Starbucks is best known for all the delicious coffee recipes on its menu but this coffee chain can do a whole more than just this. If you love fruity flavors and vibrant, colorful drinks then you’re going to love the refresher range at Starbucks.
These drinks are a mix of fruit juice and coffee extract for a rich taste experience as well as giving you a nice caffeine buzz. They look and taste like summer in a glass and are a perfect choice all year round.
If you’re keen to know which option is the best Starbucks refresher as well as gaining an understanding of all refresher drinks, past and present then there’s a treat in store for you!
Here is everything you need to know about Starbucks refresher drinks so you can choose the perfect one to suit you.
What Is a Starbucks Refresher Beverage?
The refresher Starbucks drink is a fruity, fresh pick-me-up that contains real fruit juice. It’s a mixture of fruit juice, freeze-dried fruit pieces, and green coffee extract. All of these are shaken over ice to give a caffeinated, refreshing drink that tastes of summertime.
Starbucks has a range of refresher beverages although not all of them are currently still on the menu. Alongside each refresher, is a lemonade version that contains Starbucks ’ own brand still lemonade or a creamy coconut option for all the tropical vibes.
Best Starbucks Refreshers
1. Strawberry Acai Refresher and Strawberry Acai Lemonade
Super sweet with all the tastes of summer, the strawberry acai refresher is the most popular Starbucks refresher beverage. With hints of acai and freeze-dried strawberry inclusions, it’s all the best flavors combined in one delicious drink.
Refresher Grande Size: 90 calories, 20g of sugar
Lemonade Grande Size: 140 calories, 32g of sugar
2. Mango Dragonfruit Refresher and Mango Dragonfruit Lemonade
The next most popular refresher drink is the mango dragonfruit option. It combines the smooth taste of mango with real dragonfruit pieces to give a mouthwatering taste sensation.
Refresher Grande Size: 90 calories, 19g of sugar
Lemonade Grande Size: 140 calories, 31g of sugar
3. Kiwi Starfruit Starbucks Refresher and Kiwi Starfruit Lemonade Refresher
The least popular refresher is the kiwi starfruit option. That being said it’s still a really tasty treat with starfruit and kiwi fresh juice and real kiwi pieces included.
Refresher Grande Size: 90 calories, 19g of sugar
Lemonade Grande Size: 140 calories, 30g of sugar
With Coconut Milk
If you take any of the refresher drinks and combine them with coconut milk to give these wonderful, pastel-colored options.
Pink Drink
It’s the strawberry acai refresher base that combines perfectly with coconut flavors to give this creamy, tasty drink that has strawberries-n-cream vibes.
Grande: 140 Calories, 24g of sugar, 2.5g of fat
Venti: 200 Calories, 35g of sugar, 4g of fat
Trenta: 270 Calories, 40g of sugar, 5g of fat
Dragon Drink
Mango dragonfruit refresher combines perfectly with coconut milk to give a drink that’s deep pink in color and delicious in flavor.
Grande: 130 Calories, 23g of sugar, 3g of fat
Venti: 190 Calories, 34g of sugar, 4g of fat
Trenta: 270 Calories, 46g of sugar, 6g of fat
Star Drink
Kiwi and starfruit juices are combined with coconut milk and shaken over ice to give this wonderful green-colored drink. Real kiwi pieces add a touch of zing to your tastebuds.
Grande: 130 Calories, 23g of sugar, 2.5g of fat
Venti: 190 Calories, 33g of sugar, 4g of fat
Trenta: 260 Calories, 46g of sugar, 5g of fat
Starbucks Refreshers Canned – Blueberry Acai, Strawberry Lemonade, Raspberry Pomegranate
With sweet hints of berries and citrus, these refreshers are sold canned in the fridge section, ready to grab and go.
Discontinued
Starbucks has undergone many recipe changes over the years and their refreshers have appeared in a few different forms. Here are some examples of these drinks that are now discontinued, either in the states or across all Starbucks stores worldwide.
Very Berry Hibiscus Refresher and Very Berry Hibiscus Lemonade
Very similar to the other refresher beverages this option contained berry flavored fruit juice and real blackberries for a tart yet delicious drink. At only 70 calories for a grande, it was certainly a low-calorie option.
Combined with coconut milk this gave the violet drink with ombre layers of purple hues.
If you’re looking for a similar option, try the Passion Tango Iced tea for sweet fruity flavors and hibiscus notes.
Cool Lime Refreshers Beverage
The cool lime refresher was bursting with citrusy flavor notes and was a popular choice. It was supposedly replaced by the mango dragonfruit option but is still available to order in some stores across Europe.
If you need a citrus hit then try Starbucks lemonade for a tart yet sweet treat, perfect on a hot summer’s day.
Iced Guava Passionfruit Drink
Coconut milk, guava juice, pineapple, and ginger syrup gave this refreshing juice a rich flavor and a bit of a kick. This drink was supposedly replaced by guava iced white tea which tastes very similar.
Starbucks Secret Menu Drinks
Purple Drink
Everyone loves a secret menu item and the purple drink is the closest drink you can order to a refresher without choosing an item that has a refresher base. It starts off with passion tango iced tea blended with soy milk (or almond milk) and a pump of vanilla syrup. A scoop of either blueberries or blackberries finishes this drink off.
My Favorite Cool Refreshing Drinks from Starbucks
Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam Cold Brew
I love a cold brew coffee drink but even more than this I love nitro cold brew. The rich bubbly texture and cascading foam are just unbeatable. Add a touch of vanilla sweet cream and I’m sold!
Iced Toasted Vanilla Oatmilk Shaken Espresso
It’s like a cross between iced coffee and a latte. This delicious cold drink takes espresso and caramelized vanilla flavors and shakes these together before topping it up with oat milk. It’s all the delicious Starbucks coffee flavors combined with just enough sweetness.
Iced Matcha Lemonade
Sometimes you just need a green tea fix and Starbucks sweetened matcha powder combines perfectly with tangy lemonade to give a citrusy, refreshing beverage.
Iced Black Tea Lemonade
If green tea isn’t quite doing it for you then a black tea lemonade is the best choice for a little caffeine buzz on a warm summer’s day. It’s rich, satisfying, and also deliciously sweet.
White Chocolate Mocha Frappuccino
This is my go-to for an ultimate treat. The white chocolate mocha sauce is blended with roasted coffee, milk, and ice to give the most decadent treat you could wish for. Topped with whipped cream it’s almost like an ice cream sundae, just in liquid form.
F.A.Q.s
What is the best refresher at Starbucks?
The best refresher at Starbucks is the Strawberry Acai option with Mango Dragonfruit coming in a close second.
Which Starbucks Refresher is the healthiest?
All the Starbucks refreshers have a very similar number of calories and contain almost the same amount of sugar. The very berry hibiscus refresher used to be the healthiest at only 70 calories for a grande but this is currently discontinued.
What’s the TikTok Starbucks drink?
The strawberry acai refresher went viral on TikTok so it became known as the TikTok drink.
What is the #1 Starbucks drink?
The most popular drink at Starbucks is their latte, especially the vanilla latte, and seasonal options like the pumpkin spice latte.
What can I add to a Starbucks Refresher?
You can order a refresher plain, as is, or ask your barista for coconut milk or lemonade to be added.
What is the most popular Starbucks Refresher?
The Strawberry Acai refresher is the most popular choice among customers.
Final Thoughts
Starbucks is not only about coffee as they also do a wide range of cold drink options. Their refreshers are bursting with fruity flavors but also contain green coffee extract for a caffeine boost. They are the perfect choice for a warm summer’s day or even mid-winter when you need some sunshine in a glass.
