A Lavender Iced Latte from Verseau Bistro (Photo by Jay Paul)
1. Lavender Iced Latte
$7.25 at Verseau Bistro
Dessert in a glass, this tall, indulgent whole-milk two-shot relies on Guide Roasting Co. espresso. Laced with honey-lavender syrup, it’s finished with a slather of house-made whipped cream and a sprinkle of dried lavender. The secret that makes this so special? A pat of butter.
2. Nitro Cold Brew
$5 at Column 15
Frequent flyers at the RVA Big Market, Column 15 roasts single-origin, fair-trade, organically sourced coffee beans brewed and then tapped with nitrogen, setting their silky-smooth cool concoctions apart. Choose from icy-cold Colombia that swims with caramel and dark cherry notes, or a floral, fruity Guatemala roast. Both are served over a bobbing frozen coffee sphere.
3. Honey Macchiato
$4.75 at Reviresco Coffee Co.
Think of this small-batch roasted espresso drink as an early morning revival (the word is also a rough Latin translation of the coffee shop’s name). The cafe, which debuted in July in Malvern Gardens, uses a generous amount of frothy milk and vanilla syrup before hitting the surface with a swizzle of honey in this macchiato. For purists, ditch the sweet stuff. Coffee service kicks off at 6:30 a.m.
4. High Five
$4.75 at Grit Coffee
Side Hustle espresso is pulled over raw sugar, dolloped with steamed half-and-half, then topped with a crackle and pop of Maldon sea salt. The chunky flakes are the key ingredient, accentuating the drink’s voluptuous and astringent components. Bitter, creamy and compelling, the drink can be found on the menu at all two area outposts of the Charlottesville-based coffee biz.
5. Pandan Matcha Latte
$6.50 at Afterglow Coffee Cooperative
Balanced, earthy and a delightful shade of mint green, the pandan matcha latte from employee-owned Afterglow Coffee was designed to be sipped either hot or cold. Pandan grows abundantly in Southeast Asia, its flavors reminiscent of vanilla, taro and coconut. Made into a syrup and mixed with a blend of matcha sourced from Spirit Tea in Chicago, the result is a leveled up, luscious latte.
