The café-inspired drinks everyone is searching for this summer

Summer drinks are getting an upgrade.

In 2026, consumers are moving beyond standard iced coffee and sugary soft drinks in favour of drinks that feel more premium, flavour-led and experience-driven. Pistachio lattes, hojicha, iced chai and functional mushroom drinks are all becoming part of the modern home café trend — alongside botanical sparkling drinks that feel perfect for warmer weather.

At Chefs For Foodies, we’re seeing growing demand for café-style drinks people can easily recreate at home using premium ingredients and globally-inspired flavours.

Here are the biggest summer drink trends right now.

Pistachio Coffee Drinks Are One Of The Biggest Coffee Trends Of 2026

Pistachio Lattes Are Still Everywhere

Pistachio continues to dominate coffee trends thanks to its rich, creamy flavour and luxury café feel.

Searches for pistachio latte, pistachio iced coffee and pistachio cream drinks continue to rise as consumers recreate social-media favourite drinks at home.

One of our favourite combinations right now:

For an easy homemade pistachio latte:

Brew strong illy coffee
Add ice to a glass
Spoon in Black Milk Pistachio Cream
Pour over milk and espresso
Top with cold foam or crushed pistachios

The sweet and slightly salty pistachio flavour works perfectly with coffee and instantly makes homemade iced lattes feel more indulgent.

Top tip: drizzle pistachio cream around the inside of the glass before pouring your coffee for the ultimate café-style finish.

Matcha Continues To Dominate Café Culture

Matcha remains one of the biggest café and social media drink trends of 2026.

From iced matcha lattes to creamy white chocolate matcha drinks, consumers are continuing to look for colourful, café-style drinks they can recreate at home. Inspired by the matcha drinks taking over coffee shop menus and TikTok feeds, sweeter and creamier versions of matcha are becoming especially popular with people new to the trend.

At Chefs For Foodies, we’re loving:

Blendsmiths Matcha
white chocolate matcha drinks
iced matcha lattes
creamy oat milk matcha serves

For an easy café-style iced matcha at home:

Whisk Blendsmiths Matcha with a little warm water
Fill a glass with ice
Add oat milk
Blend Blendsmiths White Chocolate Blend with little water
Add to the top for a creamy finish.

The result is smooth, slightly sweet and perfect for warmer weather.

Hojicha Is The Softer Alternative To Matcha

While matcha continues to dominate, hojicha is becoming increasingly popular with consumers looking for a smoother, less intense alternative.

Made from roasted Japanese green tea, hojicha has a warm, nutty and lightly caramel flavour that feels comforting while still working beautifully as an iced drink.

Unlike matcha, hojicha is naturally lower in bitterness, making it ideal for people looking for softer café-style flavours.

Why people are loving hojicha:

roasted, toasted flavour profile
smooth and mellow taste
lower bitterness than matcha
perfect served iced
growing popularity in modern café culture

Hojicha also pairs beautifully with creamy flavours like oat milk, vanilla and white chocolate, making it a natural fit within the growing home café trend.

As consumers continue searching for globally-inspired drinks and café-quality experiences at home, hojicha is quickly becoming one of the breakout drinks trends of 2026.

Chai Lattes Are Becoming A Year-Round Favourite

Chai is no longer just for colder months.

Iced chai lattes and dirty chai drinks are continuing to grow in popularity as consumers look for flavour-led alternatives to traditional coffee.

At Chefs For Foodies, we’re loving the Blendsmiths range, including:

From rich and spiced masala chai to creamy pink chai and wellness-led turmeric blends, chai is becoming a huge part of the home café trend.

Serve over ice with oat milk for an easy café-style summer drink at home.

Functional Drinks Continue To Grow

Functional drinks are becoming a huge part of everyday routines, with consumers increasingly looking for drinks that support focus, energy and wellbeing.

Brands like MUUSh are helping lead the trend, with lion’s mane mushroom drinks becoming especially popular among consumers looking for modern alternatives to sugary energy drinks and traditional soft drinks.

The biggest shift? Functional drinks now taste genuinely enjoyable — making them far easier to incorporate into daily life.

Botanical Sparkling Drinks Are Trending This Summer

Premium sparkling soft drinks are becoming a huge part of summer entertaining, especially as consumers look for lighter alcohol-free options.

Rishh Sparkling Hibiscus is one of our favourite warm-weather drinks right now — lightly floral, refreshing over ice and perfect for BBQs, pizza nights and summer hosting.

Serve with citrus and plenty of ice for an easy summer aperitif.

Shop Summer Drink Trends At Chefs For Foodies

Explore trending coffee, chai, functional drinks and café-inspired favourites at Chefs For Foodies, including:

Your summer drinks era starts here.

FAQs About Summer Drink Trends 2026

What is the biggest coffee trend in 2026?

Pistachio lattes, hojicha drinks and iced chai are among the biggest coffee and café trends of 2026.

What is hojicha?

Hojicha is a roasted Japanese green tea with a smooth, nutty and lightly caramel flavour that works especially well in iced lattes.

What are functional drinks?

Functional drinks are beverages designed to offer additional benefits such as focus, energy or wellness support. Lion’s mane mushroom drinks are one of the fastest-growing categories.