The 9 Best Starbucks Beverage And Breakfast Sandwich Pairings

If you are a frequent Starbucks customer who orders through the app, you may have noticed that there is now a feature to pair your drink with a sandwich. This means that every time you order a beverage, you can have the app search for a warm sandwich recommendation for you, and vice versa. This feature appeared around the same time Starbucks released its $5 and $6 pairing menu, which offers a simple duo of hot or iced coffee or tea paired with a butter croissant or a breakfast sandwich.

I was interested to see which Starbucks sandwiches were the perfect match for some of my favorite drinks. For reference, I've worked at Starbucks for several years and I've tried nearly every Starbucks drink on the menu, so figuring out how to best pair the sandwiches and beverages together seemed like a fun challenge. I started with the sandwiches and then selected drinks that would complement or contrast the food's flavors. I looked for similar flavors, as well as funky, novel ways to create contrasting flavor profiles between food and drink. These pairings offer something for tea lovers, espresso and coffee fanatics like myself, and folks who like a little more of a traditional sandwich pairing. While these pairings may not be eligible for Starbucks value meal deal, they are still tasty and worth trying.

Read more: 26 Coffee Hacks You Need To Know For A Better Cup

Spinach, Feta & Egg White Wrap And A Strawberry Açaí Lemonade Refresher

The Spinach, Feta & Egg White Wrap has long been one of my favorite breakfast sandwiches at Starbucks. I love how light and refreshing it is, as well as its enjoyable, savory flavor. It tastes like a freshly made egg sandwich you'd order from your favorite outdoor bistro. Whenever I need a quick breakfast from Starbucks, this is typically the one I grab.

This sandwich is made with an egg white omelet, spinach, feta cheese, sun-dried tomato cream cheese, and a tomato blend tucked inside of a whole wheat wrap. Since this sandwich tends to leak, it's best to keep it tucked inside of the wrap for as long as possible.

I recommend pairing this sandwich with a Strawberry Açaí Lemonade Refresher because both the sandwich and the beverage have that light and refreshing sort of feel. The Strawberry Açaí Lemonade tends to be just a little bit sweeter and more tart than the Strawberry Açaí Refresher because the former is made with lemonade instead of water. There's a whole lot of fresh flavors happening in this sandwich, which goes really well with the refreshing strawberries in the drink. Although this might not be what you would eat for breakfast, it would make for an excellent afternoon snack or a light lunch.

Sausage, Cheddar & Egg Sandwich And A Flat White

The Sausage, Cheddar & Egg Sandwich and the Flat White are an elevated version of a classic pairing. The sandwich itself is about as basic as it gets. It's composed of a pork sausage, egg patty, and cheddar cheese on an English muffin. If you like breakfast sandwiches, chances are you've had this one.

The Flat White is like a latte, but it's smoother and creamier because it's made with whole milk. You can choose which kind of espresso you'd like to add to it, too. While I typically go with the blonde roast, I did the signature espresso for this one. I wanted to pair classic menu items together to show that even though you're pulling a breakfast sandwich and a drink from Starbucks, not everything has to be razzle dazzle or and over-the-top. The simplicity and creaminess of the drink contrasts with the savory sausage patty and creates a smooth finish on the mouth.

The flavors of the egg sandwich aren't going to surprise you, but the cohesiveness of everything might. The cheese, egg, and muffin combined together make a better sandwich than other chain's versions of it. I like that the sandwich isn't greasy, nor sits in your stomach like a brick. Plus, there's nothing better than a milky, creamy Flat White to wash it down.

Turkey Bacon, Cheddar & Egg White Sandwich And An Iced Peach Green Tea Lemonade

Not everyone wants to eat a heavy breakfast as soon as they wake up in the morning, and for those Starbucks fans, putting together a Turkey Bacon, Cheddar & Egg White Sandwich with an Iced Peach Green Tea Lemonade is a great option. The turkey bacon is lighter than traditional pork bacon, and combined with fluffy egg whites, it makes for the perfect pairing for a green tea drink.

However, just because something is light doesn't mean that it can't pack a significant, nutritious punch. For instance, this sandwich has 17 grams of protein, which makes it a good way to jumpstart your protein needs for the day. I like sipping on the peach green tea lemonade, which gets its fruity flavor from juice rather than the tea or syrup. As a result, the peachy tea isn't overly sweet. Rather, it offers enough extra flavor to feel refreshing and like the perfect brunchy sip for a nice sandwich.

