This week, Starbucks will begin serving ice cream at over 100 locations in the United States. The treat will be paired with coffee to make affogatos, an Italian dessert which is essentially an ice-cream-topped espresso shot.
The idea first popped up at the national chain’s Seattle Roastery, which added an affogato to its menu in June of last year. It quickly became a top menu item at the Roastery, even in the winter.
There will be two versions of the treat. At 10 upscale Reserve bar locations in Los Angeles, Boston, and Washington, D.C., the full Roastery Affogato menu will be served. This will include affogato flavors made with old Brew Malt, small-lot cold brew, vanilla ice cream, and chocolate bits.
A cheaper affogato menu will be served at 100 regular Starbucks locations in Orange County, California, where it will be tested to see if the menu would be viable on a national level.
Aside from the affogato, the menu also includes a cold brew ice cream float and the Shakerato Affogato, which is a shaken espresso with vanilla syrup, and a mint sprig.
The affogato is a part of Starbucks’s plan to take inspiration from the interesting creations of the coffee roastery and apply its learnings to menus by pairing a flavor customers across the U.S. already enjoy (ice cream), with the legitimacy of a classic Italian dessert.