7 Of The Best Soda Flavors To Buy, And 7 To Avoid

It's been a minute since sodas were simple carbonated beverages. What used to be essentially rivaling brand names has turned into so many flavors and variations, it can make your head spin. While some are impressive additions to the carbonated sugar world, others definitely leave something to be desired. From the ever-popular Coca-Cola, which has been the number one selling soda in the nation for decades (per Newsweek), to more offbeat soda brands like Avery's or the in-house Trader Joe's brand, you can find a soda in virtually any flavor if you look hard enough. 

In fact, according to World Population Review, Americans consume more soda than any other nation — beat out only by Argentina. With this in mind, it's no wonder that we have more variety. While some popular soda labels create certain flavors for particular regions of the world, the United States tends to win out when it comes to the truly weird ones. After all, why would any respectable party host serve root beer when there's discussion-worthy options out there like bacon soda and poutine soda?

In all seriousness, there are some unique soda flavors available for purchase that might seem like a reasonable idea — and you won't know unless you try them. Here's seven varieties worth buying, as well as seven you might want to consider skipping. 

Coca-Cola Dreamworld came onto the scene with brilliant marketing that featured sky blue cans and colorful graphics. It has been described in ads as simply "dream flavored." It sounds lovely and, well, dreamy, but what exactly does a dreamworld taste like and is it worth the buy? 

For starters, this isn't the first time Cola-Cola has attempted to create a soda that tastes like a concept. Cola-Cola Starlight was described as tasting like outer space, and even enjoyed a run as a soda option at the Disney parks. They also attempted a pixel-flavored drink through Coca-Cola Byte. Both of these flavors delivered hints of fruit and cotton candy, and what does Dreamworld taste like? Fruit and cotton candy.

According to CNET, Coca-Cola Dreamworld tastes like a mixture of cola and Skittles, giving it a fruity, artificial flavor. The website also noted the presence of aspartame was easily noticed in the zero sugar version of this "limited edition" soda that is still available at the time of this publication. So, if you like the idea of chemically engineered abstract art in the form of a caffeinated beverage, then Dreamworld might be for you. Otherwise, this one can be skipped. 

There's just something appealing about a limited release soda, particularly when it coincides with the holidays. We as a soda culture collectively tend to love the visualizations of both holiday parties and cozy, quiet nights by the fire — and flavors like cranberry and lime fit both scenarios perfectly. Enter Winter Spiced Cranberry Sprite. It's the holiday season poured into a can, and we are here for it. 

According to The Impulsive Buy, this Sprite variation tastes subtly of cranberry and heavier of mystery spices. You taste the spirit of the season but won't likely be able to pinpoint what all the ingredients are — and Sprite isn't giving away any secrets. Thus, if you decide to give this soda a try, you might have to be okay with accepting that it tastes like Christmas and commit to moving on with joy. 

If you're feeling festive, this isn't one to miss. If you like ginger ale, lemon-lime, and/or lightly flavored drinks like La Croix, this is one worth picking up next time you're on a grocery store run.

Not only is Pepsi Blue offensively bad, it seems to find a way to keep coming back. It was first introduced in 2002, and hung around for a few years in the U.S. and Canada, then, either due to poor sales or Pepsi-Co taking a hint, Pepsi Blue fled overseas and our soda aisles got a reprieve. In the spring of 2021, it returned stateside, and is still available for purchase today. While we suppose it makes sense that a bright blue soda attempting to pass as a cola would return to us during the pandemic when the world was turned upside down, soda connoisseurs will tell you that during its time away, the formula/ingredients did not improve in the slightest. 

Bob Grimm of Reno News & Review hilariously put it best when he described Pepsi Blue as "liquefied Sweet Tarts." Brightly colored drinks were fun back in the day, when we didn't know what we do today about artificial colors and additives. Today, we need to make our soda indulgences count, and this berry-flavored chaos just isn't where it's at. 

Alternative Pepsi flavors aren't all bad. In fact, their Mango soda is quite good. What started out as a limited edition soda became permanent in 2021, according to Delish. Some of us were guilty of buying cases of this stuff when it first hit the scene, as its combination of cola paired with natural-tasting mango was pretty darn satisfying, especially over the summer months. Now that there's less of a panic now that it's readily available everywhere, we do strongly suggest making it a part of your regular soda rotation or making it available to your next party guests. 

