Is Espresso Lemonade As Good As Everyone Says?

Espresso and lemonade. Yep: espresso and lemonade. A new food trend approaches: Lock the doors! Batten down the hatches! Don’t let the viral monster in! We’re kidding, of course – but only a little bit. Food trends pop up like Whack-a-Mole, and this week, we saw yet another one rear its head, after a recent coffee order went viral on TikTok and caused the world to promptly turn its collective hand to it. But is it any good? Or will this become a forgotten food trend in a matter of days?

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Well, we’re gonna try and figure it out. Espresso lemonade, let’s go. 

Espresso And Lemonade: The Combo You Never Knew You Needed

Espresso lemonade started trending in earnest on TikTok towards the end of June, and the new (well, to some audiences – more on that in a moment) drink’s viral propulsion was apparently prompted by a video posted by @mochacoffeeco. In the video, a customer asks for a shot of espresso in a glass of lemonade. After responding with surprise, one of the baristas at the Detroit-based coffee outlet said, “his drink was so interesting that I needed to try it myself…and I’m terrified.” After making the drink, the barista takes a sip, and…the video cuts out. 

Did she like it!? We’re not sure – but people in the comment section had something to say about it. “My acid reflux is flaring up just watching this,” said a top-rated comment, with another saying, “Espresso lemonade my guy knows ball.” A further comment points out that this combination of lemonade and coffee has precedent, in the form of mazagran, an Algerian drink that combines coffee, lemon juice, and sugar or simple syrup. So, honestly, maybe it isn’t as out there as some people are making it out to be. 

And How Does It Taste? 

To be honest, kind of as you’d expect: It’s lemony, coffee-y, sweet, and effervescent. A taste-test over on Allrecipes came back with a pretty glowing review, with the coffee’s bitterness pairing pretty seamlessly with the sweetness and crispness of the lemonade. Interestingly, the effect isn’t as sugary as you might think – the coffee cuts through any syrupiness that the lemonade might bring to the table, and the whole thing is quite pleasingly balanced.

That might not be enough to convince you, of course. You might still be on the fence about this one. And if you are? That is your prerogative. But I may be making myself a sneaky espresso lemonade in the coming few days. Consider me influenced.