If you have just recently switched to a plant-based diet, you’re probably adding many new foods into your routine, and taking out a lot of the ones you used to enjoy. Your go-to Starbucks order may need a few adjustments to fit your new meal plan.
My sister recently decided to become vegan and since we both love Starbucks, we wanted to explore the vegan menu options at our favorite coffee shop here in San Antonio, TX. I’ll share my experience in this post.
The Starbucks vegan menu is quite straightforward but I’ll include some tips on how to order vegan at SBUX. I’ll also list down the vegan options at Starbucks so you won’t have a hard time figuring out what to get once you’re there.
How to Order Vegan at Starbucks
The simplest vegan choices at Starbucks are the basics – hot or iced coffee with oat, soy, coconut milk or almond milk, and add any flavored syrup like vanilla, caramel, or hazelnut. Both hot and iced teas are vegan-friendly too.
But for more complex drinks, here are the guidelines:
Replace
Switch out cow’s milk for oat, soy, coconut milk or almond milk. These options are available at all Starbucks locations and can be substituted in any drink, although there might be an extra charge. You can also request cold foam made with these nondairy milk options too.
Hold
Ask your barista to exclude the following non-vegan ingredients:
- Whipped Cream
- Pumpkin Spice Sauce
- Java Chips (found in Java Chip Frappuccino and Double Chocolaty Chip Crème Frappuccino)
- Caramel Drizzle (used in Caramel Macchiato and Caramel Frappuccino)
- Cinnamon Dolce Topping (contains butter)
Avoid
Some drinks can’t be made vegan due to the presence of cow’s milk or honey in the syrup. Steer clear of these:
- Drinks with White Mocha
- Drinks with Caramel Brulée
- Chai Lattes (Teavana brewed chai tea is an exception)
Note
Clear syrups are generally vegan, but the sauces are not—except for the mocha sauce.
2024 Vegan Options at Starbucks
Starbucks’ 2024 vegan menu has plenty of options to suit plant-based diets. Here’s what you can enjoy:
Vegan Drinks at Starbucks
- Freshly brewed coffees
- Caffè Americanos
- Caffè mochas (with oat, soy, almond, or coconut milk, no whipped cream)
- Caffè lattes (with oat, soy, almond, or coconut milk, no whipped cream)
- Caramel Macchiatos (with oat, soy, almond, or coconut milk, no caramel drizzle)
- Flat whites (with oat, soy, almond, or coconut milk)
- Ombré iced coffees (with oat, soy, almond, or coconut milk)
- Java Chip Frappuccinos (with oat, soy, almond, or coconut milk, no java chips or whipped cream—try adding Cookie Crumble Topping)
- Cinnamon Dolce Latte (with oat, soy, almond, or coconut milk, no Cinnamon Dolce Sprinkles or whipped cream)
- Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino (with oat, soy, almond, or coconut milk, no whipped cream)
- Matcha Tea Latte (with oat, soy, almond, or coconut milk)
- Matcha Crème Frappuccino Blended Beverage (with oat, soy, almond, or coconut milk, no whipped cream)
- Iced Matcha Lemonade
- Hazelnut Mocha Coconutmilk Macchiato
- Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso
- Iced Toasted Vanilla Oatmilk Shaken Espresso
- Iced Apple Crisp Oatmilk Shaken Espresso
- Iced Chocolate Almondmilk Shaken Espresso
- Pink Drinks and Violet Drinks
- Cold Brew with Dark Cocoa Almondmilk Foam
- Cold Brew with Cinnamon Almondmilk Foam
Seasonal Vegan Drink Options
For seasonal delights, you can enjoy these as long as you opt for nondairy milk and no whipped cream:
- Iced Apple Crisp Oatmilk Shaken Espresso
- Iced Sugar Cookie Almondmilk Latte
- Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato
- Toffee Almondmilk Hot Cocoa
- Peppermint Mochas
- Chestnut Praline Lattes
- Gingerbread Lattes
Vegan Food Options at Starbucks
Below are the vegan food items you can get at SBUX:
- Bagels like the Everything, Plain, Cinnamon Raisin and Sprouted Grain
- Chickpea Bites and Avocado Protein Box
- Rolled & Steel Cut Plain (with brown sugar, dried fruit, and nuts) Oatmeal
- Blueberry Oatmeal (with nut medley, blueberries, and agave nectar)
- Strawberry Overnight Grains
Starbucks Vegan Snacks
- Hippeas White Cheddar Chickpea Puffs
- That’s It Fruit Bars
- Justin’s Nut Butters (Classic Almond or Hazelnut Butter)
- Peter Rabbit Organic Fruit Pouches
- Starbucks BBQ Potato Chips
- Kettle Potato Chips (salt and vinegar, sweet potato and simply salted)
- Mixed Nuts
- Fresh Bananas
- Avocado Spread
Starbucks Introduces New Vegan Menu Items
Starbucks has rolled out five new vegan items in January of last year in honor of Veganuary, a movement that encourages plant-based eating. Here are the new famous items:
- Carmelized Macadamia Oat Latte: A signature beverage featuring a rich blend of caramelized macadamia nuts and creamy oat milk.
- Plant-Based Breakfast Wrap: Packed with tofu scramble, spinach, barbecue pinto bean sauce, and Lincolnshire-style sausage, this wrap promises a hearty start to the day.
- No’Beef and Red Onion Focaccia: Created in collaboration with The Vegetarian Butcher, this sandwich offers a savory blend of flavors perfect for lunch.
- Banana Caramel Muffin: A delectable bakery treat combining the sweetness of bananas with a rich caramel flavor.
- Raspberry & Almond Mini Loaf: Ideal for dessert or a midday snack, this mini loaf features the delightful pairing of raspberry and almond.
Starbucks also has eliminated the surcharge for vegan milk across its U.S. locations, allowing customers to enjoy oat, soy, coconut, or almond milk in any drink without an extra cost.
While these Veganuary specials are exclusive to the UK, Starbucks has been actively expanding its plant-based menu globally. Recent U.S. tests introduced eighteen new items, including six fully plant-based options developed in collaboration with Daring and JUST Egg.
- Plant-Based Chicken Sausage and Pepper Sous-Vide Bite: Featuring Daring’s jalapeño chicken sausage and JUST Egg’s egg replacer.
- Plant-Based Smoky Poblano & Black Bean Sous-Vide Bite: A protein-packed bite with black beans, roasted poblano peppers, and smoky chipotle chili.
- Plant-Based Chicken Sausage & Pepper Sandwich Mini: Starbucks’ debut vegan chicken sandwich, featuring Daring’s chicken and JUST Egg’s mung-bean egg.
- Starbucks continues to innovate its vegan offerings beyond these launches, with recent introductions such as the Impossible Breakfast Sandwich and the Chickpea Bites and Avocado Protein Box.
Does Starbucks have a vegan secret menu?
Starbucks does have a variety of “secret menu” items that can be customized to be vegan. These include popular choices like the Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte and Vegan Nutella Frap. All you have to do is request for plant-based milk substitutes and omitting any non-vegan ingredients.
Is Starbucks Oatmilk vegan?
Yes, Starbucks’ oat milk option is entirely vegan. Introduced as the fourth dairy-free milk choice, oat milk has become a popular alternative for those who do not want dairy products in their drinks.
Which syrups are vegan at Starbucks?
Most of Starbucks’ clear syrups like vanilla, hazelnut, and Irish crème are vegan-friendly. However, syrups with thicker cream bases such as white mocha, pistachio, and pumpkin spice contain dairy ingredients. Always go for the clear syrups so that your drink remains plant-based.