How to Order Coffee Like a Pro at a Cafe
Whenever I go for coffee with one of my closest friends, she looks at me and says, "You're going to need to order for me because you know what I like."
I always laugh and happily order for her. But there is so much truth in that interaction. A person who enjoys coffee, but hasn't made a career out of it like me, is very much a deer in headlights at a specialty cafe.
What do all these words on the menu mean?
Once upon a time, coffee names meant something
If you went to a cafe and ordered a macchiato, you got espresso with a dollop of milk foam on top. Pretty simple, right?
Then the Starbucks Caramel Macchiato became a sensation, and we sort of forgot what a macchiato used to be. Or, if you're my age, you grew up thinking the macchiato was a Starbucks invention.
I'll give credit where it's due. I commend the Starbucks marketing team for sensationalizing menu items like the Caramel Macchiato, the PSL and cold brew. But the result has been a very confused consumer, especially with how much specialty coffee has taken off over the last 15 years.
Why specialty cafe menus are so confusing
Why is a flat white only one size at a specialty shop, when you can get it in every size at Starbucks? Why is the cortado so big at Starbucks and so small everywhere else? And why are people telling me a cortado is the same as a macchiato?
It's enough to confuse the smartest people. Plus, go to Europe and chances are nothing will be the same. The North American standard drink is a double shot of espresso whereas the European standard is a single shot.
So I'm not handing you a rulebook, because every cafe and country seems to have its own definition these days. What I will give you is a simple way to find your drink: a hierarchy of the milkiest to the least milky drinks you'll find at a specialty cafe.
Specialty coffee drinks ranked from most milk to least
These are the traditional definitions. Your local cafe may make them a little differently.
- Latte: Espresso with lots of steamed milk and a thin layer of foam on top. The biggest and mildest drink on the list.
- Flat White: Espresso with less steamed milk than a latte, finished with a thin, velvety layer of microfoam. The coffee comes through more than in a latte.
- Cappuccino: Espresso with steamed milk and a thicker cap of wet or dry foam.
- Cortado: Espresso cut with a roughly equal amount of steamed milk. The name comes from the Spanish word cortar, which means "to cut".
- Macchiato: Espresso marked with a dollop of milk foam. Macchiato means "stained" or "marked" in Italian.
- Americano or Long Black: Hot water, with espresso poured on top.
- Espresso: I think this is pretty self explanatory :)
Is a flat white the same as a cappuccino?
Sometimes. Some cafes make them the same way, so ask so you know what you're getting.
When they are different, the cappuccino generally has more foam than the flat white, which makes it less milky. Foam takes up more space in the cup than steamed milk, so there's less liquid milk in there.
A cappuccino's foam can also vary from cafe to cafe as well. More traditional cafes will do what we call a dry foam where the bubbles are larger and fluffier. More progressive, 3rd-4th wave cafes tend to do a wet foam where the bubbles are smaller and more close knit, and thus thicker.
Is a cortado the same as a macchiato?
Sometimes. Some cafes serve them the same. Others add more steamed milk to a cortado and just a dollop of milk foam to a macchiato. If you want the stronger of the two, the macchiato is usually your pick.
Why is a flat white only one size at specialty cafes?
It comes down to ratio. A flat white is built around a specific balance of espresso to milk. Make the cup bigger and add more milk, and you've basically made a latte. Keeping one size keeps the drink what it's meant to be.
What's the difference between a latte and a flat white?
Both are espresso with steamed milk. A latte usually has more milk and a bit more foam, so it tastes milder. A flat white is smaller with a thinner layer of foam, so the espresso comes through more. If you like a latte but want to taste more of the coffee, try a flat white.
What's the difference between an americano and a long black?
Both are espresso and hot water. The difference is normally the size. A long black often uses less water, so it can taste a little stronger.
You'll see the long black on more menus at cafes with Australian or New Zealand roots, where it's a staple. If your cafe doesn't list one, ask. Most baristas can make it. Or you can always ask for a small americano.
When in doubt, ask the barista
If you're ever unsure, just ask the barista! If the barista gives you attitude (I've gotten my fair share!), you know to try a different cafe next time :)
The beauty of being your own barista at home
Making coffee at home means that you get to dictate the milk to coffee ratios yourself.
I personally love something between a cortado and a flat white, so that's what I have at home. It doesn't have an official name, but perhaps I should call it a flatado? I'll work on the name...
There is something special about going to a cafe and getting a drink made by a professional barista. But it's a different kind of special when you're at home, being your own barista, and you get to truly experiment and find out what you like.
Use the hierarchy above as your starting point. Pick the drink closest to what you enjoy, then add a little more milk or a little less until it tastes right to you.
