You’re standing at the counter of your favorite cafe, ready to buy your usual cup o’ joe. You wistfully glance at the seemingly endless choices on the menu board and consider expanding your horizons… but what do all those Italian-sounding names mean? I took French in high school! What exactly is a Cappuccino? A Latte? A Macchiato? Well, never fear; I’m here to help!
Cappuccinos, Lattes, and Macchiatos (and Flat Whites) all contain espresso coffee and milk in various amounts, textures, and ratios. These vary from drink to drink and can be confusing. Don’t worry, by the end of this article, I’ll have you sorted!
| Drink (by Amount of Milk) | Espresso | Steamed Milk | Foam | Served In |
| Caffè Macchiato | 1 shot | None | dollop | demitasse |
| Cappuccino | 1 shot | 1 part | 1 part | cup |
| Flat White | 1 shot | 2 parts, textured | thin layer of microfoam | cup |
| Caffè Latte | 1 shot | 3 parts | thin layer | cup |
| Latte Macchiato | 1 shot | 3 parts | 1 part | glass |
Table of Contents
What is a Macchiato?
What Exactly is a Cappuccino?
The Flat White
What Exactly is a Latte?
What Exactly is a Latte Macchiato?
FAQs
What is a Macchiato?
Ha! Trick Question! Macchiato comes from the Italian for “marked” or “stained.” Looking for a mostly coffee drink? You want a caffè macchiato. If you want a mostly milk drink, check out the latte macchiato. If you are ordering a caramel macchiato at Starbucks, you’re actually getting a latte macchiato with vanilla syrup. I’m sure it is delicious. It’s just not what an Italian barista would recognize as a macchiato.
OK, So What Exactly is a Caffè Macchiato?
By Marcingietorigie – Own work
CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17013177
This is a super easy drink to make. A caffè macchiato is “coffee marked” or “coffee stained,” if you prefer. What do we mark it with? With a little milk. Order one, and you will get something like the above photo: a shot of espresso with a dollop of milk foam on top.
What Exactly is a Cappuccino?
In simple terms, a cappuccino is a coffee drink made up of equal parts by volume of espresso, steamed textured milk, and milk foam. So, 1/3 espresso, 1/3 steamed milk, and 1/3 milk foam. Usually, you will also get a pretty design in the foam that we call “latte art.” Traditionally, you will get a dusting of cocoa powder on top.
Sometimes, you will be asked by your barista if you want a “wet” cappuccino or a “dry” cappuccino. A wet cappuccino has more steamed milk and less foam, closer to a latte. A dry cappuccino is mostly foam, has stronger coffee flavor, and a smaller volume. A bone-dry cappuccino is espresso and foam only.
Drinking cappuccinos in foreign lands
Interesting to note: In the US, I have found that a cappuccino can be ordered anytime of the day or night, and your barista will think nothing of it. In Italy, it’s a different story: You will probably be politely refused and perhaps even scolded if you try to order one in the afternoon or later. Milky drinks are strictly for the morning there. Across the rest of Europe, it has been my experience that they will serve you with pursed lips, a squint, and quiet judgement. But you can secretly wish that their servings were more American-sized (almost double!), so you have that going for you.
Do you want to know what exactly an espresso is? Spoiler alert: it’s not the drink! Follow the link to find out more. We’ll get into the differences between steamed milk, milk foam, and textured milk some other time. 😂
UBOI (Useless Bits of Information)
The word cappuccino comes from the Italian for “little hood” and refers to the similarity of the color of the top of the drink and the color of the robes worn by Capuchin monks.
From The Coffee Lover’s Dictionary.
Cappuccino Variations
Tired of a regular old cappuccino? How about switching it up with one of these variations on the theme (if you can find them)
- cappuccino chiaro: a cappuccino prepared with more steamed milk than usual; also known as a wet cappuccino or light cappuccino
- cappuccino freddo: a cappuccino served over ice; also known as an iced cappuccino
- cappuccino scuro: a cappuccino with half the steamed milk and double the foam; aka dry cappuccino or dark cappuccino
- flat white: similar to a cappuccino but with frothy milk rather than foam, which sits under the crema of the espresso shot
- marocaccino: a fashionable coffee drink from Milan, Italy, which is sort of an upside-down cappuccino served in a small glass: first a sprinkle of cocoa powder, then frothed milk, then a shot of espresso
- mochaccino: a cappuccino with a shot of chocolate syrup
- muggaccino: a ridiculously large cappuccino that can fill a mug
- Pepsi Cappuccino: also known as Café Chino and Max Cino, it’s a Pepsi with a taste of coffee previously sold in Russia, Romania, and other parts of eastern Europe. Since the new Coca-Cola drinks have arrived in the marketplace, maybe it will make a comeback?
