Starbucks Adds Cortados and Falafel to the Menu and Brings Back Beloved Pistachio Lattes — and We Tried Them All

Starbucks’ winter menu has some first-ever additions and fan-favorite items.

Starting on Friday, Jan. 3, the Pumpkin Spice Latte founders are giving customers some new and returning drinks and snacks to kick off the new year.

The coffee chain is adding two types of cortados to its permanent lineup: a cortado and a Brown Sugar Oatmilk Cortado. Cortado is an espresso-based drink originally from Spain that combines shots of espresso and steamed milk. Compared to lattes and cappuccinos, which have espresso, steamed milk and milk foam, cortados are more coffee-forward.

Starbucks' cortado will combine three ristretto shots (meaning that it uses the same amount of coffee grounds as a regular espresso but with less water) of blonde espresso and steamed dairy or non-dairy milk.

The Brown Sugar Oatmilk Cortado uses the same method as the original iteration but with steamed oat milk and a flavorful twist. Brown sugar syrup and a dash of cinnamon bring a little added sweetness to the simple beverage.

Both cortados are only available hot and in an 8-oz. cup, also known as short size.

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PEOPLE got an early taste of the cortados and were immediately impressed (and buzzing with caffeine). The plain version is creamy and surprisingly, naturally sweet, which the baristas explained is because the ristretto method makes espresso less bitter than usual shots. For coffee consumers who typically go for a flavored sip, the Brown Sugar Oatmilk Cortado was a great option. The hint of cinnamon was a welcomed addition and one tester even proclaimed that it would be her new go-to order.

The other newbie to Starbucks' permanent menu is the Spicy Falafel Pocket. The vegan wrap combines smashed falafel, hummus, roasted red peppers, pickled onions and a spicy herb sauce inside a lavash flatbread which fans might recognize from the Spinach, Feta and Egg White Wrap.

This was another winner according to PEOPLE taste-testers. The falafel was flavorful and the pickled onions added a nice tanginess. Don’t expect the chickpea fritters to be crunchy, though — the smashed falafel balls are soft and almost blend into the texture of the hummus, but that wasn’t a complaint from testers.

Pistachio beverages are nothing new at Starbucks but they are making a limited-time return starting on Jan. 3. The Pistachio Latte (available hot, iced or blended) and Pistachio Cream Cold Brew are available for a short time this winter, though it is unclear just how long the nutty drinks will be around.

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Like previous years, the latte combines espresso, pistachio-flavored steamed milk and a brown butter topping. The cold brew option adds pistachio cream cold foam and the same brown butter sprinkles to vanilla syrup-flavored cold brew.

Also returning for a limited time is the Vanilla Bean Custard Danish and the Valentine Cake Pop. The former is a sugary vanilla custard baked in a Danish dough and the latter is a vanilla cake pop dipped in red-colored chocolate icing and decorated with a white heart and sprinkles.

Friday also brings a change to one of Starbucks' core drinks: matcha. The coffee spot is updating its matcha powder to now be unsweetened. This way, customers can customize their green tea drinks to their preferred sweetness with pumps of syrup.

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