Review: Starbucks Mostly Nails Its Summery Mango Menu

Tropical vibes are in full swing at Starbucks. It's officially mango season, and the popular coffee chain's new menu additions show it. Starbucks knows how to pull off seasonal favorites so good that customers wish they were permanent. If you're on the hunt for non-coffee beverages during your next Starbucks run, the chain released a brand new roster of fruit-forward drinks on April 7. From refreshers to matcha, the new beverages are full of mango energy. Whether you love mango or you just want to manifest all the spring and summer feels, the mango-forward menu is intriguing — but is it worth a try?

In addition to slinging the usual freshly brewed coffee and tea drinks, Starbucks is serving up eight different drinks all starring mango. There is a new trio of refreshers to accompany the popular Mango Dragonfruit one already on the menu. You can also try two different Mango Dream beverages, with or without an energy boost. For those who prefer an earthy matcha or a spiced chai, Starbucks has an option for you, too. 

I tried all eight drinks with different variations of mango syrup and mango cold foam, and I am ready to spill the tea on all of them. The new lineup includes: Mango Strawberry Lemonade Energy Refresher, Mango Strawberry Energy Refresher, Mango Strawberry Refresher, Mango Dragonfruit Lemonade Energy Refresher, Mango Dream Energy, Mango Dream, Iced Mango Cream Matcha, and Iced Mango Cream Chai.

Upon the release of Starbucks' newest line of beverages on April 7, I visited the store to get my hands on all eight options. When placing my order, I avoided making any major modifications in order to try the drinks in their purest forms. The only real change I made was to leave out the classic syrup that came in a couple of drinks as part of the standard order. The outcome of my taste test depended on the mango flavor, as well as the tastiness of components like cold foam, and how well each element worked together in the beverage.

There are three different strawberry beverages on Starbucks' new mango-focused menu. The color of these refreshers is a summery bright orange, and the red strawberry inclusions floating around the top make them even prettier. The regular Mango Strawberry Refresher is the purest of the group with no additions. It's simple and crisp. I absolutely thought it was going to be intensely sweet, but was pleasantly surprised when it was quite the opposite. I was all up in my mango feels — until I looked at the nutritional content and saw it contained 28 grams of sugar in a grande size. 

It certainly doesn't taste of overwhelming sweetness. The strawberry and mango flavors play nicely together, and it's incredibly fresh. Not all syrups get a permanent spot on the Starbucks menu, but this fruity drink comes with two pumps of mango syrup, a scoop of the strawberry inclusions, and, of course, is hand shaken before serving. That's the key. Any shaken drink tastes better than one stirred with a spoon. It's science. 

The Starbucks Mango Strawberry Refresher is a great icy thirst quencher and worth the buy. If you want to add a little caffeine boost, you can jump to another newly crafted drink, the Mango Strawberry Refresher Energy. It's the same drink but with customized caffeine selections and B vitamins. 

Almost everything I said about the Mango Strawberry Refresher also applies to the Mango Strawberry Lemonade Energy Refresher, too — it just adds a splash of lemonade and a dash of energy to the combo. The color of the refresher is only slightly lighter than the ones without lemonade. Again, the drink is not overpowered by sweetness, which is nice and makes it much more enjoyable. Starbucks strikes a great balance between juicy mango and tart lemonade. The standard two pumps of mango syrup and strawberry inclusions are also part of the refresher version with the added lemonade.

The acidity of the lemonade does change the flavor of this refresher a bit. I enjoyed it but definitely prefer the one without because it tastes much smoother and more invigorating. If you do enjoy a tangy bite of citrus in this icy delight, it's there and does not disappoint. 

With any of the refreshers, you can choose the amount of energy you want added. Should you decide to punch up the drink with a caffeine boost, you have two options. Light gives you 50 milligrams of caffeine plus B vitamins, and the Extra gives you 125 milligrams plus B vitamins. This vitamin addition keeps the drink on trend, in a similar way to the recent fashion for adding protein to coffee.

Starting off with the obligatory two pumps of mango and a scoop of strawberry inclusion, the Iced Mango Dream then takes a different path. Creamy coconut milk swirled into the beverage completely changes the flavor profile, and it happens to be fantastic. Even with the smooth and velvety coconut milk, the Mango Dream still tastes light and bright. As I sipped the new drink, I was wracking my brain trying to figure out what it tasted like, and then it finally hit me. This new Starbucks beverage totally channels the nostalgic essence of a creamsicle straight from the ice cream truck, or a scoop of sweet and fruity sherbet.

While it is a touch sweeter than the other Mango Strawberry Refresher, with 32 grams of sugar in a grande size, the actual taste of that sweetness is still within reasonable limits. The contrast of the bright red strawberry and the creaminess of the beverage is a thing of beauty.

