ATTN: Starbucks Finally Has Cortado! Here's My Honest Review of the New Winter Menu

In my professional, coffee-loving opinion, this drink is one of the most exciting additions to the Starbucks menu in recent years. It's made with the signature Starbucks Blonde Roast espresso and topped with steamed milk (or nondairy milk of your choice) and can only be served hot and in the short Starbucks size, by definition. Simply put, it is smooth. While I love my lattes in the morning, this made them seem overly sweet and milky. In contrast, the cortado tasted like a delightful return to coffeehouse basics, one that could make coffee snobs who turn their nose at Starbucks change their tune.

My go-to Starbucks order has evolved through the years—the Frappuccinos and Passion Tea Lemonades of my preteen years turned into iced coffees and dirty chai lattes in college and young adulthood. Currently, it's the Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso (a mouthful). The Brown Sugar Oatmilk Cortado, my friends, is the hot version of that. Instead of being shaken, the baristas move this drink around as they make it to make sure every flavor makes it into every sip. The result? The winter drink of my dreams, a sweet sipper that tastes as cozy and warm as a pair of fuzzy slippers. It's a tad sweeter than a Blonde Vanilla Latte (which is enough to satisfy this sweet tooth), but it's certainly not as sugary as a Frappuccino since it's tempered by the oat milk and rich espresso. Pro tip: Take the lid off your cup to enjoy the aroma of the cinnamon topping. You can thank me later.

PSA: The matcha powder at Starbucks will no longer be sweetened. Don't get me wrong, Starbucks will still add sweetener to matcha lattes, but that sweetener will come from pumps of its classic sweetener rather than the matcha powder itself. Additionally, iced matcha drinks will no longer be shaken, so you can say goodbye to those pesky air bubbles and clumps of matcha. Starting in January, iced matcha lattes will be made in the same way cold foam is made, which means your iced matcha drinks will now be topped with cold foam.

While matcha isn't typically my go to (unless we're talking about mochi), I could not stop sipping on this drink. The iced matcha lattes of yore could sometimes taste a bit powdery, but this one was silky smooth, and the texture of the cold foam was way better than those dreaded air bubbles. Consider me a convert.

Here's looking at you, vegans. There's a new core food item on the menu that belongs on our list of vegan Mediterranean recipes. I'll have to admit, I was skeptical at first, scarred from several subpar falafel experiences at NYC food carts. I was pleasantly surprised, however, by the harmonious combination of smashed falafel, hummus, roasted red pepper, pickled onions and an herby sauce. This savory food item will definitely be making its way into my rotation, most likely paired with the Chipotle-Almond Dip that's also being introduced to the menu. (While I didn't get the chance to try this vegan dip, I have high hopes.)