Pepsi Mango isn't just good on its own — it can be used in mixed drinks also. Vodka and Coke or whiskey and Coke are popular drink options, but some people prefer to use Pepsi due to the fact that it's a little bit sweeter. This Pepsi variation will up the sweetness while also adding a fun tropical flavor, making it an ideal mixed drink option for that next summer cookout or boozy luau. If you tire of Mango, Pepsi has a pineapple flavor that is occasionally available, too. 

Fanta has always been known for its diverse array of fruity flavor assortments. From the classic orange to pineapple, strawberry, and grapefruit, we haven't exactly lacked selection in the Fanta flavor lineup over the years. Nonetheless, Fanta rolled out its What the Fanta campaign in the summer of 2022, providing consumers with the opportunity to choose a color that didn't necessarily match in flavor. This mystery of the senses has been quite popular, but the revealed flavors have been a bit lackluster. 

The drinks came in four colors — blue, green, peach, and orange. The Fanta website revealed the flavors on its official website after they had been on shelves for several weeks, and the leader of the pack is the now-famous mystery Fanta known simply as "blue." It will be available for purchase through February of 2023, and prior to that date all will be revealed by the company. Today, popular guesses online lead most to believe it is a berry cream soda. 

If you like to buy into marketing stunts, What the Fanta is a pretty fun one. But, if you want cream soda or a berry-flavored soda, it might be wiser to just purchase some instead of risking your soda budget on a drink you may or may not like. 

Rocket Fizz is an imaginative soda company, and they carry classic flavors like cherry, grape, and root beer, while also rolling out some more unconventional offerings like cookie dough, strawberry shortcake, and even grass. But one of their more popular sodas that has been around for quite some time is their chocolate-flavored variety. Their chocolate soda line up includes: chocolate, all-natural chocolate, chocolate banana, chocolate strawberry, and chocolate peanut butter. 

While many might expect a chocolate soda to taste like a milkshake, this actually isn't the case, according to reviewers like The Sodafry. As they state, Rocket Fizz's chocolate soda is smooth and subtle, with progressive flavor notes. Similar to a coffee drink, this soda is both sweet and bitter, meaning the chocolate and cola do not overpower each other. If you are struggling with which soda to select for a taste test, we recommend the all-natural chocolate soda as it's more pure and free of artificial sweeteners. 

As a nation, it's acceptable and responsible to be a bit suspicious of regular Mountain Dew. From its neon green color to that perpetual school hallway rumor that it can serve as birth control, Mountain Dew has thrived by being a bit suspicious. But now we've been forced to turn away as they pull the crazy out even further with flavors such as Flamin' Hot. The name alone leads one to think of Cheetos in a soda, and nobody wants to be responsible for that. 

In reality, Mountain Dew Flamin' Hot is "a blast of heat and citrus" and is comparable to Tajin. Some reviewers haven't found it to be a pleasant sipping experience, and we tend to agree. Mass Live compared it to an unsettling jolt, like suddenly being aware of an electrical fire. That's not a painted picture that Mountain Dew's PR department wants to hear, but on the other hand many of us didn't want to hear about this soda in the first place. 

Flamin' Hot is loaded with artificial colors to accomplish its red-orange hue, and if you spill it on yourself at work, it's not going to be a great situation. If you're looking for a spicy treat, stick to the Cheetos and grab a bottle of water. 

Over the years, dragon fruit has become a widely loved fruit on this side of the ocean. Once primarily enjoyed only in Asian nations or specialized marketplaces here in America, you can often spot it at local grocery store produce sections. Starbucks has also maintained popular dragon fruit flavored teas and smoothies over the years, and now Fanta has joined the party with its Zero Sugar Dragon Fruit soda. 

There's a lot to love about this drink, starting with the fact it uses all natural flavors, which is rare in the wild soda flavorverse. According to Totally the Bomb, this drink debuted in February of 2022 — with its pretty pink bottles arriving in time for Valentine's Day. It has been a popular soda choice ever since and Fanta has elected to make it a permanent offering. This Fanta variation is ideal for anyone on a diet due to it being zero sugar, and also makes it safe for those who can't consume sugary drinks. It's light, fruity, and joyful. Fanta has a solid reputation for rolling out delicious sodas, and this one is no exception. 

Avery's is already the type of soda line that you would consider for a gift. Their colorful and creative sodas come in a bunch of both classic and hilarious flavors. But on the rarer side they have their Totally Gross Soda line. There are 11 different flavors to choose from, including Unicorn Yack, Alien Snot, and Kitty Piddle. Sound delicious? Nope, we didn't think so either. 

