One Of Starbucks' New Holiday Sandwiches Is Worth The $9 Price Tag

Goodbye, pumpkin spice lattes, hello, peppermint mocha. Starbucks' holiday menu is officially out, and it's full of new and returning drinks sure to keep you warm all through the holiday season. But beyond the drinks, we're even more excited about the coffee chain's seasonal food menu, which features a handful of new options, like the the Braised Short Rib Grilled Cheese. At nearly $9, the sandwich is a bit pricey, but we're here to let you know that it's absolutely worth it — and it's one we certainly hope will become an annual staple.

In our review of Starbucks' 2026 holiday menu, our taste tester gave each of the chain's latest offerings a try. Some items — like the refreshers — were a bit of a flop, while others — like the Tiramisu Velvet Latte — were absolute winners. Among the winning new additions was the Braised Short Rib Grilled Cheese. It's an elevated take on Starbucks' classic sourdough grilled cheese, featuring braised short rib, savory caramelized onion jam, some Dijon, and melted Cheddar, Parmesan, and mozzarella cheeses.

Our taste tester was pleasantly surprised upon trying this one. At first glance, the bread looked hard and overly toasted, and the filling seemed flavorless. However, it turned out that the bread and short rib meat complemented the cheese perfectly, creating a unique flavor profile that proved to be a total winner. While our writer did reiterate that the bread's texture was a little hard, the flavors in this sandwich balanced it out well.

While Starbucks' prices vary based on location, the Braised Short Rib Grilled Cheese's base price seems to be between $8 and $10 after taxes. In more expensive cities, like New York, it costs over $9 at some locations. However, as stated, the flavors in this sandwich make it absolutely worth trying at least once this season. But don't take it from us: Take it from other fans, who loved this special grilled cheese as much as we did.

On Facebook, one fan posted photos of their sandwich and wrote, "Got my grilled cheese that just released and OMG....so dang good! I should have bought two!!!" The same fan gave it a 10/10 ranking. Another responded, "Cannot waittttt to try this," after seeing the pictures. In a different post, one Starbucks fan called theirs "great," noting that it was "actually grilled with plenty of meat."

As with all fast food offerings, there are plenty of contrarians. Some think the real sandwich looks nothing like the advertised photo. Others don't think it's very in line with the rest of Starbucks' menu, which is a good point. And, a few fans who have actually tried the sandwich weren't very impressed. "Mine had all the cheese and the meat in the middle and it was soggy and greasy," one wrote. "Probably a fluke."

Despite the negativity surrounding this sandwich, if you ask us, it's still worth a try. After all, it's a seasonal item, so there's no guarantee it'll be back next year — so get it while you can.