Whether “pumpkin-spice season” evokes autumnal bliss or exasperated groans, it’s hard to deny the appeal of comforting fall flavors like cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger.
Crafty Sonoma County bakers and baristas are selling a wide assortment of creative pumpkin-infused drinks and treats this season, from quintessential pumpkin spice lattes to imaginative pumpkin scones, cheesecakes and ice cream.
Here are 20 local spots that offer delicious pumpkin spice drinks and dishes this season. Click through the above gallery for a peek at the sweet pumpkin treats.
Santa Rosa
Brew Coffee and Beer House
The cozy Brew cafe has brought back its seasonal pumpkin spice latte, a comforting and robust drink that’s likely to be embellished with some festive latte art.
555 Healdsburg Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-303-7372, brewcoffeeandbeer.com
Criminal Baking Co.
Criminal Baking’s seasonal specials include chocolate chip pumpkin muffins, a fine fall accompaniment to any hot drink, as well as a rich pumpkin cheesecake made with house-baked pumpkins.
808 Donahue St., Santa Rosa, 707-888-3546, criminalbakingcompany.com
Crooks Coffee
It’s fitting that this Edgar Allan Poe-themed coffee shop has a festive lineup of fall drinks just in time for spooky season. The seasonal drinks include a classic pumpkin spice latte, white pumpkin pie latte and cold brew with pumpkin spice foam. There’s also a maple pecan latte for those who want a different kind of fall dessert to sip. For bites to go with your drink, the cafe has its pumpkin bread on the menu, as well as new pumpkin pie scones.
404 Mendocino Ave., Suite C, Santa Rosa, 707-791-3365, shadyraveninc.com
Blondie’s Bakery Boutique
The cutesy downtown bakery has on its menu a pumpkin pie cupcake, filled with pumpkin mousse and topped with cream cheese frosting and a toasted pumpkin crumble. There are also pumpkin pie macarons.
404 Mendocino Ave., Suite A, Santa Rosa, 707-843-7335, blondiesbakeryboutique.com
Blue Beagle Coffee
Tucked away in the Larkfield Shopping Center, Blue Beagle Coffee makes its pumpkin spice puree daily for its seasonal drinks, such as the iced pumpkin pie latte.
540 Larkfield Center, Santa Rosa, 707-535-0776, facebook.com/bluebeaglecoffee
Noble Folk Ice Cream & Pie Bar
On the menu at this pie and ice cream shop is a pumpkin chocolate cheesecake. The spiced pumpkin cheesecake is filled in an Oreo crust and topped with a rich chocolate ganache and sprinkle of cinnamon. Keep an eye out for seasonal specials like pumpkin spice macarons and pumpkin chocolate chip ice cream, satisfying in any weather.
539 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-978-3392; 116 Matheson St., Healdsburg, 707-395-4426, thenoblefolk.com
Nothing Bundt Cakes
This bakery chain has a lineup of pumpkin spice items available on its menu through Dec. 8, including cakes, bundtlets and bundtinis, all of which can be decorated for holidays and special occasions.
266 Coddingtown Center, Santa Rosa, 707-708-4800, nothingbundtcakes.com
Healdsburg
Black Oak Coffee Roasters
Black Oak boasts a highly recommended seasonal pumpkin spice latte, made with scratch-made pumpkin sauce and fall spices. There’s also a refreshing pumpkin cold brew, lightly sweetened with vanilla and topped with a layer of creamy, housemade pumpkin cold foam. The cafe’s pastry menu has spiced pumpkin muffins, as well as other fall treats. Starting to get sick of pumpkin? Black Oak also has an horchata latte and cookie crumble-topped Biscoffee latte on its fall drink menu.
324 Center St., Healdsburg, 866-390-1427, blackoakcoffee.com
Costeaux French Bakery
Among Costeaux’s seasonal items this October is a plump pumpkin cheesecake in a gingerbread cookie crust, topped with mascarpone whipped cream and decorated with white chocolate fall leaves.
417 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 707-433-1913, costeaux.com
Plank Coffee
Plank Coffee’s seasonal pumpkin spice latte is naturally flavored with organic pumpkin, brown and cane sugar, and fall spices (cinnamon, cloves, ginger and nutmeg), plus a double shot of house-roasted Pine Mountain Espresso. There’s nothing artificial-tasting or overly sweet in this special fall drink. Plank also has a rotating lineup of seasonal pastries, such as cinnamon sugar donut muffins and the chewy spiced cookies made with ginger, cloves and cinnamon.
175 Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg, 707-395-0572; 227 N. Cloverdale Blvd., Cloverdale, 707-894-6187, plankcoffee.com
Quail & Condor Bakery
Owned and operated by Melissa Yanc and Sean McGaughey (formerly of SingleThread restaurant), this bakery sells excellent pastries, breads and pies — and some of the best croissants in Sonoma County. This October, the bakery menu will include its famous miso-glazed pumpkin muffins. Quail & Condor will move to a larger location by early next year.
