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Starbucks Pike Place Roast K-Cup Pods (22 ct)
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Starbucks

Pike Place Roast K-Cup Pods (22 ct)

The Starbucks house cup for Keurig: tastes like the café's drip, which means dark, roasty and divisive.

6.7
Fair

Coffee Reviews score

See the breakdown →

Community

—/10

Roast
Medium
Format
K-Cup pods
Caffeine
Regular
Price per serving
$0.83 / cup
  • Cocoa Powder
  • Caramel
  • Roasty
Kosher
Check price on AmazonBRBuy from the brand$18.29TASee it at Target

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Last reviewed October 17, 2026 by the Coffee Reviews editors · How we score

The Starbucks house cup for Keurig: tastes like the café's drip, which means dark, roasty and divisive.

Starbucks Pike Place Roast K-Cups pack the chain's 100% Arabica Latin American medium roast for Keurig brewers, with listed notes of cocoa and rich praline. They are among Amazon's top-selling pods. Reviewers agree they taste much like Starbucks' in-store drip; critics find that dark, bitter and burnt for a 'medium roast', while fans who add milk and sugar like the consistency.

Best for

  • Starbucks drip fans with a Keurig
  • Coffee with milk, creamer or syrup
  • Offices that want a recognizable brand

What we like

  • Tastes close to Starbucks' in-store brewed coffee
  • 100% Arabica
  • Stands up to milk, sugar and syrups
  • Sold in 22- to 96-count boxes

Watch-outs

  • Dark, roasty and bitter for a 'medium roast'
  • Costs more than most supermarket K-Cups
  • Origins disclosed only as Latin America

Flavor profile

What it tastes like.

FruityFloralSweetNutty & CocoaSpiceRoastedGreen & EarthyFermentedCreamyBerryStone FruitCitrusTropicalOrchard & VineDried FruitBlossomTea-likeBrown SugarCaramelizedVanilla & ConfectionNuttyCocoaWarm SpicePungentToast & GrainSmoky & DeepVegetal & UmamiHerbalEarthy & WoodyWineyBoozyFermentedDairy & ButteryBlackberryRaspberryBlueberryStrawberryBlackcurrantCranberryPeachApricotCherryPlumNectarineLemonLimeOrangeGrapefruitTangerineBergamotMangoPineapplePassion FruitPapayaLycheeGuavaGreen AppleRed ApplePearWhite GrapeRed GrapeMelonRaisinPruneFigDateJasmineRoseOrange BlossomHoneysuckleLavenderElderflowerBlack TeaEarl GreyChamomileHibiscusOolongBrown SugarMolassesMaple SyrupPanelaCaramelToffeeButterscotchHoneyVanillaMarshmallowNougatMarzipanCotton CandyAlmondHazelnutPeanutWalnutPecanPistachioCoconutMilk ChocolateDark ChocolateCocoa PowderCacao NibBrownieCinnamonCloveNutmegCardamomStar AniseGingerBlack PepperLicoriceToastMaltGraham CrackerBiscuitCerealSmokyTobaccoRoastyBurnt SugarUmamiFresh GrassSeaweedSweet PeaSpinachMintSageBasilLemongrassEarthyMushroomCedarForest FloorRed WineWhite WinePortWhiskeyRumBrandyFermented FruitKombuchaYogurtButterSweet CreamCondensed MilkOat MilkFruityFloralSweetSpiceRoastedCreamyBlackberryRaspberryBlueberryStrawberryBlackcurrantCranberryPeachApricotCherryPlumNectarineLemonLimeOrangeGrapefruitTangerineBergamotMangoPineapplePassion FruitPapayaLycheeGuavaGreen AppleRed ApplePearWhite GrapeRed GrapeMelonRaisinPruneFigDateJasmineRoseOrange BlossomHoneysuckleLavenderElderflowerBlack TeaEarl GreyChamomileHibiscusOolongBrown SugarMolassesMaple SyrupPanelaCaramelToffeeButterscotchHoneyVanillaMarshmallowNougatMarzipanCotton CandyAlmondHazelnutPeanutWalnutPecanPistachioCoconutMilk ChocolateDark ChocolateCocoa PowderCacao NibBrownieCinnamonCloveNutmegCardamomStar AniseGingerBlack PepperLicoriceToastMaltGraham CrackerBiscuitCerealSmokyTobaccoRoastyBurnt SugarUmamiFresh GrassSeaweedSweet PeaSpinachMintSageBasilLemongrassEarthyMushroomCedarForest FloorRed WineWhite WinePortWhiskeyRumBrandyFermented FruitKombuchaYogurtButterSweet CreamCondensed MilkOat Milk

