All espresso drinks, different ratios. Here's what sets them apart.
Espresso: 1-2oz straight shot. No milk.
Americano: Espresso + hot water. Similar strength to drip coffee but different flavor.
Latte: 1-2 shots espresso + 8-12oz steamed milk + thin layer of foam. Milkiest drink. 3:1 milk to espresso.
Cappuccino: Equal parts espresso, steamed milk, milk foam (each about 2oz). Foamier and stronger than latte.
Macchiato: Espresso "marked" with 1-2 tsp milk foam. Smallest amount of milk.
Flat White: Double shot espresso + microfoam milk. Less milk than latte, velvety texture.
Cortado: Equal parts espresso and steamed milk. No foam. 1:1 ratio.
Mocha: Latte + chocolate syrup + whipped cream.
Most café drinks are variations on espresso plus milk and water in different ratios. Understanding the core formulas demystifies the menu.
Espresso (1 oz): Single shot, no additions. Concentrated, intense, with crema on top. Doppio (2 oz): Double shot — two espressos pulled together. Most US "espresso" orders default to a doppio. Ristretto: A "restricted" shot — same dose of coffee but less water, so it's shorter and more concentrated with less bitterness. Lungo: A "long" shot — more water passed through the same dose, producing a larger, slightly more bitter shot.
Americano: Espresso shot(s) added to hot water. Closest in size and dilution to drip coffee, but with the body and flavor of espresso. Long black: Australian/Kiwi version where water goes in the cup first, then espresso is pulled on top — this preserves the crema better than the Americano method.
The differences between milk-based drinks come down to ratios of espresso to steamed milk to milk foam:
Beyond the espresso menu, several drinks use other brewing methods.
Drip coffee / brewed coffee: Standard filter coffee. Pour-over: Hand-brewed filter coffee, typically using a V60, Chemex, or Kalita Wave. Often uses single-origin beans. French press: Immersion-brewed coffee with a fuller body than filter methods.
Iced coffee: Hot-brewed coffee poured over ice. Quick to make but tends to taste watery as ice melts. Cold brew: Coffee brewed with cold water for 12-24 hours. Smoother, sweeter, less acidic than hot coffee. Nitro cold brew: Cold brew infused with nitrogen, served on tap. Creamy texture similar to draft beer. Iced latte: Espresso + cold milk + ice. Iced Americano: Espresso + cold water + ice. Affogato: A scoop of vanilla ice cream "drowned" with a hot espresso shot. Dessert and coffee in one.
Vietnamese coffee: Strong drip coffee (often Robusta) with sweetened condensed milk. Turkish coffee: Very finely ground coffee boiled with water and sugar in a cezve. Cuban coffee: Espresso brewed with sugar in the portafilter, creating a sweet crema. Café au lait: Drip coffee + steamed milk in equal parts (French version of a latte using drip instead of espresso).
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