149 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 707-473-8254, quailandcondor.com
Troubadour Bread & Bistro
A French-inspired sister restaurant to Quail & Condor, Troubadour sells a variety of breads, pastries and sandwiches, plus dinner Wednesday through Sunday. This season, the boulangerie will have pumpkin financiers — brown butter almond cakes worth their weight in the gold bars they resemble.
381 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 707-756-3972, troubadourhbg.com
Petaluma
Stellina Pronto
Quaint Italian bakery and cafe Stellina Pronto has a whole New York-style pumpkin cheesecake on its regular menu for those who want a taste of fall year-round. Last year, the bakery offered a seasonal pumpkin ricotta tart — part pumpkin pie, part fluffy ricotta cheesecake, all creamy goodness — and we hope to see it reemerge on this year’s menu.
23 Kentucky St., Petaluma, 707-789-9556, stellinapronto.com
Avid Coffee
This local coffee chain offers a pumpkin latte and a pumpkin chai on its seasonal menu, both made with pumpkin pie syrup from Sonoma Syrup Co. The menu also features a nitro cold brew, called the Autumn Dream, made with pumpkin syrup and cold foam. There are also Halloween specials — the Frankenstein, an iced matcha with pumpkin pie latte syrup, and the Cinderella, a combo of white chocolate, espresso and pumpkin syrup — both topped with housemade pumpkin whipped cream. Pair any drink with the gluten-free pumpkin muffin, or the cinnamon sugar toast (using Red Bird Bakery bread) for a bit of nostalgia.
21 Fourth St., Petaluma, 707-772-5117; 2365 Midway Drive, Santa Rosa, 707-595-5984, avidcoffee.com
Pink Owl Coffee
Located nearby the Whole Foods in Petaluma, Pink Owl offers a pumpkin spice latte with “a hint of pumpkin pie dust” on its specials menu, as well as an oak milk version. The coffee shop also offers a white chocolate pumpkin mocha and an Evil Dead-inspired pumpkin spice mocha cold brew called “Ash Vs The Army of Dark Roast.”
617 E. Washington St., Petaluma, 707-658-2274, pinkowlcoffee.com
Petaluma Pie Company
Come autumn, it’s near impossible to go wrong with a traditional pumpkin pie. Petaluma Pie Company goes a step further with its maple pumpkin pie, made with organic pumpkin, vanilla, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, brown sugar and maple syrup.
125 Petaluma Blvd. N., Suite B, Petaluma, 707-766-6743, petalumapiecompany.com
Petaluma Brunch Station
This all-day brunch spot has pumpkin pancakes, waffles and French toast on its fall menu. Make it a combo with two eggs cooked to order and a side of meat (bacon or sausage).
732 E. Washington St., Petaluma, 707-762-4095, thebrunchstation.com
Rohnert Park
Squatch’s Gourmet Ice Cream Sandwiches and Coffee Shop
The cafe and ice cream shop has a Pumpkin Cheesecake Squatch — pumpkin cheesecake-flavored ice cream between two snickerdoodles and topped with graham crackers. There’s also a pumpkin spice latte (with “big foot” and “little foot” sizes). Keep on the lookout for the seasonal pumpkin cheesecake milkshake, so you can eat your cake and drink it, too.
1451 Southwest Blvd., Suite 111, Rohnert Park, 707-992-0841, squatchscoffee.com
Sebastopol
Society Bakery and Cafe
For coffee and tea fans alike, this quaint bakery cafe offers both a pumpkin spice latte and a pumpkin chai latte, made with fall spices and housemade pumpkin syrup (available in the fall and winter). These hot drinks pair nicely with the pumpkin maple cake and the often-out-of-stock pumpkin cinnamon roll. There’s also a pumpkin sweet cream matcha for those looking for something different amid the deluge of pumpkin spice lattes. Also, 9-inch pumpkin cheesecakes are available in November and December.
2661 Gravenstein Highway S., Sebastopol, 707-861-9665, societybakerycafe.com
Muir’s Tea Room
The seasonal fall baked goods at this plant-based, naturalist-inspired tea room and gift shop include vegan pumpkin cupcakes with cinnamon “cream cheese” frosting and moist pumpkin crinkle cookies with organic powdered sugar. Other specials include pumpkin pie and pumpkin pie tarts (gluten-free options available), pumpkin pie bars, cream cheese-filled pumpkin muffins, chocolate chip pumpkin muffins and pumpkin coffee cake with cinnamon streusel. These specials sell out fast.
At Muir’s annual Black Hat Society High Tea, from Sept. 21 through Oct. 27, find the New Moon Pumpkin Scone, served with fresh lemon curd, clotted “cream” and imported English raspberry preserves. The scones will also be served at Muir’s candle-lit Tea & Tarot service, Oct. 26.
