For my first issue of Loco Mag, I started (and subsequently abandoned) a column called Broke Bitch Budget. I’ve decided to revitalize B-Cubed with a new name- Triple B.
Fall is here and I wanted to (safely) visit 6 shops to discover whose almond milk latte comes out on top. I went to 3 national chains (Wawa, Dunkin’, Starbucks) and 3 locally-owned businesses (Elcy’s Cafe, White Horse Coffee & Creamery, Chestnut Hill Coffee Company) for this test and though I’m no coffee connoisseur, there was a clear winner here. Read on to find out which of these foamy favorites is Triple B approved.
Wawa (83 Limekiln Pike Glenside, PA 19038)
Price: $2.86
Grade: C+
Am I ~the worst~ for ordering a latte from a convenience store famous for their hoagies? Yes. But did they disappoint? Shockingly, no! While this drink does land at the very bottom of this list because the coffee tasted burnt, it tried its best. Considering that the competition was steep, I gave this latte a C+ rating.
Elcy’s Cafe (1 West Glenside Avenue, Glenside, PA 19038)
Price: $4.50
Grade: B+
Elcy’s Cafe is a hidden gem next to the Glenside SEPTA tracks. Featuring a huge amount of personality and charm in a small space, this cafe is a great place to grab a pre-travel dose of caffeine. Because their almond milk latte was a little too sweet for my liking, it received a B+ rating.
Dunkin’ (230 S Easton Road, Glenside, PA 19038)
Price: $3.59
Grade: B-
Though I’m salty that the franchise changed their name to just Dunkin’, I wasn’t mad at this latte. Ultimately, it was a bit too foamy and the location of the store wasn’t ideal. Could America run on this? Probably not. I’m also giving this one a B- because the almond milk was an extra $1 and I am, as the name of this column implies, a broke bitch.
White Horse Coffee & Creamery (700 West Avenue, Jenkintown, PA 19046)
Price: $4.75
Grade: A-
The barista at White Horse Coffee & Creamery was wearing an acid-washed Pink Floyd t-shirt; I think I’m in love with her. Though I had to park illegally to access this store, their almond milk latte had a nearly perfect foam-to-coffee ratio. I only gave this one an A- because the winner was simply superior.
Starbucks (746 Old York Road, Jenkintown, PA 19046)
Price: $4.15
Grade: B
An American classic that I picked up before a Trader Joe’s run with my roommate! They earned their B rating with their smooth, predictable almond milk latte. Enough said.
Chestnut Hill Coffee Company (8620 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19118)
Price: $5.05
Grade: A+
I paid a visit to Chestnut Hill Coffee Company at 9:00 a.m. on a Friday before a double shift at my waitressing job. Suffice to say that this strong (and pricey) drink was just the thing I needed to thrive and survive. Their almond milk latte wins because it was a perfect balance of sweetness, acidity, and foam. 10/10 recommend to anyone in the Philadelphia region.
Though I won’t be able to reasonably afford the winner’s almond milk latte on a regular basis, Chestnut Hill Coffee Company gets the gold star from Triple B. Whether you brew your daily cup of bean juice at home or have the money to roll through the Dunkin’ drive-through, I hope you enjoy your caffeine kick!