- skinniccino: a cappuccino made with skim milk
A Cappuccino for Kids?
We know that it is frowned upon to give a child coffee, although my grandmother had different feelings on this subject, but here’s something you can serve without over-sugaring your kid. A babycino is a faux cappuccino-style drink consisting of warm milk in a small cup and topped with milk foam and powdered chocolate. Hold the chocolate if you want a puppaccino: a treat for your four-legged kid!
On a budget?
It’s not an “official” drink, but how about one of my favorites? I take my freshly brewed coffee and add plenty of frothy milk that’s left over from my wife’s chai latte. I call it a cheapaccino 😂
Cappuccino and Booze = Captainccino
Are you looking for a cappuccino drink that no Italian would dare give a side-eye to – even in the evening? Why not try this coffee cocktail? Make a cappuccino in an extra-large cup or mug, leaving room for a shot of Captain Morgan Tattoo Caribbean Rum – although I suppose any spiced rum will do the job – and a shot of Baileys Irish Cream (or equivalent). Enjoy responsibly.
Our Wild Card Drink: The Flat White
A drink that has gained in popularity in recent years, the flat white has a great deal to recommend it. In fact, many cappuccino lovers have made the switch due to it’s similarity to old classic. Like the cappuccino, the flat white starts with a shot of espresso and instead of one part steamed milk and one part foam, it gets two parts of textured or stretched steamed milk – not foam – and a thin layer of microfoam. Then, and this is the crucial part that really differentiates the flat white from other drinks, the crema is coaxed on to the top of the microfoam. When it is done right, it is an absolute sensory pleasure to drink. When it is done incorrectly, it is a HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT.
I have had wonderful flat whites at several establishements in London, even at chain operations like Costa and Pret. I have had lovely drinks at the Paul’s in the Toulouse train station, a Starbucks in suburban Cleveland and at Propaganda Coffee in Lakewood, Ohio. Mostly, I like to order flat whites only when I am in a proper cafe. This is because one time I ordered a flat white at an airport and recieved an abomination in a large styrofoam cup that was probably a shot of espresso and filled to the top with way over-foamed milk.
History of The Flat White
Get ready for international intrigue from Down Under! The flat white as we know it today was invented in 1981 by Derek Townshend and Darrell Ahlers of Cafe DKD, in Aukland, New Zealand. There’s a pretty good video of an interview with him. The problem is that for the last 10+ years, Australia has been claiming that the flat white was invented in Sydney prior to that. The problem is that the Australian version from that time was just coffee with milk. Non-foamed milk to differentiate from a cappuccino.
If you want to get persnickety, the term “flat white” has been around for even longer than the Australian claim. In the movie, “Danger By My Side (1962),” a man orders “a flat white.” What he receives is nothing like what we think of as a flat white; it looks more like coffee with a little milk. No froth at all. Similar to what the original Australian version was.
What Exactly is a Latte?
Latte is the Italian word for “milk.” If you belly up to the bar in one morning in Florence, with your money in hand and order that, you might just get a glass of milk. The drink you are probably thinking of is properly called a caffè latte, coffee with milk. It consists of a shot of espresso with three times as much hot, frothy milk and topped with milk foam.
By Takeaway – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17661813
Latte Variations
The sky’s the limit! You can put any number of flavorings in a latte. Perhaps you have run into a few of them. There is a fall favorite that comes immediately to mind involving pumpkin and spices. It’s far too sweet for me. I tend to think of it as a vaguely coffee-based milkshake.
Photo Credit: א (Aleph) – Own work
CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2743000
And What Exactly is a Latte Macchiato?
