Your Fall Guide to All Things Pumpkin Spice in Jax

Grey Matter Distillery is putting a pumpkin spin on the classic espresso martini.

Nothing feels more like fall than that first sip of a pumpkin spice latte — iced, of course, because Northeast Florida and 90-degree weather through October. As much as I’d like to don my 2008 Uggs and oversized cardigan, it just isn’t happening until at least mid-December. So, until then, I intend to channel those brisk autumn days with all the pumpkin spice-flavored goodness!

READ: Just Trying to Be a Basic Fall B in Florida

No shade, but we promise it’s okay to branch out from Starbucks. From cold brews to beer and all the donuts in between, Jacksonville is brimming with coffee shops and breweries full of local pumpkin spice flavor. Light your favorite pumpkin-scented candle (I love The Candle Garden‘s Toasted Pumpkin) and check out a few of our favorite local pumpkin-esque drinks, eats, and treats.

The Mini Bar offers their own spin on the pumpkin spice latte, along with their amazing pumpkin donuts.

Coffee Shops

1985 Coffee (Atlantic Beach): The charming 1985 Coffee has its pumpkin spice latte available now, made with a delicious homemade vegan syrup. Their Fall Flight featuring a sampler of four autumn-inspired bevs will be out Sept. 24.

Bitty & Beau’s (San Marco): The upbeat and uplifting Bitty & Beau’s in San Marco recently released their classic PSL and frappe, available now.

Brass Tacks (Southside, Fruit Cove): Check out the Brass Tacks sweater weather menu which includes the classic PSL, Pumpkin Chai, White Pumpkin, Maple White, Mr. Vermont, and Caramel Brulee lattes, along with their Butterbeer Cold Brew, Caramel Apple Cider, and Pecan Pie Fog.

Foxtail Coffee Co. (Ponte Vedra Beach, San Marco): Foxtail Coffee‘s mouth-watering fall menu is now out and features the Caramel Apple Butter Chai, Pumpkin Spice Latte, Amaretto Latte, and the Maple Pancake Cold Brew.

pumpkin spice
Ground Level in downtown Jax offers their delicious housemade vegan pumpkin syrup.

Ground Level (downtown): Located on the ground level of the Bank of America Building downtown and under the same ownership as 1985 Coffee, Ground Level offers their delicious homemade vegan pumpkin syrup in whatever your heart desires.

Ink Factory Brewing (Jacksonville Beach): Typically known for its tap beers, Ink Factory also has an attached coffee shop featuring the Nutty Pumpkin Latte, made with pistachio and spiced pumpkin, alongside a few other fall concoctions.

Jacksonville Coffee Company (Beach & Kernan, Southside): Jacksonville Coffee Company‘s fall menu is out now and includes their PSL and Pumpkin Cold Foam Cold Brews.

Mechanism Coffee Roasters (Baymeadows): Located near IKEA, Mechanism released its fall menu in early September, featuring their Pumpkin Patch Latte, Caramel Apple Chai, and Maple Cold Brew.

The Mini Bar (Gate Parkway): The Mini Bar‘s fall menu kicks off Sept. 14! Regular or iced, you can’t go wrong with their pumpkin spice lattes and cold brews topped with their signature cold foam. Their fall donut flavors include Pumpkin French Toast (pumpkin donut + maple glaze + cinnamon sugar) and Pumpkin Pecan Cheesecake (pumpkin donut + cream cheese frosting + graham cracker crumbs + bourbon candy pecan). They also have an upcoming partnership with Mixed Fillings Pie Shop, follow @minibardonuts on Instagram for details.

Royal Moose Coffee Company (Middleburg): Fall is in full swing at the Royal Moose Coffee Company, with their Maple Brown Sugar Latte, Pumpkin Spice Macchiato, Maple Butterscotch Latte, Pumpkin Cookie Latte, classic PSL, and pumpkin muffins.

Sippers Coffeehouse (Deerwood): Sippers‘ fall menu just hit and features flavored lattes inspired by the 2015 Peanuts Movie, including Patty’s Pumpkin Spice, Lucy’s Carmelized Apple, Marcie’s Maple Leaf, Sally’s S’more, Schroeder’s Apple Symphony, and The Great Pumpkin. They also offer freshly baked pumpkin spice muffins, maple bacon donuts, and their trademark cinnamon rolls.

Southern Grounds’ fall menu is always a local favorite.

Southern Grounds (Neptune Beach, San Marco, Avondale, JAX Airport): Southern Grounds is a local coffeehouse favorite that boasts an abundance of fall-approved lattes including Samoa, White Pumpkin, Pumpkin Chai, Campfire Mocha, and French Toast Crunch.

Spring Park Coffee (Green Cove Springs): If you happen to be in Green Cove Springs, try the pumpkin cold foam, Maple White, White Pumpkin, Pumpkin Chai, or Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin at Spring Park Coffee. Get your coffee for free if your name is on their “name of the day” sign!

The Urban Bean Coffeehouse (Orange Park): Urban Bean‘s fall menu is out now and features housemade pumpkin spice syrup. Lattes include the Pumpkin Dunker (topped with a pumpkin donut!), Pumpkin Pie Latte, Snickerdoodle, Maple White Mocha, and more.

READ: Meet Our Favorite Local Coffee Shops in Jax

The Salted Caramel Holey Donuts at First Watch are a fall favorite.

