Roya Alisultanova Contributor

With the first snowfall of 2025 in Toronto arriving over a month earlier than anticipated, autumn seems to be passing away before its time. One way to hold onto the season’s warmth is to indulge in its flavours, none of which is so well-known and loved as pumpkin spice. As someone with lactose intolerance on a student budget, dietary and financial restrictions are constantly in consideration when I am seeking out a cafe to fulfill my coffee or sugar cravings. Since I’m almost always guilty of both, here are my reviews of $10 budget-friendly pumpkin spice flavoured treats at the most popular spots on campus for fellow lovers of the fall!

Pumpkin Spice Latte @ Second Cup

As the largest Canadian-founded and owned specialty coffee retailer, Second Cup can be found on multiple locations across campus, most notably in the Sidney Smith Lobby and directly across the road from King’s College Circle. I love the variety their menu offers, from the perfectly bittersweet tang of their brewed coffee to their adaptability for dietary considerations. For the first time this year, I bought their pumpkin spice latte out of curiosity, and to say I was impressed is an understatement. Charging $6.85 for a medium, Second Cup matches the price of Starbucks’ equivalent to the cent. Certainly, geared towards pumpkin spice lovers, this was both sweet and strongly spiced, but impressively well-balanced by the richness of the cream. The nutmeg melds with the espresso base beautifully, preventing the taste of the cream from masking that of the coffee, and ultimately intensifying its richness. Although I might have preferred a little less cinnamon, I can’t fault the website’s description of this drink as “the perfect latte to sip with a good book on a cool autumn day.” Roya’s Rating: 9.5/10.

Pumpkin Spice Filled Muffin @ Tim Hortons

You can’t mention the words “pumpkin spice” and “Toronto” without Tim Hortons, the quintessential Canadian coffee experience, boasting “flavours you’ll fall for,” with their seasonal pumpkin spiced treat menu. Tim Hortons’ pumpkin spice-filled muffin is one of the few muffins I genuinely enjoy, and one of the few I would certainly recommend. Priced at just $2.59 per muffin compared to Starbucks’ $3.85, I found this option equally more affordable and flavourful. The warmth and sweetness of cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger are beautifully contrasted by the rich tanginess of the cream cheese filling, making this treat light yet satisfying. Crunchy pumpkin seeds juxtaposed with a soft, fluffy base create a versatility of texture that leaves you wanting bite after bite, ending with the temptation to buy another one. (In case of a muffinmergency, wait for twenty minutes to realize you’re full). Roya’s Rating: 9/10

I hope you find these recommendations to your taste! Here’s to pumpkin spice, who makes all things nice.