I don't like the taste of coffee that much. That's why I didn't really start drinking coffee or anything like coffee until I was a senior in high school. It took a little while to find my drink but eventually, I settled on an iced vanilla latte and have been a fan for the past two years. It's sweet, doesn't taste like caffeine, and it gives me the energy I need to start my day. Since being back in State College, I have gotten my iced vanilla latte from a variety of places and after really thinking about it, I have ranked my top four.
Dunkin'
Even though I am from the East Coast, I have never been a huge Dunkin' fan up until I came back to school this year. While the closest Dunkin' is all the way across town from me, the iced vanilla latte is immaculate and worth the walk. It is sweet so I can't taste the bitterness of the coffee but not so sweet that it tastes like straight up syrup. Bonus points if you get the iced vanilla latte along with the Boston Kreme Donut.
Starbucks
I am a long time Starbucks supporter and up until a month ago if you had asked me what my favorite coffee place was I would've said Starbucks. The iced vanilla latte from Starbucks is great but a bit more bitter than the one from Dunkin' so after many years of saying I prefer Starbucks, that is no longer the case.
Saint's Cafe
Saints is this adorable coffee shop located on West Beaver near the Panera Bread and every time I've gone there I've enjoyed my latte. The only reason I would rank it third is that I haven't been there enough times to decide whether or not it's better than Starbucks. If you are looking for a cute study spot though and live in State College, I would definitely recommend checking out Saints.
McDonalds
Definitely the cheapest option and it's only a five minute walk from my apartment so when I feel like being lazy I'll get my coffee from here. McDonald's coffee is a little inconsistent in that sometimes it's way too sweet and sometimes it's way too bitter. Either way, I still enjoy my coffee from there but not as much as the other three places.
Those four places have been where the majority of my money has gone for the past month and I'm not even mad about it. Maybe one day I'll get to a place where I don't need to drink caffeine to start my day but until then, I will be drinking iced vanilla lattes most mornings.
