Starbucks adds boba to its menu with brand-new summer drinks

Starbucks is bursting plenty of bubbles this summer — but in a distinctly delicious way.

On May 7, Starbucks dropped its summer menu and its latest beverage innovation: what the brand is calling raspberry flavored pearls, aka bubble tea. Giving chains like Kung Fu Tea a run for their boba money, the chain is debuting a trio of new beverages featuring the pearls, in addition to some new bakery items, a returning nutty favorite and more.

Starbucks said that its recipe developers took inspiration from East Asian beverages with boba or tapioca pearls when creating the new drinks, focusing on adding a “refreshing pop of flavor and color”to the creations.

The Summer-Berry Lemonade Starbucks Refreshers Beverage. (Starbucks)

Bubble tea is becoming more and more popular stateside — according to Fortune Business Insights, the American bubble tea market size is projected to grow from $464.29 million in 2023 to $750.59 million by 2030.

Here’s what’s on the menu:

• Summer-Berry Starbucks Refreshers Beverage: This summer sip features a blend of raspberry, blueberry and blackberry combined with water and poured over a layer of raspberry flavored pearls. 
• Summer-Berry Lemonade Starbucks Refreshers Beverage: This twist on classic lemonade features a blend of raspberry, blueberry and blackberry and is poured over a layer of raspberry flavored pearls. 
• Summer Skies Drink: This coconut milk-based drink features a blend of raspberry, blueberry and blackberry and is poured over a layer of raspberry flavored pearls. 
• White Chocolate Macadamia Cream Cold Brew: This fan-favorite drink is returning for its second year for a limited time after a successful 2023 debut. This drink takes Starbucks signature cold brew, sweetens it with macadamia syrup and tops the beverage with white-chocolate macadamia cream cold foam and toasted cookie crumbles.  
• Orange Cream Cake Pop: This brand-new limited-time treat brings together orange cream cake with buttercream dipped in white chocolate icing with an orange slice design.
• Pineapple Cloud Cake: This new and limited-time airy cake is filled with layers of pineapple cream, pineapple spread and whole fruit pieces with a sweet drizzle topping.

Also, a new iced coffee blend joins the permanent menu. Starbucks says the new blend is served unsweetened without classic syrup and features Latin American beans with notes of malted chocolate and brown sugar.

Starbucks Summer Menu (Courtesy Starbucks)

In addition to all the food and drink you can score this summer at Starbucks’ “Summer App-y Days,” deals can also be found in the Starbucks app, including 50% off one handcrafted beverage every Friday from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. local time on May 15 until May 31.

Additionally, fans can expect personalized offers, ranging from Triple Star Days to BOGOs to beverage discounts all which will be revealed in the app every Monday from May 13 until May 27.

And then there’s the summer merch. Starbucks is unveiling a new summer drinkware collection which includes the latest Stanley x Starbucks Quencher collaboration, cold cups and its Starbucks Artist Collaboration Series drop with Chinese American artist Monyee Chau to honor Asian American Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

Starbucks summer drinks review

Starbucks Summer Menu (JULIA STOTZ / Courtesy Starbucks)

I was able to try Starbucks’ new smorgasbord of summer flavors ahead of its debut at my local cafe. I have been following the comings and goings of the coffee giant’s menu for years, and I distinctly remember Starbucks removing its raspberry syrup from the menu so the addition of raspberry-flavored anything seems like an interesting choice to me.

As that thought lingered in my mind, I opened my extra-large boba straws (a new and necessary addition to the chain) and went to town.

I’ll start with my favorite of the summer drinks: the Summer-Berry Lemonade Starbucks Refreshers Beverage was tart and sweet, but not overly so.

And, as someone whose bubble tea preference is a fruity boba, I have to say I’m a fan of Starbucks’ version, although my drink seemed to be lighter on the pearls than other chains that make similar drinks. I also enjoyed the Summer Skies Drink — the coconut milk adds a creamy, tropical note to the berry that felt beach-ready.

In contrast, the Summer-Berry Starbucks Refreshers Beverage tasted watered down to me, which makes sense because it’s mixed with water unlike the two other summer drinks. This may be an option for folks who ascribe to the #WaterTok side of beverage preference.

I also tried the returning White Chocolate Macadamia Cream Cold Brew, which has a nutty flavor that isn’t as in-your-face as Starbucks’ more boldly nutty options like the its Iced Hazelnut Oatmilk Shaken Espresso or my usual go-to, the Iced Shaken Espresso with Toffeenut.

Starbucks Summer Menu (Courtesy Starbucks)

The new pastry menu items were both good, but I liked one more than the other. The Orange Cream Cake Pop, which joins the recent trend of orange creamsicle-esque foods that are being added to menus across the country, was tasty, but the white chocolate icing overtook the subtle orange cream flavors of the cake inside.

By far my favorite new thing to be added to Starbucks menu is the Pineapple Cloud Cake. It’s a big chunker of a cake, to be sure, but it gives pineapple upside-down cake without the need to break out the maraschino cherries. The gooey pineapple spread on the top was so finger-licking good that it gave this sweet treat a spot on my own personal summer menu.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com