A latte macchiato is sort of the opposite of a caffè macchiato. The translation is “milk stained,” meaning milk that has been stained with coffee. Do you understand the difference between the two macchiatos? The latte macchiato uses the same ingredients and proportions as a caffè latte, but milk first, then the espresso, topped by less foam than you would get in the caffè latte. Often, the coffee is poured off a spoon so as to guarantee the customer can easily see the layers. Traditionally, a drop of coffee is poured on top so it is obvious that it is a coffee drink.
What’s the Difference: Cappuccino vs. Latte?
A latte is a much “milkier” drink than a cappuccino. A latte – assuming you mean a caffè latte (see above) – has the same amount of espresso as a cappuccino and three times as much steamed milk.
Which Drink is Stronger?
The answer to this question depends on what you mean by stronger. When you say “strength,” do you mean the total amount of caffeine? Do you mean the amount of caffeine per volume? Or do you mean the strength of coffee flavor? I’ll address all three criteria, but make sure you know what it is you are looking for.
Fine. Which is Stronger: Cappuccino or Latte?
A cappuccino and a caffè latte have the same amount of coffee in their recipes. That means each drink will also have the same amount of caffeine. However, since a latte has three times the milk, an equal volume of cappuccino will have more caffeine than the latte. The cappuccino will also have a stronger “coffee forward” flavor.
What Exactly is the Difference: Cappuccino vs. Macchiato?
A cappuccino has way more milk than a caffè macchiato. They both have the same amount of espresso. A cappuccino has one-third of the milk of a latte macchiato, and both usually have the same amount of espresso. I say usually, because some cafes will use less espresso in the latte macchiato.
Which is Stronger: Cappuccino or Macchiato?
A cappuccino and a caffè macchiato have the same amount of coffee, and therefore, the same amount of caffeine. There is much more milk in a cappuccino, so the caffè macchiato will have a stronger coffee flavor, and volume for volume, it will be stronger as well. A latte macchiato has three times the milk of a cappuccino, so it will have less coffee flavor even though it has the same amount of coffee and caffeine in the drink.
What’s Exactly is the Difference: Latte vs. Macchiato?
A caffè latte and the latte macchiato use the same ingredients and proportions of espresso, milk, and foam. In the caffè latte, it goes espresso, milk, then foam, and is usually served in a cup. In a latte macchiato, the milk is heated and foamed, and placed into a glass. The espresso is added gently to the milk in such a way so as to sit on top of the heated milk but below the foam, allowing the layers to be seen in the glass. There should also be a little spot of crema on top so as to further distinguish it from a caffè latte. A caffè macchiato is just a shot of espresso with a blob of milk foam on top.
Which is Stronger: Latte or Macchiato?
This one is an easy comparison: a caffè latte and latte macchiato use the same ingredients and proportions of espresso, milk, and foam, so they are of equal strength, provided your barista doesn’t short-change you on the espresso in the macchiato (some baristas make them with half the espresso). A caffè macchiato, being what it is, has a stronger coffee flavor.
A Note From Tim
Now that you know the basic construction of the drinks, you can feel confident when coming face-to-face with your friendly neighborhood barista. You also have a little coffee trivia to share with the other folks in the cafe. Remember to be a customer displaying proper cafe etiquette.
And now that you know the difference between a cappuccino, a flat white, a latte (more correctly called a caffè latte), a caffè macchiato, and a latte macchiato, you can try each of them to find out which is the one for you and dream about coffees in far off lands. Maybe you will sip il caffè in Milan, or a flat white in Auckland. Maybe you’ll have the captainccino!
Happy Drinking!
What is a Macchiato?
What Exactly is a Cappuccino?
The Flat White
What Exactly is a Latte?
What Exactly is a Latte Macchiato?
FAQs
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions About Unmasculine European Coffees*
The main difference is in the proportions of coffee, milk, and foam. Check the chart for the numbers.
Both drinks have the same amount of coffee, so their caffeine amounts are the same. There’s more milk in the latte, so you won’t have as strong of a coffee flavor.
Again, both drinks use one shot of espresso. A latte macchiato has three times as much milk and a caffè macchiato has almost none so the coffee flavor strength goes: caffè macchiato -> cappuccino -> latte macchiato.
A latte and a latte macchiato are almost the same strength. There is just more foam in the latte macchiato.
They are really close! A cappuccino has more foam and the flat white has more milk.
* That’s a Hudson Hawk reference. If you knew that, we should be friends!
