Bergen’s first Pumpkin spice latte crawl

Armed with caffeine cravings and questionable judgment, four students set out to find Bergen’s best Pumpkin Spice Latte.

Since arriving in Bergen from the U.S., I have become increasingly aware of the limited options when it comes to coffee. Especially, the lack of specialty lattes with names you forget half way through ordering. 

Over the past three months, I have slowly but surely built up a tolerance for coffee that has not been masked by five pumps of three different flavors of sugar. Instead of ordering a «grande iced brown sugar oat milk shaken espresso with vanilla sweet cold foam and light ice» I have been settling for a much more simple plain latte. 

However, as the leaves began to change and the temperatures dropped, a familiar longing crept in. I felt something awaken deep within me, a primal urge for the warm scent of cinnamon and nutmeg blended together in one perfect mug. 

This was no ordinary craving, it was a calling for a Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL).

After weeks of craving a taste of home, we decided to settle the question once and for all: Where can you find the best Pumpkin Spice Latte in Bergen?

Armed with caffeine-fueled determination, my three flatmates and I visited six cafés across the city — all competing for the unofficial title of Bergen’s best PSL.

Dromedar Kaffebar 

As a randomly chosen first stop, Dromedar Kaffebar set the bar high. With slight hesitation, Karina Chawla, (23), took her first sip, and a delighted expression lit up her face. She looked as excited as when we saw the sun for the first time after moving to Bergen.

Ranking: 9.8 

Starbucks 

Home to the one and only original PSL, Starbucks was a must stop on our journey. This PSL did not disappoint, and was complete with whipped cream and cinnamon on top. It tasted exactly like it does everywhere else in the world, which is both comforting and a little terrifying. 

Ranking: 9

McDonald’s

A huge sign reading «PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE: NOW AVAILABLE» greeted us at McDonald’s and for a moment it seemed like it could have been an underdog surprise of the day. It wasn't. In fact, the only award McDonalds would have won that day was Most Likely to End the Crawl Early. 

Ranking: 3

Espresso House

Three PSLs deep, our team of researchers made their way to their next destination. Espresso House made me feel right at home. With a wide variety of extravagant drinks, even including iced options, I knew I was in the right place. Their PSL was equally as impressive.

Ranking: 9.5 

Bergen Kaffebrenneri

The caffeine-fueled energy was high as we reached our fifth location and not just from our four previous lattes. Bergen Kaffebrenneri was another top contender. We sat in the sun by the water to enjoy our fifth latte. The location, interior, and flavors were all taken into account into our ranking. And this one had good flavors, like many of the others.

Ranking: 8.5 

Kardemomme i Marken 

Last and most definitely least, Kardemomme i Marken. Unfortunately, the high energy of the prawl had been put to an end. We were served what could only be described as warm milk for the price of a specialty latte. It’s safe to say this will not be my new go-to PSL spot. 

Ranking: 1 

After six Pumpkin Spice Lattes and countless laughs, our Prawl had come to an end. «This day can only be compared to Christmas,» said Basile Chevalier (19), summing up the joy and caffeine-induced chaos of our four-hour mission.