Review: Starbucks' Iced Dubai Chocolate Drinks Are Tasty But Don't Scream 'Dubai'

It's no secret that the Dubai chocolate craze took over in 2025. Everyone scrambled to get their hands on Dubai chocolate bars, and of course, brands followed the trend: Crumbl had to jump on board with its Dubai chocolate brownie, and Shake Shack even released a Dubai chocolate shake. But even the best fads die down; we haven't seen the tasty treat hyped much in foodie news lately, which makes this new Starbucks release seem ... a little late to the game. 

Nevertheless, I can't blame the company for getting in on the trend, even though it's a whole new calendar year. (Though, releasing iced drinks in the winter is something that'll never make sense to me.) Starbucks' Iced Dubai Chocolate Mocha and Iced Dubai Chocolate Matcha are available in stores as of January 6, 2026, and are sure to tantalize any Dubai chocolate fans. But are they worthy of their moniker? I popped into my local Starbucks bright and early to try each, and my feelings are ... well, they're pretty mixed. Keep reading for my full review. 

Two drinks are joining Starbucks' Dubai lineup: an Iced Dubai Chocolate Mocha and an Iced Dubai Chocolate Matcha. Each sounds appealing enough with the Dubai name attached to it, and each obviously takes its inspiration from the viral chocolate craze. The mocha is topped with a pistachio cream cold foam and salted brown butter topping, while the matcha is topped with chocolate cream cold foam and salted brown butter topping. 

This may be obvious, but in case you're wondering — no, neither drink features kataifi, a key element of Dubai chocolate. I didn't have many qualms with this. The crunchy filling would just get soggy in a drink. Still, its absence did make the drinks feel like they were missing something crucial, a flaw that would become more pronounced once I tried the drinks — more on that in a bit. 

It's unclear how long the Dubai drinks will be available, so it's best to get your hands on them sooner rather than later — we do know they're only available for a limited time. However, before becoming an official menu item, the drinks were available via customization options, so it's very possible that will remain the case even after they're no longer on the menu. 

I got a grande of each; the Iced Dubai Chocolate Matcha cost me $6.25 pre-tax, while the Iced Dubai Chocolate Mocha cost me $6.45 pre-tax. The former has 400 calories, 45 grams of sugar, and 19 grams of fat, while the latter has 470 calories, 57 grams of sugar, and 20 grams of fat. 

The Iced Dubai Chocolate Mocha uses Starbucks' espresso roast and chocolate mocha sauce, and it's topped with pistachio cream cold foam and salted brown butter topping. It definitely sounds Dubai-ish, but did it deliver? Personally, I didn't think so.

Don't get me wrong — the drink was definitely good, but it just tasted like a creamy iced mocha. I really liked the chocolate, which was rich and dark, but I didn't get any Dubai appeal whatsoever. I tried to identify the pistachio in the cold foam, but I couldn't. The salted brown butter topping was delicious, though, and complemented the chocolate beautifully. But, as far as calling this a "Dubai" drink? Personally, I don't think it's worthy of the moniker. It's better viewed as a fancy iced mocha, especially for diehard fans of the Dubai trend. 

Unfortunately, I had similar qualms with Starbucks' Iced Dubai Chocolate Matcha. This drink is an iced matcha latte combined with pistachio sauce, topped with chocolate cream cold foam and salted brown buttery topping. Again, it sounds tantalizing enough ... and again, it just doesn't quite deliver.

Where's the pistachio? I got no nuttiness whatsoever in this drink. That's not to say it wasn't good; like the last drink, I still enjoyed this, but I wouldn't have identified it as anything Dubai. Instead, it tastes like an iced chocolate matcha. A great combo, to be sure, but not one worthy of the Dubai name. That said, I'm not the biggest fan of matcha in general, and I liked this more than the average matcha offering. But without obvious pistachio appeal (and obviously lacking kataifi), I just couldn't buy the Dubai label. 

On the whole, these drinks are good. I liked them, and I'd even get them again. But when comparing them to the other Dubai chocolate items I've had, they just really don't fit into the genre. I think this could be remedied with a sprinkling of pistachio powder (or even finely-chopped pistachios) on top of the drinks, or maybe just more pistachio syrup in each. 

If you want a yummy iced mocha with some salted brown butter topping, or an iced chocolate matcha, you wouldn't be upset with either of these offerings. But, if you're looking for something to satisfy that Dubai itch, you'd likely be disappointed. Do with that what you will — heck, order the drinks and just ask for more pistachio syrup. Temper your expectations, though, so you don't end up disappointed.