If you fancy something to wake you up but want to deviate from coffee, Starbucks can turn it into an Iced Mango Dream Energy with the customizable caffeine content. That means you can have your drinkable creamsicle with or without any caffeine and B vitamins. It's a delightful addition to the spring menu and ushers mango to the front and center of the Starbucks drinks offerings.

The Mango Dragonfruit Lemonade Energy Refresher adds yet another layer of flavor to the new line of drinks at Starbucks. It is also the only item in the mango themed lineup I wouldn't choose to order again. A version of this refresher without the added energy has lived on the menu for years if you like these flavors but want to skip the caffeine. The OG Mango Dragonfruit Refresher can be made with or without lemonade. It has been a staple in my house for years because that's a standard go-to tweenager drink. IYKYK.

This drink is fine but not my favorite, and I feel like there is just way too much going on in the cup. The one thing it does have going for it, however, is the stunning color. The Starbucks Mango Dragonfruit Refresher is a seriously gorgeous shade of pink regardless of how it tastes. It also has the berry inclusion, which looks great aesthetically. 

The Mango Dragonfruit Lemonade Energy Refresher is a little too sour for my taste, and the flavor is mid at best. The lemonade only bumps up the tartness, and there's a weird aftertaste the other drinks don't display. Maybe I'm in the minority, but I don't get the fanaticism over this beverage.

Matcha is always on my beverage shortlist. If it's available, I want it, and I love trying new variations and playing around with cold foam flavors. Matcha is definitely a hit or miss and can be a divisive topic in some circles. I have mad respect for the rich and full earthy flavor of a good matcha, preferably iced and usually with chocolate cold foam. I'm telling you that the right cold foam elevates coffee and tea beverages — there's a reason people have taken to making their own cold foam at home. 

I was super excited about Starbucks' new Iced Mango Cream Matcha, which contains 270 calories and 31 grams of sugar in grande size. The only thing I adjusted about the order was to nix the classic syrup. I find it way too sweet and always leave it out whenever I order a drink from Starbucks. The matcha comes with 2% milk but you can swap it out if you prefer a different kind.

Well, it's so delicious. Like, better than I expected. You never know what a matcha mashup will taste like but this one comes through strong. I would totally order the Starbucks Mango Cream Matcha again. The mango flavor is subtle like a fruity little kiss. The cold foam is lightly sweet and heavenly. The texture is thick and soft like a cloud, and the generous layer of frothy foam is such a perfect complement to the robust matcha.

At first glance, this frosty drink might look like your typical Starbucks iced latte. It's not. The Iced Mango Cream Chai, which contains 310 calories and 41 grams of sugar in grande size, is a totally different experience and uses a spiced black tea instead of coffee. The chai also comes with a heaping layer of the brand new mango cold foam. Yes, the same one found in the Iced Mango Cream Matcha I had a love affair with earlier. 

Chai has a very specific and distinct flavor. It smells exactly like it tastes, with a melded flavor profile that includes cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, and black pepper. I thought I was going to cringe at the first sip, but it has a cozy and soothing flavor. Let's just say I didn't hate it, and I can appreciate all the love a chai latte — which has become an American staple — gets. The flavor is bold and in-your-face, much more than the other varieties of Starbucks' new mango menu items. 

The mango cold foam is unequivocally the standout component. It's by far the best part of the whole drink and also subdues the strong chai taste. It's thick and creamy, throwing a hint of mango into the mix with the aromatic spices of the chai tea. I left the classic syrup out of this Starbucks beverage as well, because including it feels like hopping on the sugar express, and I am not about it.

Overall, I think Starbucks delivered with their summer-inspired line of mango drinks. I expected all of them to taste impossibly sweet, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that Starbucks has kept the levels in check. The two pumps of mango syrup proved to be the perfect amount to achieve the flavor without feeling like each sip was giving you an immediate cavity.

The Iced Mango Cream Matcha was my personal favorite. The mango cold foam is also a winner in general. It's pillowy and creamy with just the right touch of sweet mango. Personally, I would skip the ones with lemonade. I didn't like the tartness, which I feel like it takes away from the mango. Otherwise, I'd be happy to sip any of these other Starbucks mango beverages again.

The new line of mango-infused drinks at Starbucks is now available, having hit stores nationwide on April 7. They are not seasonal items and will stick around on the Starbucks menu, so you can get a mango fix regardless of the time of year.

For a grande size Mango Strawberry Lemonade Energy Refresher, customers can expect to pay $5.95. The Mango Strawberry Energy Refresher, which comes sans lemonade, is $5.75, while the Mango Strawberry Refresher — minus the extra caffeine — is $4.95.

The Mango Dragonfruit Lemonade Energy Refresher, Mango Dream Energy, and Mango Dream are all $5.95, while both the Iced Mango Cream Matcha and the Iced Mango Cream Chai are $6.25. Exact prices may vary depending on the location.