Strawberries for spring? Groundbreaking. Whole Foods isn’t reinventing the wheel by introducing their new Berry Chantilly Latte to customers this spring, inspired by their Berry Chantilly Cake, the Whole Foods Bakery darling of many a birthday and graduation celebration across the country.
But what they are doing is building upon the success of a customer favorite: vanilla cake layers scented with almond extract and filled with fresh mixed berries and mascarpone frosting. Not too sweet, and perfect for a spring gathering. The latte satisfies in the same way…that is, if you can find it.
I first tried a slice of the Berry Chantilly Cake this past September when news outlets reported Whole Foods’ decision to change the beloved recipe of the cake due to standardization across storefronts, sparking nationwide outrage over the alteration of the instant classic. Much to the pleasure of many, they quickly reversed their decision.
The cake is light and a crowd pleaser in the simplest sense. Its iconic fresh berry and almond flavor has been introduced in latte form, and customers have a lot to say.
“It’s so good…I don’t think it’s too sweet, and I still get a good, strong coffee flavor,” says TikTok user Anna Fenstermacher. Others were not as impressed by the beverage, with Delish’s Megan Schaltegger saying that it doesn’t do the cake justice. Either way, I donned my raincoat and set out into the rain to hunt down the viral refreshment.
I arrived at my local Whole Foods in Brooklyn and located the espresso bar, hidden away on the second floor of the store. Truthfully, I didn’t even know it was there. Descending the staircase towards the entrance of the store, I found communal tables, where groups of folks were enjoying sushi with friends or typing away on laptops, a cup of soup steaming next to their keyboards. Much to my disappointment, the coffee bar was closed.
I made my way downstairs and made some phone calls in the parking lot. One Whole Foods in Fort Greene didn’t have a coffee bar. Another on Wall Street had one, but their team member didn’t show up for their shift. The optics weren’t looking good. I made a phone call to the Whole Foods in Tribeca and asked to speak to the barista himself. He answered the phone chipperly.
“Please…Are you open, did you show up for your shift, and do you have the Berry Chantilly Latte?” After a cautious pause, he confirmed yes on all fronts. It was a go.
I arrived at the coffee bar and placed my order, informing them that this was the fourth Whole Foods I had attempted to find the latte at. “Seriously? We just introduced it last week…” he replied. A combination of poor logistics and virality is funny that way, I suppose.
After searching high and low and shelling out $4.75, I was happy to discover that the latte is very good. It’s very sweet, if you’re into that. My coffee order leans toward a cortado with milk and no sugar, so this was out of my comfort zone. But even so, it’s hard to hate something so candied and cool.
Taking my first sip, I was first hit with the strong aroma of fresh strawberry, as if macerated and spooned atop soft shortcake. The sweet, vanilla-scented berry mellows out into mild cream, giving way to the nutty taste of almond and bitter espresso at the finish.
That’s what I appreciate most about the latte: it actually tastes like coffee. If I wanted a strawberry milkshake, I’d go anywhere else, but for my afternoon coffee fix with a little kiss of sweetness, this fits the bill very nicely. It’s worth the trip, and if I were you, I’d call your barista ahead of time.
Have you managed to get your hands on the elusive Berry Chantilly Latte? Let me know all your thoughts in the comments.
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