He said/She said. Your favourite commentators give their opinions on the lattes of campus.
Back at it again, we’re here and ready to give you our opinion on the caffeinated beverage that gets students through midterms, 8:00 am classes and Mondays. We visited the various coffee shops that are scattered in the far corners of campus and we asked the ultimate question: would you wake up 15 minutes early to get this coffee?
1. Great Dane
Price: $4.00
Latte art: Beautiful—Picasso couldn’t have done better.
Time: Watching Picasso’s paint dry.
He said: I love their espresso, it’s one of my favourites.
She said: I also love it, 'cause you get a really nice full espresso flavour where it’s not bitter or overwhelming. It’s really balanced.
He said: The espresso is nutty and pairs really nicely with the milk. They use organic milk!
She said: You can taste it. I can taste that the cow ate grass. It warms my insides. I feel comforted by this latte.
She said: I would absolutely wake up early for this.
He said: I’ve literally been late to class for this latte before.
2. Loafe
Price: $3.96
Latte art: A little heart. Totes adorable.
Time: An Oscar speech that needed to be cut off by music.
She said: It’s amazing. It smells like coffee. Ooh yeah, come to mama!
He said: The espresso is a little bit stronger tasting than the one in the Great Dane latte. It’s a little bit less of a nutty undertone—a little bit darker, I would say. It’s a really good temperature.
She said: I know that this would stay hot for a while. Like, I’m not getting this one at just a warm temp where it would be cold by the time I’m in lecture. Especially in your own tumbler!
He said: You could go to a 3-hour lecture and this would still be warm in your own tumbler!
She said: I don’t know if I would necessarily pick this up on my way to class. Like, I want to sit and enjoy the coffee that I'm drinking.
He said: It’s very much somewhere I would go to meet someone. I’ve come here many times for, like, profile interviews or mentorship meetings. It’s like a perfect business casual latte.
3. Blenz
Price: $4.78 (with almond milk)
Latte art: A heart—which puts this latte in a special place in our hearts.
Time: Speedy in a way only a chain can be!
She said: It’s really delicious. There are great almond notes. That being said, I’m not getting a whole lot of coffee flavour out of it.
He said: It’s definitely in the middle. The first and last note is almond, but in the middle, I get a jazz hand of coffee.
She said: Because of that, it’s difficult to rate the espresso, but I do know that Blenz has quite a nice espresso. From a chain, it still has that personal touch to it.
She said: I don’t know if I would leave 15 minutes early for it, but I would pick it up if I was already on this side of campus.
He said: It’s probably the best latte you can get in University Village.
4. Perugia (Food Services)
Price: $3.50
Latte art: Non-existent—this is your basic milk layer.
Time: Faster than you can say, “May I please have a latte to go”!
He said: Reminds me of the song "Milky Milky Milk" by Miley Cyrus. 'Cause it’s very milky.
She said: I’m feeling like, if you like milk, it’s a great latte. If you want espresso, I would probably not go for this latte. But if you do need a pick-me-up coffee, their drip is a good option.
She said: I probably won’t wake up early for this, but if in a rush and I need something, it’s fast.
He said: It’s perfect if you’re in the area, and they have an express line for coffee and pastry things!
5. Starbucks
Price: $4.67 (with coconut milk)
Latte art: Nada enchilada.
Time: Fast. That's the whole point of Starbucks, right?
He said: Starbucks is really about customization for me. You have your choice of espresso, syrups, milk, temperature. You can build your own adventure here. It’s a good vegan option. You can add vanilla, caramel, make it a mocha. The options are literally endless.
She said: This is the place I go to on my break between classes to pick up a coffee and go. It’s consistent in its delivery.
He said: It’s good in terms of foam.
She said: And for someone who doesn’t drink other types of milk, I'm enjoying this coconut milk option. 'Cause it’s like I’m drinking a vanilla latte. Hit me baby one more espresso!
He said: Would I leave early for this? Yes, 'cause I have. It’s convenient, it’s on the way to class, it’s for those mornings when I don’t have time to make my own coffee or I need that extra hit.
She said: I’d leave early for sure. It’s your basic coffee pick up.
So next time you’re craving a latte, there’s no need to get the jitters!
There are plenty of places available to you to get your caffeine fix all over campus. Stay tuned for our next adventure, when we explore UBC's banana bread!
