As the leaves turn vibrant hues and the air begins to crisp, the state’s autumnal charm comes alive. South Dakota coffee shops have crafted an array of autumn-inspired beverages to complement this fan-favorite season.
From warm and comforting concoctions to refreshing sips with a seasonal twist, these drinks are sure to tantalize your taste buds and add a cozy touch to your autumn experience. Join us as we explore this alphabetical list showcasing crafted fall-inspired drinks aimed to warm the soul.
SALTED CARAMEL COLD BREW WITH PUMPKIN SWEET CREAM | BACKROADS COFFEEHOUSE & LUNCHBOXX
When it comes to creating new beverages at Backroads Coffeehouse & Lunchboxx in Watertown, it’s all about collaboration.
Between feedback from customers, ideas from staff members, and input from owner and self-proclaimed visionary Melissa Hericks, there’s no lack of creativity.
The Backroads team prepares for their main autumn beverage as the weather cools and leaves fall.
“Our menu hasn’t featured a salted caramel drink in a while, and customers were asking us to include it in this seasonal menu,” shared Hericks. “We always listen to our customers, and many of our food and drink items come from brainstorming after conversations with them.”
In this particular session, a teammate created a salted caramel-flavored cold brew, while another concocted a recipe for pumpkin sweet cream.
The staff combined the sweet, buttery, and nutty flavors and introduced the Salted Caramel Cold Brew with Pumpkin Sweet Cream.
“This drink is solely made with products from local South Dakota businesses, with our cold brew beans from Cottonwood Coffee in Brookings,” said Hericks.
Backroads Coffeehouse & Lunchboxx was introduced to the community in 2019 and has built a reputable menu.
There’s something for everyone here, from lattes to blended drinks to Lotus Energy Drinks and Italian cream sodas.
On top of the extensive menu, Backroads boasts a chic country café and eatery, with items from across the world scattered throughout.
Hericks says her goal is to promote her venue as a spot to reconnect, meet new people, and catch up with friends.
“If there isn’t any laughing or giggling in my coffeehouse, it’s too quiet for me,” she added.
$6.25 for a 12 oz // 1519 4th St NE, Watertown.
For more information, visit BACKROADSCOFFEEHOUSE.COM+
THE GREAT PUMPKIN LATTE | COFFEA ROASTERIE
This season, Coffea Roasterie at Dawley Farms Village in Sioux Falls introduced The Great Pumpkin Latte—a new take on the café’s classic, Charlie Brown Latte.
“This drink was created last fall just for fun, and it quickly became a favorite among our baristas,” said café manager Hadlie Lund.
“It was such a hit that we decided to bring it to our menu this year,” she continued.
This iced latte contains a blend of espresso, milk, and house-made brown sugar syrup.
The finishing touch is a layer of creamy pumpkin foam, made with “Charlie Brown sauce”—Coffea’s take on pumpkin spice.
The foam retains all of the sweet flavor, slowly trickling down, creating a refreshing take on a pumpkin spice latte.
Lund says the release of The Great Pumpkin Latte was moved forward due to the success of another seasonal favorite, the Honey Blueberry Latte.
Similar in style, the espresso-based drink was topped with blueberry foam.
“It became our most popular latte throughout the summer, and customers were so sad to see it go,” added Lund. “We had to give them a fall alternative, which you can only get at the Dawley Farms location.”
After opening its flagship café, bakery, and roastery on the west side in 2009, Coffea Roasterie opened its downtown location in 2013, and then its Dawley location in 2017.
“We’re locally owned and operated, and are passionate about roasting and serving ethically-sourced, high-quality coffees,” said Lund.
$6.95 for a 16 oz // 500 S Highline Pl #110, Sioux Falls.
For more information, visit COFFEAROASTERIE.COM+
AUTUMN HARVEST LATTE | ESSENCE OF COFFEE
Photos by Cadey Reisner
It all starts with the bean for this specialty latte.
Beginning with freshly-ground Autumn Blend espresso, baristas infuse the shot with a precisely-measured blend of housemade caramel apple flavoring and top it off with milk.
The final step is a flame-toasted cinnamon garnish to complete what owner Michael Fewson calls “real specialty coffee.”
With a smooth chocolatey mouth feel and hints of red wine and sweet cherry, the Autumn Blend espresso complements the full-bodied taste of the latte.
“It has a sweet tang that blends well without overpowering the smooth flavors of the espresso beans,” explained Michael.
Michael and his wife, Lesley, launched Essence of Coffee in Perth, Australia—a known coffee mecca. After falling in love with the Black Hills, the Fewsons moved the coffee shop to Rapid City and opened in 2015.
“Our artisan coffee requires the one-of-a-kind obsession of a fanatic roaster—the kind Australia is famous for,” said Michael.
The beans are single-origin, hand-picked, and sun-dried, in addition to being roasted with particular attention to their specific characteristics.