According to Bev Net, the drinks were developed as part of a program Avery's put on that allowed young people to concoct soda creations. The winning flavors were Swamp Juice, Toxic Slime, and Dog Drool. Since then the line has grown to almost a dozen disgusting varieties, and none of them are particularly memorable except as a gag gift. 

The positive side? They are caffeine free and made with real cane sugar, so even though the flavors and concepts are repulsive, these sodas are actually less gross for you than many traditional sodas on the market. 

A&W is a classic when it comes to sodas. Many of us have memories of root beer floats on a hot summer day, or visiting one of the brand's fast-food restaurants. Now you can indulge in this brand guilt-free with its Zero Sugar Cream Soda. Formerly known as Diet Cream Soda, the zero sugar variety is smoother, creamier, and less artificial tasting. According to a reviewer on Baker's Plus, it is one of the best diet sodas on the market, reminding them of childhood days getting ice cream. Since regular cream soda is full of calories, this is a welcome alternative that can really cut your daily calorie intake dramatically. 

If you prefer root beer, there's a zero sugar version of that, too. With so many different root beer brands on store shelves today, A&W is an enduring classic that is comforting and reliable when you're looking for a solid soda. It has been a consistent brand for generations of soda drinkers, and it's a great choice for those of us who aren't super adventurous and just want something tasty and easy. 

A can of Coke can be a great pick-me-up, but nothing compares to a strong cup of coffee. Now, Coca-Cola has attempted to provide consumers the best of both worlds, and the results have been lukewarm at best. There are several varieties of Coca-Cola with Coffee, including mocha, vanilla, caramel, and dark roast. There is also a zero sugar vanilla. 

This is actually Coca-Cola's second attempt at Coke with coffee. The first one only came in one flavor and wasn't popular. This round is more commercially successful, but it still doesn't compare a sugary coffee that you can buy elsewhere. According to Food Rankers, one of the main issues is that you can't really taste the coffee strongly, at least in the vanilla flavor they tried. Some report it tasting like Coke with a very subtle hint of coffee, while others think it tastes more like a cream soda. 

Regardless, the presence of coffee is there and proven by the energy boost you'll get from drinking a can of this stuff. But if you want a cold coffee, the iced coffee varieties out there are far more satisfying than a can of Coke. 

Dr. Pepper's Dark Berry has been released a few times in partnership with movie releases, including "Jurassic Park" and "Spider-Man Far From Home." Now it's become a regular fixture in grocery stores and is pretty good for a fruit-infused soda. According to Snack Gator, a "dark berry" is a combination of blackberry, black currant, and black cherry. This soda has a bold flavor that makes it a stronger taste than the typical sodas out there that usually use strawberries or cranberries. 

If you are a fan of cherry flavored Dr. Pepper, then you will most likely love the dark berry version. It goes great with buttery popcorn, which coincides well with its movie promotions, and due to its fruit infusions it is appropriate for both summer and winter gatherings. While it does have a strong berry flavor, it still very much tastes like Dr. Pepper, so if you don't like the regular stuff, you might not want to waste your money on this. Save it for the true believers. 

Trader Joe's has their hands in everything — their in-house brand makes everything from cereal to wine to frozen Asian food. They also have a small line of sodas that are pleasant, but not as noteworthy as other Trader Joe's products. One of these soda flavors is rhubarb and strawberry. Usually available in the spring and summer months, its flavor profile lies somewhere between a flavored water and a sparkling cider. It's subtle refreshment is great for some, but if you want something that is as strong as a regular soda, you won't necessarily find it here. 

According to Aldi Reviewer, this soda comes in both cans and a larger box size. It also contains simple and straightforward ingredients, including carbonated water, rhubarb juice, strawberry juice, cane sugar, natural flavor, and citric acid. If you want something clean, light, and refreshing, you will likely enjoy this drink. But when it comes to counting it as a soda, we don't think it quite passes the test of flavor punch. 

For many, Shasta soda has been a generational mainstay. You saw it at school events growing up, sports games, church gatherings, and family barbecues. It's always been one of the most economical sodas to purchase, meaning everyone has likely found themselves drinking a can at some point. And grape flavored Shasta is a classic in its own right. It's sweet, syrupy, and comforting. Yes, there are more sophisticated sodas on the market today, but this vintage can of grape pop still gets the job done.

According to Restaurant Clicks, the use of Concord grapes is obvious in the flavor profile, but it's also clear that there's artificial ingredients as well. But, as the site also notes, it is a smooth and creamy soda that is served up best ice cold. Like most other sodas on this list, there is a diet option if you want to indulge in a childhood favorite without the adult worry of calorie overload.