The Real Reason Horchoffee Is So Controversial

Coffee trends tend to come and go often. Whether it's the rise of cold brew or the popularity of Dalgona coffee, there's always going to be some new and buzzy way to order a cup of joe.

One of the newest and most polarizing trends in this space is horchoffee, a beverage that combines coffee with horchata, a sweet Mexican drink that is prepared with rice and cinnamon (via Grub Street) The unconventional beverage has managed to grab attention among consumers who can't help but feel curious about the combo.

Not everyone is on board with horchoffee. There are some people — like Mónica Pérez, "a second-generation Mexican American horchata lover" — who believe that traditions are getting overlooked due to these trends, which tend to be accompanied by higher prices. "I just have a feeling that all of these traditions have lived in our families for generations and are now just being kind of exploited," she told Grub Street.

It's not difficult to find the horchoffee across the country, but many aren't sure what to make of it (via Grub Street). Meanwhile, others are willing to experiment with it. Yana Volfson, the beverage director at Atla, a Mexican eatery in New York, calls their horchata latte a "fun guilty pleasure." However, she also tells Grub Street that she despises its name.

At another coffee shop in New York, Café Integral, one of the options on the menu is horchata with espresso. Even Sqirl, the trendy LA cafe known for its long brunch lines (well, and its moldy jam) serves a horchoffee.

Ultimately, this topic is debatable. While some enjoy sipping horchoffee, others balk at the suggestion and cannot understand why restaurants are serving it. And then there are those who somehow manage to find a middle ground. Volfson said that the traditional Mexican beverage is not being modified to reach a certain audience, at least not everywhere it's served. It's doing something else entirely. She offered, "I don't think we're modernizing. I think we're celebrating."