Guest article by Mia Moore
Like many others, as soon as the first autumn breeze hits, I go nuts for all things pumpkins spice. But I’ll be the first to admit that pumpkin is not the be-all, end-all of fall flavors. Apple, cinnamon, pecan, salted caramel, chai…there is so much more to choose from than your typical pumpkin spice latte.
This fall, why not challenge yourself to enjoy ALL the flavors of the season? Luckily, with Austin’s focus on keeping it local, many businesses offer seasonal treats for your delight. Here are a few of my personal favorite local Autumn treats.
Kerbey Lane Cafe – Pumpkin-Cinnamon Roll Pancakes
Kerbey Lane Cafe pumpkin cinnamon pancakes (Credit: Kerbey Lane on Facebook)
It’s no secret that Kerbey Lane Cafe has a weekly pancake flavor. But once Autumn hits, Kerbey begins serving pumpkin pancakes and sometimes even pumpkin-cinnamon roll pancakes. With a pumpkin flavored base and cinnamon sugar swirl, one taste of these pancakes may inspire a marriage proposal to Kerbey Lane Cafe via Twitter (not that I know from personal experience. Ahem.). At any given time, Kerbey has a rotating vegan, gluten-free, and conventional pancake flavor, so check back each week to see the current flavor appropriate for your diet.
Capital City Bakery – Seasonal Flavors
Capital City Bakery creates many delicious delights (Credit: mollyjade via Flickr CC)
Capital City Bakery offers a rotating menu of flavors. During Autumn, their cupcakes range from salted caramel to cinnamon roll to carrot-pumpkin.
While Capital City Bakery may be known for their magical cupcakes, their cheesecakes and pies are not to be overlooked.
Fall’s flavors include apple spice cheesecake and maple pecan pie. And while their offerings are all vegan, they are popular with vegans and omnivores alike.
Zhi Tea – Cacao Chai Tea
Many tea flavors to browse at Zhi Tea (Credit: Eric Highland)
Hot tea is a perfect cold weather beverage. Zhi Tea, a local tearoom and tea company, has a huge selection of flavors to choose from. The cacao chai tea blend is one of my personal favorites, perfectly mixing the two flavors into a rich and delightful drink. It is best served with milk. When you visit, take your time and smell all the different offerings in order to find your favorite fall beverage, then purchase some leaves to take home with you and recreate the serenity.
Sweet Ritual – Salted Caramel Ice Cream
Fall isn’t too late for ice cream from Sweet Ritual (Credit: Sweet Ritual)
Ice cream may not be a traditional fall treat. But here in Texas, Autumn temperatures are still pretty warm. Sweet Ritual’s salted caramel flavor embodies all the cozy flavors of fall in an ice cream cone. If you’re a little more adventurous, try the sweet potato flavor. It’s exactly what you’d expect. Sweet Ritual is all vegan and their gluten-free, soy-free and allergen-free offerings are clearly marked. So if you’re following a special diet, you can still probably find a flavor to enjoy.
Hey Cupcake! – The Pumpkinator
The Pumpkinator from Hey Cupcake! (Credit: Hey Cupcake!)
Austin favorite Hey Cupcake! recently announced this seasonal special: a pumpkin spice cupcake with a graham cracker cream cheese top. With six locations all across Austin, it’s easy to get your pumpkin fix no matter where you’re at in the city. For a bonus, ask to get your cupcake injected with whipped cream – yum!
Quack’s 43rd St. Bakery – Chai Latte
Try the amazing chai latte at Quack’s in Hyde Park (Credit: NabeWise via Flickr CC)
While many establishments in Austin can make an amazing chai latte, Quack’s Bakery goes above and beyond. Their chai tea is made in-house, from scratch. Order your chai latte with your choice of milk (skim, 2%, whole, almond or soy) and linger for a while.
Mia Moore is a Digital Media MBA student by day and a geek of all trades by night. She enjoys cosplaying, blogging at xo Mia, and exploring this wacky place called Austin.
@xoMiaMoore asks:
What’s your favorite local autumn treat?
