Review: Peet's Coffee Fall Menu Delivers Big Flavors (And One Flop)

It's just a few weeks until fall is officially here, and the countdown to spice-forward flavors has begun. Walk into any coffee shop right now, and you can practically smell the warm spices of fall wafting in the air. But as it turns out, you don't actually have to wait until the season officially starts to get your hands on some autumnal fare.

Peet's Coffee released its fall 2025 menu on August 21 nationwide, bringing back its beloved seasonal staples (hello, pumpkin spice latte), along with four new drinks and three warm sandwiches. The headliner? Popping Pearls — Peet's bold entry into the bubble tea category. These boba-inspired iced lattes, available in matcha and vanilla, feature coffee-filled pearls that deliver a burst of caffeine. Rounding out the menu are two new spiced drinks infused with cardamom and citrus, plus three warm sandwiches that can satisfy round-the-clock cravings — be it a light breakfast, snack, or full-on lunch. I stopped by my local Peet's to try every new item on the fall menu and see which ones are worth ordering. 

Some recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

As the name suggests, this drink consists of Peet's classic Iced Vanilla Latte — Madagascar vanilla-flavored syrup, cold milk, freshly pulled espresso — with the addition of the new Popping Pearls, boba-style spheres filled with Peet's coffee. A layer of fresh, white foam finishes it off. A medium size costs $7.20 at my local Peet's and weighs in at 250 calories when made with 2% milk.

This taste test kicked off with a serious buzz. The first sip delivered a bold hit of caffeine and the unmistakable depth of Peet's coffee — that signature quality dark roast introduced by Albert Peet when he opened the first Peet's Coffee in Berkeley in 1961. The Popping Pearls are like little coffee grenades in your mouth that blow up with juicy espresso flavor. They're an innovative concept that adds a fun, interactive twist — along with an extra jolt of caffeine — to a standard latte.

That said, the thin pearl skins left behind in my mouth weren't my favorite. They dissolve quickly, but for texture-sensitive drinkers, it could be distracting. Still, the overall experience was bold, dynamic, and a seriously fun way to kick off the tasting.

This new fall beverage features pure matcha green tea — sourced from Mighty Leaf, a tea company owned by Peet's — blended with cold milk and poured over the brand's latest innovation: Popping Pearls, small, boba-style balls filled with Peet's coffee. Served over ice and topped with a pour of fresh foam, a medium size costs $6.80 at my local shop and comes in at 200 calories when made with 2% milk.

The matcha flavor was front and center — vibrant, earthy, and delicious. I loved that it wasn't overly sweet, allowing the natural matcha flavor to shine through. Its lovely green hue made it as appealing to look at as it was to sip. The pearls added an unexpected twist: a pop of coffee flavor that paired surprisingly well with the matcha. It's the best of both worlds — coffee and tea in one cup! And yes, you can add the new Popping Pearls to any iced Peet's beverage if you want to mix things up.

As Gordon Bitter, Senior Vice President of Retail at Peet's Coffee, put it, "Popping Pearls, made with real coffee for a bold taste adventure, offers Peet's customers a new experience to the boba trend." The new Iced Matcha Latte With Popping Pearls is playful, creative, and definitely worth a try if you love matcha drinks.

The Cardamom Citrus Cold Brew Oat Latte is one of two new fall 2025 menu items that feature Peet's Baridi Blend, a medium roast coffee crafted specifically for its cold brew drinks. This plant-based iced latte combines Baridi Cold Brew concentrate with oat milk and a spiced cardamom-citrus syrup. A medium size costs $6.60 at my local shop and provides 210 calories when made with 2% milk.

Visually, it's very pretty: caramel-toned coffee layered over milk, finished with a cap of white foam. The cardamom-citrus pairing is bright, refreshing, and unique, bringing a lively lift to bold coffee. It strikes the perfect balance — light and refreshing yet still packing that strong Peet's punch, with just the right amount of sweetness. It's a little dangerous how easy this one is to drink.

I also love that this drink is made with oat milk. The oat milk doesn't feel like a compromise — it's creamy, rich, and coats the tongue just like dairy. I hope this plant-based alternative drink sticks around beyond the season.

