7 Winter Coffee Drinks to Try at Your Local Café

When the temperature drops, your local café likely swaps iced drinks for warm, spiced, and creamy options. But with so many seasonal specials on the menu—some traditional, some inventive—it’s hard to know what you’re really ordering. Here’s a clear guide to seven popular winter coffee drinks, how they’re made, and what makes each one unique.

If you’re looking for cozy, flavorful winter coffee drinks at cafés, try Caffè Fantasia (chocolate, orange, and cream), Kaffee Piccolo (espresso with cream and chocolate), or Belgian coffee (espresso with apple cider). Each offers a different balance of warmth, bitterness, and sweetness.

1. Caffè Fantasia: Chocolate, Citrus & Cream

This rich dessert-like coffee combines dark roast coffee with chocolate syrup, orange juice, and fresh cream. It’s finished with grated orange peel for aroma.

• 150ml dark roast coffee
• 30ml chocolate syrup
• 10ml fresh orange juice
• 20ml stirred cream
• a little orange peel

Pour the chocolate syrup and orange juice into the cup, add the coffee, then float the stirred cream on top. Garnish with a bit of orange peel.

2. Kaffee Piccolo: A Small Espresso Treat

A tiny but bold drink, Kaffee Piccolo is made with just 60ml of dark roast espresso, topped with 10ml of stirred cream and a teaspoon of chocolate shavings.

• 60ml dark roast coffee
• 10ml stirred cream
• 1 tsp chocolate shavings

Pour the espresso, add the cream on top, and sprinkle chocolate shavings over the foam.

3. Decaffeinated Coffee (Kaffee Hag)

Served in two sizes—170ml for large, 70ml for small—this is simply decaf coffee served as-is. Service can include a glass of water and spoon on the side, or water in the cup with the spoon resting on the rim.

• Large: 170ml decaf coffee
• Small: 70ml decaf coffee

Decaf coffee is served in a cup. Optional service includes placing a glass of water and a spoon either on a tray or in the cup with the spoon on the rim.

4. Café Noir: Pure Black Coffee

This is straightforward black coffee—70ml of dark roast served plain, with nothing added.

• 70ml dark roast coffee

Pour the dark roast coffee directly into the cup and serve as is.

5. Café Normandie: Coffee Meets Cider

This drink presents 70ml of dark roast coffee alongside 150ml of apple cider, either served separately or mixed together in one glass depending on the café.

• 70ml dark roast coffee
• 150ml apple cider

Serve the coffee and apple cider in separate glasses, or mix them together in one cup before serving.

6. Café de Menthe: Coffee with Mint Liqueur

A warming mix of 150ml of slightly dark roast coffee, 10g sugar, 15ml white mint liqueur, and 20ml stirred cream.

• 150ml slightly dark roast coffee
• 10g sugar
• 15ml white mint liqueur
• 20ml stirred cream

Add sugar and mint liqueur to the cup, pour in the coffee, then float the stirred cream on top.

7. Café de Belgique: Coffee with Ice Cream & Egg White

This indulgent drink blends 150ml of slightly dark roast coffee with 1 egg white (beaten), 20ml of 45% fat stirred cream, and 1 scoop of vanilla ice cream.

• 150ml slightly dark roast coffee
• 1 egg white
• 20ml 45% fat stirred cream
• 1 scoop vanilla ice cream

Beat the egg white until frothy, gently mix in the stirred cream. In a glass, add the vanilla ice cream and beaten egg-white mixture, then pour hot coffee on top.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Caffè Fantasia and what’s in it?

Caffè Fantasia is a winter café drink made with 150ml of dark roast coffee, 30ml of chocolate syrup, 10ml of orange juice, 20ml of stirred cream, and a little orange peel. It combines chocolate, citrus, and coffee flavors with a creamy finish.

How is Kaffee Piccolo different from a regular latte?

Kaffee Piccolo is much smaller, using just 60ml of dark roast espresso topped with 10ml of stirred cream and 1 teaspoon of chocolate shavings. It’s not mixed with steamed milk like a latte, making it stronger and less milky.

What’s the difference between Café Noir and regular black coffee?

Café Noir specifically refers to 70ml of dark roast coffee served plain, with no additions. It’s essentially a straightforward black coffee, often associated with European-style service.

Can I make Belgian coffee at home with different ice cream flavors?

Yes, while the traditional recipe uses vanilla ice cream, you can experiment with other flavors. The key components are the slightly dark roast coffee, beaten egg white, stirred cream, and ice cream—flavor combinations are flexible.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans for Winter Coffee Drinks

For winter coffee drinks like Caffè Fantasia and Café de Menthe, FrontStreet’s Classic Blend offers balanced notes of dark chocolate, roasted hazelnuts, and malted barley—perfect for espresso-based drinks with cream or liqueur. The PWN Golden Mandheling SOE brings warm spices, caramel, and black cherry notes that complement milk and citrus flavors, ideal for creamy or spiced drinks. Both beans are expertly roasted for smooth crema and rich mouthfeel. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.