This is a great breakfast for powering through a summer morning. Since its made with a whole wheat English muffin, the whole thing is very well-contained and easy to eat. It's a great option for holding while you're driving, since it doesn't drip, slip, or slide easily.

Double-Smoked Bacon, Cheddar & Egg Sandwich And A Caffè Vanilla Frappuccino

My husband's favorite breakfast sandwich from Starbucks is the Double-Smoked Bacon, Cheddar & Egg Sandwich. The bun on this one never seems to disappoint, and the bacon is always absolutely perfect. This sandwich isn't made on a typical English muffin or even a ciabatta; instead, it comes on a croissant bun that's super fluffy and easy to dig into. I paired this one with the Caffè Vanilla Frappuccino.

This bacon sandwich has much more bacon than I initially expected, and the smokiness is quite generous. The meaty flavor and the coffee in the Caffè Vanilla Frappuccino do a great job of complementing one another. It has a similar flavor profile to a bacon milkshake -- like you might order from Five Guys. The sweet and savory mingle very nicely to create a pairing that's rich and satisfying, but also feels a little bit like a treat, thanks to the blended drink. If you would prefer to have no caffeine in this one, try swapping the Caffé Vanilla for the Vanilla Bean Crème Frappuccino, which is the same drink with scoops of vanilla bean powder and a cream base rather than a coffee one. In fact, this swap would make the perfect pairing for the little one in your life who wants a kid-friendly Starbucks drink and breakfast sandwich pairing like their grown-ups.

Bacon, Gouda & Egg Sandwich And An Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso

When I'm visiting Starbucks for just a drink, I almost always go for an Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso. This drink includes a shaken mixture of blonde espresso roast, brown sugar syrup, and ice. Then, it gets topped with oat milk. Sometimes, I'll add cold foam for something a little sweeter. The mission here is to find a sandwich that goes well with this drink -- and the Bacon, Gouda & Egg Sandwich is a strong contender.

The richness of the gouda paired with the satisfying brown sugar mix makes for a deeply savory and sweet combination. Even though an Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso seems like it would be something that is overly sweet, it really isn't, which makes it a nice complement to the gouda. Whereas many other bacon sandwiches make the ingredient the star of the show, this one uses the meat more in the background. In fact, the slice on the sandwich I ordered was pretty small compared to what I expected.

I tend to find that the oat milk-based drinks are a little bit on the more satisfying side, so the fact that this sandwich is a little bit lighter makes the whole combination quite a bit more enjoyable as a whole. This would be an ideal breakfast for someone who wants a solid dose of caffeine while also getting their morning meal in.

Impossible Breakfast Sandwich And A Summer Skies Drink

For a short time — a period of about three years — I was a practicing vegan. I refrained from animal products of any kind, and at that time, Impossible was growing in popularity. I found that I actually preferred the taste of Impossible over a typical burger patty, so I was thrilled that this sandwich became an option. Unfortunately, the interesting part about the Impossible Breakfast Sandwich at Starbucks is that it isn't actually vegan; it's comes with cheese and eggs. Even still, as a non-vegan now, I love the Impossible Breakfast Sandwich and frequently order it.

I paired this sandwich with a boba-inspired berry refresher called the Summer Skies Drink from the summer 2024 menu. The coconut base is a really nice companion to the meat-free patty. This is a deeply fruity and berry-forward drink that's not only cool to look at, but enjoyable to drink. I like it with the Impossible Breakfast Sandwich because the patty tries really hard to mimic the flavor of traditional sausage, so it tends to overcompensate flavor and richness. The Summer Skies Drink balances out the heaviness of the patty and makes for a complete bite. Together, they would make a delicious lunch or an enjoyable breakfast -- if you prefer a fruitier drink rather than one that's more coffee-like.