Peet's new Cardamom Citrus Mocha Frappé takes its cold brew game up a notch by adding a splash of cardamom-citrus syrup to its Mocha Frappé for a fragrant, floral twist. Made with double-strength Baridi cold brew coffee, Peet's housemade chocolate sauce, cold milk, and ice, this blended drink is finished with a generous swirl of whipped cream and a chocolate drizzle. At my local Peet's, a medium size costs $7.10 and boasts 520 calories when made with 2% milk.

The Cardamom Citrus Mocha Frappé feels like a mashup of a slushie, ice cream float, and sundae, all in one frosty cup. On a 95-degree afternoon, it was the perfect way to cool down. The cardamom-citrus syrup brightens the chocolate and coffee, giving the drink layered notes of flavor that I'd choose over a classic Mocha Frappé any day. That said, it is on the sweeter side, so next time I might order it with less syrup for a more balanced sip.

Peet's new Cheesy Sausage Slider features a toasted, buttery brioche bun filled with a savory pork sausage patty that's covered in melty sharp cheddar cheese. This little breakfast sammie keeps things wonderfully simple — small enough to finish in just a few bites, with ooey gooey cheese melted over a juicy pork sausage. The sausage patty itself is pretty basic, but the buttery brioche bun elevates it. The brioche bun was really enticing and poofy, and had a golden brown top with a lovely sheen. It had a nice, moist chew that made the slider feel a little more special than your standard breakfast sandwich. At my local shop, it costs $3.95. Nutritionally, the sandwich clocks in at 260 calories.

The Cheesy Sausage Slider is ideal when you need a light, on-the-go breakfast or a mid-day snack. For an extra touch, you can add mashed avocado for a small surcharge, or take advantage of the complimentary Cholula hot sauce for a spicy kick.

Peet's new Mediterranean Frittata Sandwich features an egg patty blended with artichoke, spinach, and feta cheese, served on a toasted English muffin with a smear of harissa.Unfortunately, this sandwich fell flat. The texture was overwhelmingly soft with no contrast or bite. The harissa spread was flavorful, but the egg patty itself was disappointingly thin — about a quarter-inch — flimsy, bland, and oddly both mushy and dry. To make things worse, the small feta cubes, sparse spinach, and artichoke bits were all concentrated in one corner of the egg patty, which made each bite inconsistent, unsatisfying, and far from the rich flavor you expect in a Mediterranean frittata.

A simple fix could be properly toasting the English muffin, which would add some welcome crispness. The menu does note that it's toasted, so either it wasn't prepared correctly or not toasted enough at the location I visited. At my local Peet's, it costs $5.80 and comes in at 300 calories.

As fate would have it though, I had the chance to sample the Bacon Gouda Frittata on my visit, and it was fantastic. Thick, juicy, eggy, and packed with gouda, creamy yogurt, smoked bacon, spinach, and caramelized onion, it was full of flavor and texture. So, if you're craving a frittata at Peet's, skip the Mediterranean Frittata Sandwich and order the Bacon Gouda Frittata instead.

This hearty new breakfast sandwich stacks crispy bacon, savory pork sausage, a fried egg, caramelized onions, and melty cheese, all finished with an extra layer of cheddar melted over the warm bread. At my local Peet's, it costs $6.95 and comes in at 640 calories.

This sandwich is downright yummy. Let's start with the bacon because it steals the show — the long strips were smoky, sweet, crisp, and mouthwateringly good. And when paired with the juicy pork sausage patty, it was a meat-lover's dream. The rustic bread has a satisfying chew with lightly crusty edges. The cheese was melty and added nice richness. The exterior layer of cheddar gives a slightly greasy touch to your fingertips, but it is a fun finishing detail — though if it were nestled inside the sandwich, I wouldn't miss it on the outside.

Overall, this sandwich would satisfy even the strongest breakfast cravings. It's excellent value and feels like something you'd find at a fancy café. It's the best breakfast sandwich I've had at a coffee chain, and I'll be ordering it again.