Not Starbucks, Not Peet's: This Chain Makes The Best Banana-Flavored Coffee

Banana bread has always been a popular dessert. But recently, the flavor has taken the coffee world by storm. You can find all sorts of banana-flavored beverages at your local shops and chains, including banana pudding matcha, banana bread iced lattes, and even chai tea with hints of the sweet fruit. But which banana coffee drink reigns supreme? Our taste tester tried and ranked 12 banana-flavored coffee chain drinks and found the best beverage came from Better Buzz, a popular chain with locations in California, Arizona, and Nevada.

Of all the matcha, chai, and coffee drinks in the running, our taster put Better Buzz's Banana Pudding Best Drink Ever in first place. It's made with the chain's Classic Best Drink Ever formula — an Americano (espresso and water) with signature vanilla cream — along with thick banana pudding foam and a sweet vanilla wafer on top. Overall, the espresso is strong, but the milk doesn't overpower it, and the banana flavor brought the whole drink together. It also looks like actual banana pudding with the detail of the wafer.

Unlike the other banana drinks, which tasted too sweet, lacked flavor, or tasted somewhat artificial, this one's flavor was pleasant. One possible downside our taster pointed out, though: The drink didn't come with enough ice (or it melted), making it lukewarm rather than cold. So make sure to ask for more ice to avoid that iced coffee mistake. And keep in mind that this is a limited-edition menu item, so you'll want to try it before it's gone.

Better Buzz fans adore this limited edition drink. "Obsessed with this drink!! The lil wafer was soooo yum," one commenter said on TikTok. Another reviewer on Facebook said, "They weren't kidding with the name! Think smooth cold brew topped with the dreamiest banana cold foam. I added 2 shots of espresso because... well... why not?" Lots of customers mention it also tastes delicious paired with a danish from the shop.

Still, some customers weren't as pleased with this divisive flavor taking over coffee shops. "I could tell it was going to be sweet, so I added an extra shot of espresso. I was thoroughly disappointed. It tasted like someone blended up banana pudding and left it outside for a day. I could barely taste any coffee, and it was far too sweet," one Instagram reviewer said. Instead, they recommend trying a more balanced drink. Or you could simply request banana cream on any other Better Buzz drink.