Coffee drinks compared
What's the difference between a flat white and a latte, or a cortado and a macchiato? Each cup below is drawn to the same scale, so you can see how much espresso, milk and foam goes into each.
Espresso
- Espresso30 ml1 fl oz
- Total, about30 ml1 fl oz
A small, concentrated shot made by forcing hot water through finely ground coffee under pressure. Every drink below starts from it.
Shots: Single (about 25–30 ml) or double. A double shot is now the default in many cafés.
Macchiato
- Milk foam15 ml0.5 fl oz
- Espresso30 ml1 fl oz
- Total, about45 ml1.5 fl oz
Espresso “stained” (macchiato) with a small spoonful of milk foam. Strong, with just a softening touch of milk.
Shots: Single or double. Not the same as a latte macchiato, which is a tall glass of milk with espresso poured in, or the sweet caramel drink sold by some chains.
Cortado
- Milk foam5 ml0.2 fl oz
- Steamed milk55 ml1.9 fl oz
- Espresso60 ml2 fl oz
- Total, about120 ml4.1 fl oz
Espresso “cut” with roughly the same amount of warm steamed milk and very little foam. Small, smooth and still clearly coffee-forward.
Shots: Usually double. Usually served in a small glass of about 120–150 ml.
Flat white
- Milk foam10 ml0.3 fl oz
- Steamed milk100 ml3.4 fl oz
- Espresso50 ml1.7 fl oz
- Total, about160 ml5.4 fl oz
A double shot with steamed milk and a thin layer of glossy microfoam, in a smaller cup than a latte, so the coffee taste stays prominent.
Shots: Double, often ristretto (shorter, stronger shots). About 150–180 ml in most cafés; sizes and shot styles vary.
Cappuccino
- Milk foam65 ml2.2 fl oz
- Steamed milk60 ml2 fl oz
- Espresso25 ml0.8 fl oz
- Total, about150 ml5.1 fl oz
Espresso topped with steamed milk and a thick, airy layer of foam. The Italian espresso institute (INEI) describes 25 ml of espresso and frothed milk in a 150–160 ml cup.
Shots: Single in Italy; often double elsewhere. Larger cappuccinos (and double shots) are common outside Italy; the foam layer is the defining feature.
Latte
- Milk foam15 ml0.5 fl oz
- Steamed milk180 ml6.1 fl oz
- Espresso50 ml1.7 fl oz
- Total, about245 ml8.3 fl oz
Espresso with plenty of steamed milk and a thin layer of foam on top. The mildest and milkiest of the classics.
Shots: Single or double. Sizes range from about 240 ml to well over 400 ml; in Italy, ask for a “caffè latte”, as “latte” just means milk.
Americano
- Hot water150 ml5.1 fl oz
- Espresso50 ml1.7 fl oz
- Total, about200 ml6.8 fl oz
Espresso topped up with hot water: similar in size to a mug of filter coffee, with an espresso flavour.
Shots: Single or double. The amount of water is entirely to taste. Pouring the espresso onto the water (a “long black”) keeps more crema.
Mocha
- Milk foam15 ml0.5 fl oz
- Steamed milk160 ml5.4 fl oz
- Espresso50 ml1.7 fl oz
- Chocolate20 ml0.7 fl oz
- Total, about245 ml8.3 fl oz
A latte with chocolate (syrup, sauce or cocoa) mixed in. Often finished with whipped cream or cocoa powder.
Shots: Single or double. Chocolate, size and toppings vary more than for any other drink here.
| Drink | Espresso | Added | Foam | Total | Espresso share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Espresso | 30 ml | — | — | 30 ml | 100 % |
| Macchiato | 30 ml | — | 15 ml | 45 ml | 67 % |
| Cortado | 60 ml | steamed milk 55 ml | 5 ml | 120 ml | 50 % |
| Flat white | 50 ml | steamed milk 100 ml | 10 ml | 160 ml | 31 % |
| Cappuccino | 25 ml | steamed milk 60 ml | 65 ml | 150 ml | 17 % |
| Latte | 50 ml | steamed milk 180 ml | 15 ml | 245 ml | 20 % |
| Americano | 50 ml | hot water 150 ml | — | 200 ml | 25 % |
| Mocha | 50 ml | chocolate 20 + steamed milk 160 ml | 15 ml | 245 ml | 20 % |
How to read the comparison
Every drink is built from the same few things: espresso, steamed milk, milk foam, and sometimes hot water or chocolate. What changes is how much of each, and the size of the cup. The less milk, the more the coffee comes through: a macchiato or cortado tastes much more of espresso than a latte.
There is no single correct recipe for most of these drinks. A cappuccino in Rome is smaller than one in a large chain, and the same name can mean a different drink in another country. The amounts here show one typical version so the drinks can be compared fairly; your café's will differ.
Quick differences
- Cappuccino vs latte: a cappuccino has a thick layer of foam and less milk; a latte is larger, milkier, with only a thin layer of foam.
- Flat white vs latte: a flat white is smaller, usually with a double shot and thin microfoam, so it tastes stronger.
- Cortado vs macchiato: a cortado has about as much steamed milk as espresso; a macchiato has just a spoonful of foam.
- Americano vs filter coffee: an Americano is espresso diluted with hot water, so it tastes different from coffee brewed through a filter, even at a similar size.
Sources
- Il Sole 24 Ore — the certified Italian cappuccino (Istituto Nazionale Espresso Italiano)
- Methodical Coffee — Macchiato vs cortado vs flat white
- Coffee Bros. — Espresso drinks explained
See also: latte vs cappuccino.