Many people have seen that Starbucks is offering affogato-style drinks. However, this fact may lead these same people to wonder: does Starbucks also provide the traditional affogato dessert?
No, Starbucks does not offer traditional affogato. However, you can order their vanilla bean frappuccino affogato-style, which will get you the same mix of a cold sweet vanilla treat with that nice hot espresso shot you would’ve gotten from the dessert.
If you may have some more questions, keep reading because, in this article, we’re going to go into just what the affogato dessert is, what affogato style means, why Starbucks doesn’t make traditional affogato, and how to get as close as possible to the classic dessert on the Starbucks menu.
What is an Affogato?

An affogato is a traditional Italian dessert made by pouring a shot of hot espresso over a scoop of either ice cream or gelato.
This ice cream is typically vanilla-flavored, although other flavors like salted caramel or chocolate can be used. Sometimes, even other toppings are added. These include chocolate shavings, caramel sauce, and even roasted pistachios.
The name “affogato” is also extremely appropriate for the dessert. The full name of the dessert is “affogato al Caffe.” Affogato (pronounced ah-foe-ga-toe) translates from Italian as “drowned,” and “al Caffe” means “in coffee.”
So, the full name of the dessert is “drowned in coffee.” This is, of course, in reference to the ice cream, which is covered in espresso.
If the idea of the affogato has caught your eye, you should be on the lookout for places that might serve it. These places might include any old-school Italian coffee bars or authentic Italian restaurants in your area.
If there is a cafe near you that also serves ice cream or gelato, that would also be a fantastic place to look. Remember, there’s no harm in asking if a cafe you go to serves affogato.
What Does Affogato-Style Mean?
Ordering a drink “affogato-style” simply means getting the drink with a hot shot of espresso on top. This is only an option at Starbucks with cold beverages, such as frappuccinos.
This is because adding a hot espresso shot to a hot drink is not a new thing. Instead, the contrast between the hot espresso shot and the cold drink makes the affogato-style drink an original idea.
Typically, the hot shot of espresso is poured onto the whipped cream on top of the frappuccino. It then runs down the whipped cream and mixes with the drink below, creating a beautiful pattern while it does so. This makes the affogato-style frappuccino perfect for any photo opportunities you may want.
It is also worth noting that Starbucks offers a decaf affogato shot. This is great if you want the dessert-styled drink without it keeping you up all night.
Does Starbucks Make Traditional Affogato?
No, Starbucks does not serve traditional affogato. The problem is that while Starbucks does have the espresso necessary, they do not serve ice cream or gelato. So you can’t exactly get a shot of espresso over ice cream or gelato without the ice cream or gelato.
You can, however, get traditional affogato at any Dunkin’ and Baskin Robbins combination store. This is because a Dunkin and Baskin Robbins combination store serves espresso and ice cream.
They can take the espresso from the Dunkin’ and pour it over the Baskin Robbins’ vanilla ice cream. Make sure that you’re on the lookout for the combination store, though, as just a Dunkin’ or a Baskin Robbins by themselves do not carry the dessert.
What is the Closest You Can Get to Traditional Affogato at Starbucks?

Even though you can’t order a traditional affogato at Starbucks, you’re not entirely out of luck. Instead, you can request a highly similar drink to the classic dessert.
For this, you want to order the vanilla bean frappuccino with an affogato shot. This drink is a mixture of vanilla bean, milk, and ice, so it’s almost exactly like a drink version of vanilla ice cream, making it a great fit for an affogato shot.
If vanilla ice cream isn’t your favorite, Starbucks recommends trying the affogato shot with their mocha and caramel frappuccinos. Chocolate and caramel are other ice cream flavors commonly used to make the traditional affogato, so these flavors are still authentic.