In the roaster’s words

“A smooth, well-rounded blend of Latin American coffees with subtle notes of cocoa and rich praline, it's perfect for every day.”

  • Cocoa Powder
  • Caramel
  • Roasty
acidity
body
sweetness
bitterness
LightMediumDark

How it scored

The breakdown.

6.7Fair

Cup score out of 10, weighted across five factors.

  • Flavor & cup quality30%6.4

    Faithful to Starbucks' café drip, but Tasting Table testers found it very dark, bitter and burnt for a medium roast.

  • Quality & freshness20%7.0

    100% Arabica in a standard K-Cup with no roast date; Starbucks notes the empty cup is not recycled in many communities.

  • Value20%7.1

    About $0.83 a pod on sale at Target (about $0.95 at the regular price), typical for premium K-Cups.

  • Sourcing & transparency15%5.6

    Latin American Arabica and a Starbucks ethical-sourcing program, but no named countries or certifications beyond kosher.

  • Community love15%7.6

    A top-10 Amazon pod seller with enthusiastic creator reviews, while editorial tasters are often critical.

Creator video reviews

Watch it in action.

2 positive

Independent creators, verified with YouTube and TikTok. We don’t pay for reviews and creators don’t pay us.

What people are saying

From the forums.

Verbatim from Reddit, forums and long-term owner write-ups — linked so you can read the full thread.

“taste very similar to what you get when you order a black coffee”
Dave McQuillingTasting Table · 2023-09
“The burnt, bitter taste of Starbucks' Pike Place Roast K-Cup”
John TolleyTasting Table · 2024-03

Details

The particulars.

Species
Arabica
Format
K-Cup pods
Caffeine
Regular
Ingredients
100% arabica coffee
Best brewed as
Pod machine, Iced / over ice, Lattes & milk drinks
Certifications
Kosher
Typical price
$18.29 for 22 K-Cup pods (checked October 2026)
Servings
$0.83 per pod at Target's sale price ($20.99 regular, about $0.95 per pod)
Official product page

Community

Member tasting notes & discussion.

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0 member ratings

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Discussion

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FAQ

Good questions.

Does the K-Cup taste like Starbucks in-store coffee?

Reviewers say it tastes very similar to a black drip coffee from Starbucks. That includes the darker, roasty profile some drinkers dislike.

Are Starbucks K-Cups recyclable?

Starbucks says to peel the lid, empty or compost the grounds and check locally to recycle the empty cup, noting the cups are not recycled in many communities.

Is Pike Place K-Cup 100% Arabica?

Yes. Starbucks lists the ingredient as 100% arabica coffee from a Latin American blend.

Sources (6)
  1. athome.starbucks.com/products/pike-place-roast-k-cup-pods
  2. target.com/p/starbucks-medium-roast-k-cup-coffee-pods-pike-place-roast-for-keurig-brewers/-/A-87984429
  3. amazon.com/Best-Sellers-Grocery-Gourmet-Food-Single-Serve-Coffee-Capsules-Pods/zgbs/grocery/14978414011
  4. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starbucks
  5. tastingtable.com/1400124/keurig-k-cup-coffee-pods-ranked-worst-best/
  6. tastingtable.com/1545365/worst-starbucks-k-cup-coffee-pod/

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6.7

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Pike Place Roast K-Cup Pods (22 ct)

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