330 S. Main St., Sebastopol, 707-634-6143, muirstearoomandcafe.com
Retrograde Coffee Roasters
The pumpkin spice latte at Retrograde is made with real pumpkin puree, so you know you’re getting an authentic touch of fall produce. It’s pretty much hot pumpkin pie in a cup. There’s also a pumpkin spice cold brew on the menu, sweetened with housemade vanilla syrup and topped with pumpkin spice cold foam.
130 S. Main St., Suite 103, Sebastopol, 707-969-7234, retrograderoasters.com
Taylor Lane Organic Coffee
The cafe in The Barlow is offering pumpkin spice lattes this fall, which pairs perfectly with the seasonal pumpkin pecan scones.
6790 McKinley St., Suite 170, Sebastopol, 707-634-7129, taylorlane.com
Patisserie Angelica
The long list of dessert offerings at this Parisian-style bakeshop includes pumpkin pie and a spiced pumpkin cheesecake in a housemade graham cracker crust.
6821 Laguna Park Way, Sebastopol, 707-827-7998, patisserieangelica.com
Screamin’ Mimi’s Ice Cream
The ever-popular Screamin’ Mimi’s has a pumpkin spiced latte ice cream on its October menu, as well as its seasonal special pumpkin mud pie ice cream, which is like the fan-favorite chocolate Mimi’s Mud, but with pumpkin replacing the espresso ice cream. Watch out for other fall flavors coming this October.
6902 Sebastopol Ave., Sebastopol, 707-823-5902, screaminmimisicecream.com
Two Dog Night Creamery
Two Dog Night regularly changes its ice cream flavors with the season. This October, the creamery has pumpkin spice cookie ice cream on the menu, made with pumpkin spice sugar cookies mixed into their organic pumpkin ice cream.
6760 McKinley St., Suite 110, Sebastopol, 707-823-9376; 9240 Old Redwood Hwy., Suite 100, Windsor, 707-837-5965, twodognightcreamery.com
The Nectary
This plant-forward cafe and juicery has a Charlie Brown-themed fall drink, called “The Great Pumpkin Spice Latte,” which is made with a caffeine-free herbal coffee substitute. The drink has pumpkin puree and spices, housemade cashew milk, coconut palm sugar and a pinch of vanilla salt.
7300 Healdsburg Ave., Sebastopol, 707-829-2697, thenectary.net
Buttercup Baking
Baker Jenny Malicki of Buttercup Baking in Sebastopol has one of the silkiest pumpkin pies you’ve ever tasted. Her caramelized honey pumpkin pie will be on her menu most of the time between now and at least Thanksgiving, and she also offers pumpkin butter mochi. Order through her Instagram page (@buttercup___baking) or find her goodies at Coffee & Moore.
Coffee & Moore: 6761 Sebastopol Ave., Suite 300
Sonoma
Darling, an Ice Cream Shop
This sister shop to Sonoma’s Sweet Scoops rotates ice cream flavors monthly. The September menu includes a Pumpkin Brandy ice cream, made with brandy from Prohibition Spirits. The October menu has a Pumpkin Oreo ice cream.
201 W. Napa St., Suite 6, Sonoma, 707-343-1482, darlingsonoma.com
Smastad Coffee Roasters
Formerly Barking Dog Roasters, this re-envisioned, Swedish-inspired cafe has a pumpkin pie latte on its list of fall specials. Pair with one of the flaky croissants baked in-house daily.
981 Broadway, Sonoma, 707-939-1906, smastadcoffee.com
Sunflower Caffé
The sunny Sonoma cafe’s menu currently features a pumpkin bread, served with espresso butter and chocolate granola, as well as pumpkin spice lattes and soft serve.
421 First St. W., Sonoma, 707-996-6645, sonomasunflower.com
Farther afield
Flour Girl
Cloverdale-based Flour Girl has a classic pumpkin cake on the menu — three layers of moist, warmly spiced pumpkin cake with caramel, candied pecans and cream cheese frosting. Available in 6-inch and 8-inch cakes. Gluten-free options available.
227 N. Cloverdale Blvd., Cloverdale, myflourgirl.com
Nom Nom Cakes
The Bodega Bay-based home bakery has a traditional pumpkin pie on the menu, spiced with nutmeg and ginger and filled into a flaky crust. Place an order online for delivery or pick up in Bodega Bay.
390 Calle Del Sol, Bodega Bay, 805-350-0680, nomnombaking.com
Wild Flour Bread
The Freestone bake shop has a spiced pumpkin bread studded with walnuts, cranberries and candied ginger, resulting in a festive mashup of pumpkin pie and gingerbread flavors.
140 Bohemian Highway., Freestone, wildflourbread.com