On top of specialty drinks, the shop boasts a café with an Australian vibe and menu. They also send their specialty bean roasts across the country.
“We celebrate both the farmer and the coffee drinker,” said Michael, noting the shop’s dedication to excellence and sustainability. “We want the farming family to prosper, and we want you to enjoy your exceptional coffee.”
$5.25 for a 12 oz. // 908 MAIN ST, RAPID CITY.
For more information, visit ESSENCEOFCOFFEE.COM+
AFTERNOON DELIGHT AFFOGATO | GATHER
For those who love iced coffee year-round, opt for what Gather owner Angie Reppe considers an upgraded iced latte: the Afternoon Delight Affogato.
“It’s a coffee lover’s dream dessert,” shared Reppe.
Affogato is an Italian dessert that translates to “drowned” in English, as it’s made with a scoop and a half of vanilla ice cream and is topped with a fresh double shot of espresso.
Customers can customize the drink with flavored syrup, sweet cream foam, or whipped cream.
“The magic of an affogato is how the ice cream plays nice with the intense flavor of espresso to enhance, but not overtake, one another,” explained Reppe. “It melts in your mouth with every bite and finishes with vanilla bliss.”
The Watertown-based coffee shop opened in October 2017, and will be celebrating its seventh anniversary this fall. With a patio and spacious interior, it’s a great place to meet up with friends or colleagues.
“Watertown, along with surrounding area residents, have made our shop a staple and a ‘must’ on their to-do list when family and friends come to town,” said Reppe.
The roasterie also offers a variety of beans, k-cups, and coffee post packs, and does custom orders for other coffee shops, restaurants, and grocery stores.
$6.00 // 122 E KEMP AVE, WATERTOWN.
For more information, visit FACEBOOK.COM+
PAUL BUNYAN LATTE | KOOL BEANS COFFEE AND ROASTERIE
For a drink you’ll be wanting year round, make a trip to Brookings for the Paul Bunyan Latte.
Available at Kool Beans Coffee and Roasterie on Main Avenue, the unique blend of maple, nut, and cinnamon creates the perfect autumn taste.
Instead of espresso, the drink’s base is a concentrated cold brew, then steamed with the customer’s milk preference, and organic maple syrup.
To top it off, the barista garnishes the drink with cinnamon dusted over a stencil from Brookings Engraving.
“We had so many requests for the drink out of season that we brought it back for one day this spring,” said founder and owner Kurt Osborne.
In addition to creative seasonal recipes, Kool Beans roasts their beans on-site, selling different regular, decaf, and flavored beans like Toasted Maple Nut and Cinnamon Roll.
All-organic Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans, single-serve pour overs, and Chedda Buzz, Rokt Vit, Old Yeller, and Smokey Joe coffee cheeses made with the South Dakota State University Dairy Science program are also available to purchase.
“Kool Beans started with a popcorn popper roasting coffee in our garage in 2011,” Osborne shared.
Kool Beans was officially formed in 2012 and opened their first storefront in downtown Brookings in 2017. In 2021, they moved into the current location, and last year Erinn Thomas, Kurt’s daughter, joined the team full-time as manager.
In 2023, Kool Beans roasted 15 tons of coffee.
“We are community-focused, driven by a commitment to sustainable practices, exceptional customer service, an inviting atmosphere, and elevating your coffee experience,” shared Thomas.
$5 for a medium // 225 MAIN AVE S, BROOKINGS.
For more information, visit KOOLBEANSCOFFEE.NET+
BOTTLED LATTES | LADELLE AND FOURTH COFFEEHOUSE
For a seasonal taste that’s convenient, but doesn’t skimp on the quality, opt for a bottled latte from LaDelle and Fourth Coffeehouse in Dell Rapids.
This season’s fall lineup includes Pumpkin Spice Latte, Apple Crisp Latte, “Pete,” White Chocolate Mocha, Pumpkin Spice Chai, Caramel Latte, and Vanilla Chai.
“Generally speaking, our coffees are less sweet than your typical latte from a chain coffeehouse,” said co-owner Amie Delgado. “Our beans are roasted just dark enough to have that ‘classic nostalgic taste,’ but light enough to pull through some brighter, more defined notes.”
Try the Apple Crisp Latte—a subtle mix of apple, irish cream, caramel, cinnamon, and white chocolate. Or opt for fan favorite, the “Pete.” This latte was originally created by the shop’s first employee, and has a cozy taste of vanilla, butterscotch, caramel, and a touch of chocolate.
Amie and her husband, Aaron, opened the coffee shop in 2016 with a passion for people and a love for community. This year they noticed a trend in coffee shops to bottle their own house-made drinks, and thought it would be a great fit for customers with busy schedules, hectic mornings, or for those who live a little farther away.