Bacon, Sausage & Egg Wrap And An Iced White Chocolate Mocha

In March of 2020, Starbucks introduced two new savory breakfast wraps: a Bacon, Sausage & Egg Wrap and a Southwest Veggie Wrap. While the Southwest Veggie Wrap is no longer on the menu, the Bacon, Sausage & Egg Wrap has joined the permanent sandwich lineup. This wrap is a delicious version of the classic breakfast sandwich, so I wanted to choose something that was coffee-based to go with it -- but still had a bit of pizzazz. That's where the Iced White Chocolate Mocha comes in. The Iced White Chocolate Mocha is a mixture of white chocolate sauce, espresso, milk, and ice, topped with whipped cream.

I thought the sweet, Iced White Chocolate Mocha would pair well with the rich flavors of the bacon, sausage, and cheese. Regular mocha would probably be too bitter for the combination, but the white chocolate mocha adds a nice balance between the savory and the sweet. That said, if you're looking for an even more interesting drink, I love pairing white mocha with cinnamon dolce syrup for an almost Cinnamon Toast Crunch sort of taste. You can't do better than cereal milk and breakfast sandwich.

Egg, Pesto & Mozzarella Sandwich And An Iced Nondairy Salted Caramel Cookie Matcha

Aside from matching in color, what I'm really going for here with the Egg, Pesto & Mozzarella Sandwich and Iced Nondairy Salted Caramel Cookie Matcha is a mixture of rich and earthy flavors. The basil in the pesto is nice and bright, while the base of the matcha drink is deep and earthy.

The best part about this beverage is that it isn't overly rich in that matcha flavor. Rather, it has a sweetness to it, thanks to the cold foam. There is a perfect balance between the creaminess and the tea that you don't always get with matcha lattes. The unctuous mouthfeel pairs really well with the brightness of the pesto, too. This is a fabulous option for people who want creamy matcha, but don't necessarily want to order a Frappuccino.

I really like the pairing with the sandwich because although you do get that bright basil feel and taste, it isn't overpowering by any means. Rather, it's balanced nicely between the egg patty and the mozzarella. The egg and cheese really make this feel like a rich sandwich, and the light matcha really balances it out. Overall, it's a level-headed meal, and one I could see myself enjoying for breakfast, lunch, or at any time of day.

Chicken, Maple Butter & Egg Sandwich And An Iced Chai Latte

In June 2022, Starbucks released an array of new products, including the Chicken, Maple Butter & Egg Sandwich. This is made with a chicken patty, egg, and maple butter slathered on an oat biscuit roll. Starbucks' Iced Chai Latte is crafted using chai concentrate, milk, and ice. It is such a classic beverage and there's so much you can do to it to make it that much more interesting. Pairing it with the Chicken, Maple Butter & Egg Sandwich allows the maple sweetness to come through, and lets the spices in the concentrate shine.

The chicken is such a nice protein and brings a little smooth, light flavor to the sandwich. Meanwhile, the creamy chai drink perfectly complements this texture and together, the two offer a super sweet, enjoyable eating experience. This drink is tasty on its own, but it's the combo that really makes it fun. When you open the Chicken, Maple Butter & Egg Sandwich, the very first thing you smell is that really strong maple flavor; there's definitely no skimping that part here. It may be overpowering to some, so be sure you're prepared for the sweetness in this duo. The tea is a lighter option than the coffee, but you can always add more caffeine and transform this into a dirty chai via a shot of espresso.

Methodology

I was excited to take on the challenge of combining different Starbucks breakfast sandwiches with drinks. Since I've had each of these sandwiches at one point or another, I'm familiar with their flavor profiles, but I've never put much thought into what drinks would best pair with them. After all, typically, when I order a warmed breakfast sandwich, I just order my go-to drink as the side. Pairings, however, elevate both components and make your meal feel more cohesive.

I started by considering the primary flavors for each sandwich to determine its heaviness. From there, I looked to complement each with similar or contrasting flavors. There's something sweet, savory, heavy, light, or just fun, for all Starbucks customers. For instance, in the case of a light sandwich, I might go with a lighter drink to keep things feeling, well, light. On the other hand, if there was a whole lot of one type of flavor going on, I might find a way to contrast it or accent it, like in the case of the Egg, Pesto & Mozzarella Sandwich and Iced Nondairy Salted Caramel Cookie Matcha pairing. This pairing plays off the strong leafy flavors in the matcha and basil. I liked this one especially because it features two newer menu items and looks at these flavors in a rather unique, perhaps unexpected, way.

Read the original article on Tasting Table.