Starbucks Reserve Adds 2 Hot Honey Items To Its US Menus

Considering that 55% of consumers were interested in foods with spicy honey in 2023, according to T. Hasegawa, it only makes sense that Starbucks is hopping on the trend in 2024. In fact, it's already behind mega-chains like Outback and California Pizza Kitchen, which both introduced new hot honey menu items last year — but pairing coffee with the condiment can seem a little wild at first, so it's understandable why the chain waited until it got it right. Beginning on March 26, 2024, you can find Starbucks' brand new hot honey beverages in its Reserve Roasteries stores in Chicago, New York City, and Seattle, per a press release sent to Tasting Table.

The drinks in question are called the Hot Honey Affogato and the Hot Honey Espresso Martini, and they're as fancy as they are spicy. The starring ingredient, a combination of wildflower honey and premium chili peppers, is drizzled over the top of the affogato, which also involves vanilla gelato, Starbucks Reserve Espresso, Scrappy's Orange and Firewater Bitters, and an Amarena cherry garnish. The martini features the same espresso, along with Kalak Single Malt Vodka, vanilla syrup, Ancho Reyes Chile Liqueur, and hot honey, and is topped with a sweet and spicy cold foam and black sesame seeds. Both drinks will be available through summer.

Beyond the two new drinks, there will be plenty more hot honey goodness to explore at Starbucks in the near future. If you visit a Reserve Roastery, you can also add the fiery condiment to a variety of its snacks, including Salame Piccante Pizza, Margherita Pizza, and Pancetta & Avocado Toast. Plus, per the press release, the chain is hinting that a new spicy treat or drink may be widely available at its regular stores sometime this spring (perhaps confirming recent rumors that Starbucks is adding spicy Lemonade Refreshers).

And if you're curious about the method behind the (hot honey) madness, you'll be able to learn more at Starbucks Reserve Roasteries and the Reserve Store at the Empire State Building. The "It Started Here First" experience allows you to try making some of the chain's drinks and cocktails (for $60 per person at the Empire State location), which will soon include the Hot Honey Affogato. 

Also on the experience's lineup is the Oleato Deconstructed, an olive oil and lemon-laced beverage which made its debut on the chain's menu in 2023. Whether the new sweet and spicy "swicy" trend will stick around on Starbucks' menu long-term is yet to be determined, but considering that infusing cocktails is one of our favorite ways to use hot honey, we're intrigued by these new spring items.