From LA to London: Are Foam Topped Drinks The Drink Of The Summer?
Coffee has a new, cloud-like crown. From the sun-soaked streets of LA to London’s boutique cafes, foam-topped brews are no longer just a trend, they’re this season's caffeinated drink of choice.
The aesthetic of the ‘lifestyle coffee’ has shifted from steaming ceramic mug to the condensation-beaded glass. If you’ve scrolled through TikTok recently, you’ll have seen them pop up: pastel-colored matchas and caramel cold brews topped with a cloud-like layer of velvet foam. With hashtags like #IcedCoffeeAddict racking up over 30,000 posts and billions of views, the cold foam movement has officially graduated from a seasonal modification to a cultural mainstay.
The data backs the hype. According to the National Coffee Association’s latest survey, 32% of Americans had a cold coffee in the past week, with nearly half (49%) of Gen Z opting for iced, cold, or frozen formats daily [1].
“The clear cups, bright colors, and various toppings in iced drinks makes them highly attractive for social media posts,” said Dorothy Calba, a senior research analyst at Euromonitor International. “Customization has emerged as a significant trend across the industry.” [2]
How the Elevated Add-On Started
While it feels like a recent thing, the catalyst for the current craze began over a decade ago when Starbucks first introduced cold foam to its menu [3]. What started as a niche customisation has since become the global giant's most in-demand add-in. However, the trend has recently broken free from the green mermaid.
Cold-topped drinks are now gaining more traction than ever in boutique coffee houses and experimental roasteries around the world, where baristas are swapping standard syrups for culinary-grade foams and botanical infusions.
You’ll need
Matcha base:
1 tsp ceremonial-grade matcha (use ELEANOR10 at checkout)
50ml hot water (~80°C)
150–200ml milk of choice
Ice
Cold foam:
60ml milk (whole or barista almond)
1–2 tsp honey or agave
½ tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of sea salt (optional)
METHOD
1. Matcha
Whisk matcha + hot water until smooth.
Pour over ice + milk.
2. Foam
Froth milk, sweetener, vanilla until thick and velvety.
3. Assemble
Pour foam on top, a dash of salt & let it sit, then sip.
Make it smarter
Blood sugar: add 1 tsp collagen (use code ELEANOR10 at checkout) or use full-fat milk
Skin: matcha = antioxidant-rich (EGCG)
Hormones: swap sweetener for cinnamon + vanilla
Optional upgrades
Coconut cream foam for a thicker top
Add creatine or adaptogens
Cali’s Influence on ‘Coldtop’
While the trend is global, the energy is pure California. During the sun-drenched summer of 2025, Unfound Studio, a culture-focused creative studio from London were in LA and noticed the obsession with sweet, aerated toppers.
Inspired by the history of how the now-famous Flat White was coined (credited to barista Alan Preston at Moors Espresso Bar in Sydney in 1985) [4], Unfound Studio sought to define this new era of coffee. They imagined the cold foam craze as its own distinct brand identity: Coldtop. Bringing that Californian-cool back to the UK, the stunt caused a stir in London, perfectly balancing West Coast vibrance with classic London sensibilities.
Editor’s favourite California Coast Matcha Spots:
Melbourne’s Cool Mountain
The evolution of the cold foam also draws heavy inspiration from antipodean coffee-innovators. While the Flat White remains a point of rivalry between Australia and New Zealand, Melbourne has recently birthed a new icon: the Mont Blanc.
As seen at Melbourne’s Good Measure, the Mont Blanc is filter coffee lavished with orange-zested, nutmeg-sprinkled cream that makes up a third of the drink. Rohan Cooke, co-host of the It’s Just Coffee! podcast, notes, "The Mont Blanc is arguably the biggest thing to happen to Australian cafes since smashed avocado" [5].
Expert Ben Bicknell credits the influence of Japanese and Korean cafes, where “coffee is treated as one ingredient in a drink, rather than the drink itself” [5]. However, this "new" trend has deep roots, nodding to the 19th-century Viennese Einspänner (meaning one-horse carriage in German) whipped cream-topped espresso and Vietnam’s sweet, egg-foam topped cà phê trứng.
For those of us in the UK, the craving for a foam-topped coffee is easy to satisfy. Local favorites like LOAM in Brighton have showcased how these textures can elevate a standard morning brew into a sensory experience with their own Cold Brew Mont Blanc.
New Rituals In-Store and At Home
For those of us in London, the craving for a foam-topped coffee is easy to satisfy. Jenki has become a leader in this shift, most notably with their viral Pistachio Matcha topped with Raspberry Cold Foam. The drink perfectly encapsulates the new aesthetic: a vibrant green base crowned with a thick, pastel-pink velvet foam that balances nutty richness with tart fruit.
District Coffee (with outposts in Parsons Green and Battersea) has become something of a post-run ritual. On Sunday mornings, it’s where the runners land, still flushed, endorphins high, ordering iced coffees and something foam-topped as a soft reward. It’s less about spectacle and more about that quiet, earned moment,
A bit further south, local favourites like LOAM in Brighton are showcasing how texture can elevate a standard morning brew into a sensory experience, with their own Cold Brew Mont Blanc.
[Read - 10 BEST MATCHA SPOTS IN LONDON]
The industry is even responding to the shift toward home experimentation. In their Spring/Summer Lookbook, Oatly pioneered the rise of plant-based creations, specifically focusing on ‘Whippable Cold Foam’ you can buy at home [6]. Moving beyond artisan cafes and into the domestic kitchen makes the velvety joy of an LA summer sip accessible to anyone with a handheld frother. No promises on the sunshine though.
Whether it's a citrus-infused cream or a classic velvet top, coffee spots in and around the UK capital are proving that a cloud-like crown is the must-have finish for any cold caffeinated cup in summer 2026.
Words by Joey Lee for The Well Edit
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References
National Coffee Association (NCA). National Coffee Data Trends (NCDT) Spring 2025 Report. Link
CNN Business (2023). Cold drinks make up 75% of Starbucks’ US beverage sales. Link
Restaurant Business Online. Starbucks' Cold Foam is a Big Bright Spot. Link
The Guardian (2026). Coffee and Matcha Blockbuster Toppings: Why the Cream Foam is Taking Over. Link
It’s Just Coffee! Podcast. Interviews with Ben Bicknell and Rohan Cooke regarding the "Mont Blanc" and global cream-top trends. (Cited via The Guardian, 2026).
Oatly. Spring/Summer 2025 Lookbook Link