. However, I have only ever seen it listed on the menu in India. Made with caramel syrup and white chocolate sauce, this drink is as tasty as it is unique.
The white mocha caramel nitro cold brew really appeals to me, as I am traditionally a cold-brew fiend. While it is still a very sweet drink, the white mocha caramel nitro cold brew contains significantly fewer grams of sugar than its latte counterpart due to the absence of milk. This isn’t a drink for folks on a diet, but it is certainly a healthier alternative than a latte!
5. Cold Brew Float
A cold brew float combines Starbucks’ delicious cold brew with vanilla ice cream. I always say that Starbucks consistently serves some of the best cold brew coffee in the world, and everything is better with ice cream. I will rest my case there.
6. Cold Brew with Salted Foam
The cold brew with salted caramel cold foam is my favorite Starbucks item anywhere in the world. It IS served in the United States too, but it is just too good to leave off of this list. It is my dark craving every time I pass by a Starbucks, and when in doubt, it is the perfect pick for those who veer towards iced drinks.
7. Strawberry, Chocolate, or Vanilla Milkshake
Milkshakes at Starbucks? I have never seen such a thing in the USA, Europe or Latin America. But they exist in parts of Asia, including India! Starbucks’ flavors are delicious in coffee, and they are as good as you’d guess in a milkshake, too.
8. Green Tea Cream Frappuccino
The green tea cream frappuccino, or matcha frappuccino, can be found in Starbucks all over the world. But as India is known for its tea production, why not opt for a tea-based drink! Low in caffeine, relatively low in sugar, this makes for a nice treat on a warm day in Southern India.
9. Belgium Chocolate Cream Frappuccino
The Belgium chocolate latte is delicious, but the blended texture of a frappuccino totally shifts the flavor. This is a great alternative for people who are a little coffee-averse, as you can get the drink made without the shots of espresso while still tasting the yummy Belgium chocolate syrup.
10. India Estates Blend Coffee
If you are a fan of traditional coffee brewing methods, why not pick a coffee roast sourced directly from India? The India Estates Blend is a great roast, and it can be prepared as filter coffee through a pour-over, a french press, or occasionally will even be ready from a traditional carafe.
Best Food Items to Order from Starbucks in India
1. Creamy Spinach and Corn Pocket
This delicious pastry consists of french dough filled with creamy spinach and corn paste. It is very similar to the Envuelto Poblano in Mexican Starbucks locations, and it is a great option if you’re looking for a savory treat that is vegetarian or less spicy than most traditional Indian foods.
2. Masala Potato Puff
The masala potato puff is a puff pastry filled with a masala potato puree. While basic, it is a great snack.
3. Spiced Paneer Sandwich in Focaccia
Paneer is a staple of Indian cuisine, and Starbucks would be remiss not to include it on its Indian menu. The spiced paneer sandwich is very clean-tasting and is one of the most filling food items on the menu.
4. Tandoori Chicken Panini Sandwich
This was a popular choice among my group due to its rich flavor and how filling it was. For a true meal at Starbucks in India, this is the best unique menu item to try.
5. Bhuna Chicken Puff
The Bhuna Chicken Puff contains spicy Indian chicken wrapped in a fluffy puff pastry dough. It is more of a snack than a meal, but it is very tasty! I could eat three of four of them easily, and you might find yourself doing the same.
Thanks for reading our post on the best items to order at Starbucks India. We hope this is helpful! Is there a Starbucks drink you love in India? Let us know in the comments! We will respond to all comments as soon as possible.
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