Starbucks Kicks Off The New Year With 3 New Non-Dairy Beverages

Starbucks is starting the new year with three new plant-based beverages, two of which are now available nationwide. The Almondmilk Honey Flat White and the Coconutmilk Latte are joining the permanent menu at participating stores in the U.S., and a third, the Oatmilk Honey Latte, will test at 1,300 stores in the Midwest.

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Thanks to our friends at the chain, The Daily Meal was able to taste test two of three items before their launch. The Almondmilk Honey Flat White — made with blonde espresso, steamed almond milk and a hint of honey — is perfectly fine. It doesn't quite taste like honey, and the almond flavor is discrete, making this a safe choice for non-dairy drinkers who aren't ecstatic about the taste of nuts in their coffee.

The Coconutmilk Latte combines blonde espresso and steamed coconut milk topped with cascara sugar (made from the fruit of the coffee cherry), which tastes a little like brown sugar. This one is also OK. The coconut really overpowers the rest of the drink. It's very fruity, and we don't prefer that.

We didn't get to try the Oatmilk Honey Latte, though it sounds like the most exciting of them all. Like the others, it gets blonde espresso and a hint of honey, plus steamed oat milk and a toasted honey topping. The new drink is being offered at 1,300 stores in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri and Wisconsin. Customers in these states can opt to add oat milk to their normal order if they don't want this drink specifically.

If you're looking to go completely dairy-free, a representative for Starbucks says to avoid whipped cream, java chips, protein powder, caramel sauce, pumpkin spice sauce, white mocha sauce and caramel brulee sauce. It appears that syrups (as opposed to sauces) are safe. If you've embraced a fully plant-based diet or are hungry and interested in some of the best animal product-free food and drink this planet has to offer, this is where you can find the most vegan-friendly restaurant in your state.