‘Tis the season for pumpkin spice everything, inspired by the infamous Starbuck’s pumpkin spice latte. But as more and more businesses participate in the pumpkin spice trend, the question arises: Can any other latte compare to Starbucks’? We at the Clog took to the streets of Berkeley to answer this question, and to find out whether Peet’s analogous beverage could ever compete.

The Starbucks pumpkin spice latte:

Of course, we had to start with the OG PSL. Sweet and spicy, we definitely understand how this latte rose to fame. The sweetness of the latte definitely masks the taste of the coffee, so if you like a bitter drink, this is definitely not for you. But with a delicious foamy topping and a yummy, sweet taste of fall, this latte is definitely worthy of the hype and the dozens of Instagram pictures.

The competitor, Peet’s, pumpkin latte:

As a Berkeley original, we thought it was only fair to try Peet’s version of this fall latte. A lot more bitter, with a definite caffeine kick, this latte was a surprising rival to the super sweetness of Starbucks’ drink. A spicy aftertaste accompanied the initial sweetness and didn’t mask the coffee the way the Starbucks latte did. We’re not saying that this latte was better, we’re just saying it’s different.

While Starbucks offers a very good pumpkin spice latte, Peet’s coffee can definitely compete. If you’re feeling like a more bitter, spicy latte, definitely consider trying Peet’s. But if you’re dreaming of a classic sweetness, Starbucks is your hotspot. Both coffee spots have a pretty good latte, we suggest trying both to get your pumpkin spice fix!