Now the drinks can be ordered all week and set up for in-store pickup or delivery on Thursdays, and a subscription service is also available.
If you’re looking for a sweet treat to pair with the drink, LaDelle and Fourth has a large selection of baked goods made in-house and fresh daily.
“On Saturdays it’s a mad dash to get our cinnamon and caramel rolls before they sell out,” shared Amie.
For the Delgados, it’s all about creating a family- friendly atmosphere that considers the customer’s needs. They aim to provide a welcoming space for professionals, parents, and young children.
Inside the shop you’ll find a themed play area with a kid’s “coffee” menu and a build-your-own-sundae option featuring South Dakota State University ice cream.
“We have met most of our closest family friends by first serving them coffee,” revealed Amie.
$6.50 // 336 E 4TH ST, DELL RAPIDS.
For more information, visit LADELLEANDFOURTHCOFFEE.COM+
SWEET POTATO PIE COLD BREW | THE PURPLE PIGEON COFFEEHOUSE
For a dessert-like experience in a cup, try The Purple Pigeon Coffeehouse’s Sweet Potato Pie Cold Brew.
The Chamberlain coffeehouse takes its spin on the traditional fall favorite treat with its in-house cold brew topped with a cold foam made from Sweet Potato Caramel.
With rich, earthy, and comforting-tasting notes, this drink combines the natural sweetness of roasted sweet potatoes with nutmeg, cinnamon, and buttery caramel.
When creating new recipes at The Purple Pigeon, owner Deanna Muellenberg says it all starts with the shop’s decadent syrups.
“We specialize in handcrafting all of our syrups that are added to our espresso and cold brew drinks to enhance the natural flavors and notes of the espresso beans,” she explained.
Fresh ingredients, flavorful spices, and organic sugars are all used in the Pigeon kitchen to make each syrup.
“My goal is to educate our customers on how coffee was meant to taste, rather than using sweeteners made in large quantities and bottled with artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives,” shared Muellenberg.
The Purple Pigeon Coffeehouse is Chamberlain’s newest member on Main Street, just opening this past July 4.
The interior is decked with zany photographs, décor, and furniture, creating a fun meet-up spot the town hadn’t seen before.
But for Muellenberg, there was more behind opening and creating the space for her community. It was a dream of hers to open a coffee shop, but she typically wrote it off as a passing thought.
Once her sister, Denise, passed away from a long battle with breast cancer, Muellenberg wasn’t sure how she was going to go on with life without her built-in best friend.
Until she remembered this one piece of advice Denise had given her: “Do not put things off you want to do because you think you will have more time later. If there is something you want to do, go do it.”
$7 // 119 N MAIN ST, CHAMBERLAIN.
For more information, visit FACEBOOK.COM+
GREY SKIES | THE SOURCE COFFEE ROASTERY + TAPROOM
For a down-to-earth take on a fall refreshment, try the Grey Skies latte from The Source Coffee Roastery + Taproom located in the heart of downtown Sioux Falls.
The latte blends the flavors of earl grey, apricot, nutmeg, anise, and sage with the rich flavors of espresso and steamed milk.
“The earl grey and spices are pretty earthy, so adding the apricot brightens the drink,” said assistant manager and menu curator Karissa West.
As a finishing touch, the drink is topped with a beautiful star anise—highlighting the syrup’s overall flavor through aroma and scent.
When it comes to creating new seasonal beverages, West draws inspiration from travel, upcoming trending flavors, and researching drinks from other parts of the world.
“I often research trending flavors and put a fun and interesting twist on them,” shared West.
The barista has always loved making and serving customers drinks they will enjoy, all while pushing them outside of their comfort zone.
Kristin Chau and her family opened The Source Coffee Roastery & Taproom in 2018, finding its home in the infamous Jones421 Market.
The coffee shop stemmed from the rebranding of Black Sheep Coffee. After 16 years of being in the industry, Chau notes she wouldn’t be where she is today without the love and support from her community.
“At the end of the day, community is what changes lives, and we’re thankful our coffee has allowed us to build relationships which have ultimately transformed our space into what most people refer to as ‘home,’” she added.
The Source has their roaster on site, which allows customers to see up close and personal how their coffee is being processed and handled from green beans to the mug.
“They can enjoy the experience of visually seeing the beans transform from a raw green bean into the aromatic flavorful cup that they enjoy in-house,” explained Chau.
In addition to selling all things coffee, The Source includes a taproom—offering 16 self-serve taps, allowing customers to taste test or experiment with different brew options. They also serve wine, seltzers, and a large selection of tea.
“We promise to keep you on your toes, but at the end of the day, come in for a hug from me and a great cup of coffee,” said Chau. “It’s worth the visit!”
$6 for a 12 oz // 421 N PHILLIPS AVE, SIOUX FALLS.
For more information, visit THESOURCESF.COM+
