Yelp ranks KC's 10 best pumpkin spice lattes
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Fall officially starts today, which means ordering a pumpkin spice latte (PSL) goes from "a little early, isn't it?" to fair game.
The big picture: Seven of the top 10 PSLs in the KC metro are in Johnson County, according to Yelp data shared only with Axios.
What they did: The company started with every business in the metro tagged as a coffee shop, then kept only the ones with a heavy share of reviews mentioning "pumpkin spice."
- It ranked those shops on factors including how many reviews they have and how those reviewers rated them.
Yes, but: Some shops don't post seasonal menus online, and others switch up their fall offerings year to year, so be sure to check the full lineups at the store.
🥇 1. Hattie's Fine Coffee, Prairie Village
Hattie's has roasted its own beans every week since 1999 and makes the syrup for its PSL in-house. That's a long time to be practicing for this title.
🐦 2. Crows Coffee, KCMO
Founder Zach Moores opened the first Crows near UMKC in 2014, and the shop still roasts its own espresso, which shows up each fall in what it calls a pumpkin pie latte.
🍫 3. Maps Coffee & Chocolate, Lenexa
The PSL comes topped with star anise instead of whipped cream, which is fancier and less likely to end up on your sweater and runs just under $6.
🥪 4. Mildred's, KCMO
Mildred's opened in downtown Overland Park in 1994 and now has three KC shops, all still family-owned.
💭 Travis' thought bubble: The PSL isn't too sweet (thank goodness) and has that real gourdy flavor.
- Pair it with a seasonal pumpkin miso soup ($5) or the cranberry turkey sandwich ($10) if you want to skip straight to Thanksgiving.
🎃 5. Pilgrim Coffee Company, Overland Park
Pilgrim's PSL costs just over $6 and is one of many fun fall flavors that dropped Sept. 1, including a Belgian waffle chai we're so curious about.
🐕 6. Black Dog Coffeehouse, Lenexa
Black Dog has poured pumpkin spice and pumpkin pie lattes in past years, per Yelp reviews, but it swapped the tradition this year for a sweet potato version.
🌕 7. Thou Mayest, KCMO
Thou Mayest calls its PSL the Harvest Moon and makes it with pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice and black walnut.
💭 Abbey's thought bubble: This is the first PSL I've ordered in years, and the black walnut is what sold me. It actually tastes like fall.
🎩 8. Hi Hat Coffee, Westwood Hills
Hi Hat has run its small State Line Road shop since 1999, with a counter built for fast service, a full bakery case and a fun fall menu every season.
🫖 9. Sweet Tee's Coffee Shop, Olathe
Pumpkin drinks here include the Smashing Pumpkin Chaider, half cider and half chai with pumpkin spice, and the Spicy Pumpkin, with heat from habanero simple syrup.
🚒 10. Station 3 Coffee Shop, Shawnee
The shop opened two years ago inside a former volunteer fire station — but it's already competing with the metro's old favorites.
What's next: The local Yelp KC team hosts Local Shops of Horror, an annual event with small local businesses.
- It's Oct. 14 at West Bottoms Plant Co. Entry is free, and so are the food and drinks from local businesses.
Don't agree? Tell us where the best PSL in KC really is.