My first stop when I go home to California is, without fail, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. When I’m asked to choose between Dunkin’ and Starbucks, my secret third option is always Coffee Bean. And when I’m hosting family, friends, my college roommates, or my significant other at my parent’s house, our morning coffee is, you guessed it, from Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. For the newcomers, though, it can be difficult to decide what to order at Coffee Bean, especially given the wide range of handcrafted beverages made with various types of imported coffee beans. Each bev, from my favorite House Blend to the Orchard Green Peach Tea to the classic vanilla latte, boasts a deep and delicious flavor. But when the options are that good, how do you know what to order at Coffee Bean?
What is Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf?
Long before the Seattle coffee craze of the 1990s, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf (or Coffee Bean or CBTL for the West Coasters) began brewing coffee in Los Angeles, California. After opening its flagship store in 1963, Coffee Bean quickly gained popularity thanks to its internationally imported coffee beans and unique selection of coffee and tea drinks beyond the standard cup of joe. While the Starbucks Frappuccino may be the more well-known blended coffee drink, they arguably owe it to CBTL, which debuted its signature Ice Blended several years prior to Starbs. Although Coffee Bean already had a few different locations in the Los Angeles area and was popular among locals, the Ice Blended made them a household name along the West Coast.
What should I order at Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf?
As iconic as it is, the Ice Blended isn’t the only thing on Coffee Bean’s menu. Like most coffee shops now, Coffee Bean has a long list of beverages including coffee, tea, and signature blends, plus a variety of small meals and bakery items. Some lattes and Ice Blended drinks are seasonal, but there’s still a delicious selection of menu mainstays regardless of the time of year. Here are 14 coffees, teas, snacks and other beverages to order the next time you’re at Coffee Bean.
Cookie Butter Latte
Biscoff lovers, rejoice. This beverage originally started out as a seasonal offering for the holidays, but was so loved that it’s now an official menu item year-round. Coffee Bean’s speculoos Cookie Butter latte combines premium espresso and steamed milk with spices and brown sugar cookie flavors to create a sweet and cozy coffee.
Hibiscus Berry Sunrise
If you’re a fan of Starbucks’ Passion Tea Lemonade, prepare to be impressed by CBTL’s (IMO, better) version. This drink features Coffee Bean’s iced Swedish Berries tea infused with hibiscus flowers layered over lemonade for a refreshing, caffeine-free beverage that is perfectly sweet and tart.
Dry Americano
An Americano is an espresso drink that is diluted with water, and this TikTok-famous Coffee Bean drink is made by pouring espresso shots over ice to keep it “dry.” It comes in a variety of flavors such as the classic vanilla, cookie butter, and hazelnut, plus seasonal varieties, such as Pumpkin Spice or Peppermint Bark, and is typically made with CB powder and half & half.
Cookies & Cream Ice Blended
This combination of creamy vanilla, fresh espresso, and crunchy chocolate cookie pieces creates a delightful coffee-flavored twist on an ice cream classic. You can also order it “Pure” (aka without coffee) for a kid-friendly version, or if you aren’t a fan of espresso .
Orchard Peach Green Tea
It’s no secret that I am terrible at drinking water, but this caffeine-free iced tea from Coffee Bean is the perfect way to stay hydrated. It’s peachy but not overly sweet on its own, or I’ll add a sugar packet or two if I’m feeling fancy.
Midnight Mocha Cold Brew Latte
A blend of cold brew and dark chocolate with the right amount of sweetness and a naturally occurring hint of berries thanks to CBTL’s coffee beans makes this sweet and smooth latte a must-try for mocha fans.
Iced Matcha Latte
Coffee Bean’s signature move is adding their signature French Deluxe Vanilla powder to their lattes in lieu of simple syrup or sugar. The result is a delicious blend of freshly pulled shots of concentrated tea leaves that’s delicately complemented by vanilla, and the sweetness cuts through the matcha’s “grassy” flavor with ease. I’m not a huge matcha girlie, but I will never turn down Coffee Bean’s Matcha Latte.
House Blend Brewed Coffee
Black coffee fans, this one is for you. I love Coffee Bean’s House Blend so much that I routinely buy whole bean bags, grounds, and K-cups and either make room in my suitcase for it, or ship it across the country to have at home in New Jersey.
#SpoonTip: If you wanna jazz it up a touch, I love to get ½ a scoop of vanilla powder in mine for the most classic CB vibes without any milk.
Mango Cold Brew Tea
Fake tropical fruit tends to give me the ick, but Coffee Bean’s Mango Cold Brew Tea is far from fake. This cold-brewed Scottish Breakfast tea is blended with sweet mango puree over ice to create a refreshing, tropical treat.
Vegan Banana Walnut Loaf
A perfect breakfast treat or sweet snack, and it’s vegan. Coffee Bean’s banana walnut loaf is deliciously moist, sweet but not too sweet, and has a delightful texture from the chopped nuts. It’s so good that even banana bread queen Chrissy Teigen got in on the action for a 2023 collaboration with CBTL.
Vanilla Latte
Seemingly so simple, and yet so delicious thanks to Coffee Bean’s signature French Deluxe Vanilla powder. This drink is standardly made with Freshly pulled shots of espresso over vanilla powder and nonfat milk, and can be served over ice, or served hot and topped with thick foam.
#SpoonTip: Not a fan of sweet coffee? They also have a Lightened Vanilla Latte, available hot or iced.
Vietnamese Cold Brew Coffee
Vietnamese coffee is usually stronger and has more body thank your standard coffee or espresso, since it’s usually made with Robusta beans. Coffee spin on a wildly popular Vietnamese café staple combines sweetened condensed milk with dark-roasted Cold Brew Coffee. What’s not to love when strong coffee and sweet cream are whisked together and poured over pellet ice?
Egg, Spinach and Cheddar Ciabatta Sandwich
I’m not kidding when I say that this sandwich got me through high school. It’s an easy and convenient grab-and-go item to eat cold, or you can order it toasted. Plus, it has 25 grams of protein for staying power in the morning before work, or to get you through an afternoon study session.
Coffee Bean’s Pellet Ice
Yes, you read that correctly. CBTL has the most perfect ice, and I will spend my life trying to replicate it at home. For now, though, it’s just an excuse to go get more coffee.