Breakfast & Brunch

Another Broken Egg Cafe (various locations): Another Broken Egg Cafe just released their Tiramisu French Toast for fall, filled with cream cheese, topped with espresso whipped cream, and dusted with cocoa powder.

Denny’s (various locations): Available for a limited time, Denny’s famous Pumpkin Pecan Pancakes are here, made with pumpkin pie filling and topped with glazed pecans and a rich pecan pie sauce.

First Watch (various locations): First Watch‘s seasonal menu includes the Pumpkin Pancake Breakfast, Salted Caramel Holey Donuts, and the Honey Caramel Crunch Iced Coffee, available now!

Metro Diner (various locations): Definitely don’t miss Metro Diner‘s Pumpkin Bread Pudding and Pumpkin-Stuffed Waffles for breakfast or brunch.

Parlor Doughnuts in Jacksonville Beach offers a full fall menu of sweet treats and drinks.

Sweet Treats

Cinotti’s (Jacksonville Beach): Cinotti’s is well known for their trademark pumpkin spice donuts, which hit Sept. 27 this year. Definitely go early and order online to ensure you get some before they sell out.

Jax Bread Co. (Baymeadows): Jax Bread Co. is serving up some major autumn sweetness with their Pumpkin Pecan Supreme pastry and classic PSL to go with it.

The Mini Bar (Gate Parkway): The Mini Bar‘s fall menu kicks off Sept. 14! Their fall donut flavors include Pumpkin French Toast (pumpkin donut + maple glaze + cinnamon sugar) and Pumpkin Pecan Cheesecake (pumpkin donut + cream cheese frosting + graham cracker crumbs + bourbon candy pecan). They also have an upcoming partnership with Mixed Fillings Pie Shop; follow @minibardonuts on Instagram for details.

Nothing Bundt Cakes (various locations): The tantalizing combination of savory pumpkin and spices crowned with Nothing Bundt Cakes‘ signature cream cheese frosting is available now.

Parlor Doughnuts (Jacksonville Beach, Saint Johns): Parlor Doughnuts‘ fall flavors include Pumpkin Chai Cheesecake, Salted Caramel, and Apple Pie, along with a few delicious drinks: Apple Spiced Chai, Pumpkin Cold Foam, Fall Spice Latte, and Salted Butterscotch Latte.

Small Cakes Cupcakery & Creamery (various locations): Check out Small Cakes‘ rotating menu online and keep an eye out for their Pumpkin and Maple Buttered Pecan cupcake flavors this month, along with their Pumpkin Ale.

Sweet Theory Baking Co. (Riverside): Experience Sweet Theory‘s Little Deborah’s fall edition with maple frosting for a gluten-free treat.

Whit’s Custard (availability varies by location): In September, Whit’s Custard features fall flavors of the day such as Pumpkin Roll, Caramel Apple Pie, and Snickerdoodle Cookie.

Southern Swells
The autumn harvest brews at Southern Swells will be released on Sept. 28.

Breweries

Bold City Brewery (Riverside): Bold City is brewing up its mildly spiced pumpkin ale, made with roasted pumpkin puree. Available on tap while supplies last.

Grey Matter Distillery (Atlantic Beach): Grey Matter in Atlantic Beach (you know the one — they have the cutest themes, located right by Reve Brewing!) has many of their fall drinks out now, including their Pumpkin Espresso Martini, Pumpkin Pie Frozen Cocktail, Peach Cobbler Old Fashioned, and Salted Caramel Apple. On October 2, they will be releasing their Ghost Pepper Marg, Blood Orange Creamsicle, and Butter Beer. Stay tuned for some spooky decor, too, before they break out the Christmas Vacation decor in November!

Reve Brewing (Atlantic Beach): Keep an eye out for Reve Brewing‘s Octoberfest brews coming this month and their Pumpkin Spiced Barrel Aged Stout hitting in October or November. Bonus: Their in-house Bones Pizza is amazing.

Southern Swells Brewing Co. (Jacksonville Beach): Southern Swells will be releasing their autumn harvest brews on Sept. 28, including their Hazelnut Longroad, Pumpkin Longroad, and Fall Sweltzer Cocktail.

Wicked Barley (Baymeadows): Don’t miss Wicked Barley‘s 8th annual Pumpkin Festival + Fall Market the weekend of Oct. 4–6, where they’ll be releasing their many fall-inspired options: Pumpkin Quad, Spiced Apple Cider, Pumpkin Old Fashioned (made with bourbon barrel aged seltzer), Autumn Spritz, How ‘Bout Them Apples? Seltzer Cocktail, Pumpkin Bread Amber Ale, Pumpkin Pie Lager, and Pumpkin Spice Latte Milk Stout.

What pumpkin-spiced item is your must-have every year? What other pumpkin-flavored items have you found in our area that you are excited to try?

Tina Smithers Peckham
Originally from Kansas City, Tina Smithers Peckham relocated to Jacksonville, FL, with her dear husband, feisty cat, and sweet-natured corgi mix in 2016. After eight years working various gigs in New York City from magazine publishing to digital marketing, Tina joined the world of freelance, writing and reporting for a variety of publications and websites including MTV News, ET Online, Glamour, Us Weekly and more. Tina has also assisted with social media, editorial and, content strategy for brands and personalities such as Britney Spears, Jordin Sparks, Beauty Brands, truTV and WE tv. When she’s not plugging away on her laptop, she can be found exploring the Jacksonville beaches, reading a good book or enjoying a local coffee shop with her cherub-cheeked little boys, Archer and Austin.

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