Most types of coffee drinks fall into three families: espresso drinks (a concentrated shot, alone or with water or milk), brewed coffee (drip, pour over, French press and cold brew) and regional and specialty drinks such as Turkish coffee, Vietnamese iced coffee and Irish coffee. What separates one drink from another is mostly the ratio of coffee to milk, foam and water, and the serving size.
This guide explains 34 coffee drinks in plain language, with an espresso drinks chart you can scan in seconds. For each one you’ll see what’s in it and how strong it tastes.
The 6 drinks most people order
- Latte: espresso with lots of steamed milk and a little foam
- Cappuccino: espresso with steamed milk and thick foam, smaller than a latte
- Americano: espresso topped up with hot water
- Flat white: espresso with silky milk, stronger than a latte
- Cold brew: coffee steeped cold for 12–24 hours
- Mocha: a latte with chocolate
Espresso drinks chart
Every drink here starts with espresso. Sizes are typical; cafés vary.
| Drink | Espresso | Milk | Foam | Other | Typical size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Espresso | 1 shot | – | – | – | 1 oz (30 ml) |
| Doppio | 2 shots | – | – | – | 2 oz |
| Ristretto | Short shot | – | – | – | 0.5–0.75 oz |
| Lungo | Long shot | – | – | – | 2–3 oz |
| Americano | 1–2 shots | – | – | Hot water | 6–12 oz |
| Long black | 2 shots | – | – | Hot water (shot on top) | 4–8 oz |
| Macchiato | 1–2 shots | – | A dollop | – | 2–3 oz |
| Cortado | 2 shots | Equal part | Very little | – | 4–5 oz |
| Gibraltar | 2 shots | Equal part | Very little | Served in a Gibraltar glass | 4.5 oz |
| Piccolo latte | 1 ristretto | Small amount | Thin | – | 3–4 oz |
| Flat white | 2 shots | Some | Thin microfoam | – | 5–6 oz |
| Cappuccino | 1–2 shots | About ⅓ | About ⅓, thick | Optional cocoa | 5–6 oz |
| Latte | 1–2 shots | Lots | Thin layer | – | 8–16 oz |
| Latte macchiato | 1 shot | Lots (poured first) | Layer | Layered in a glass | 8–12 oz |
| Breve | 1–2 shots | Half-and-half | Some | – | 8–12 oz |
| Mocha | 1–2 shots | Lots | Thin | Chocolate | 8–16 oz |
| Con panna | 1–2 shots | – | – | Whipped cream | 2–3 oz |
| Café cubano | 1–2 shots | – | – | Sugar whipped in | 2 oz |
| Café bombón | 1 shot | – | – | Sweetened condensed milk | 2–3 oz |
| Red eye | 1 shot | – | – | Drip coffee | 8–12 oz |
| Affogato | 1–2 shots | – | – | Vanilla ice cream | Small bowl |
| Espresso tonic | 2 shots | – | – | Tonic water, ice | 10–12 oz |
| Shaken espresso | 2–3 shots | Splash | Froth from shaking | Ice, syrup | 12–16 oz |
Types of espresso coffee drinks
Straight shots
1. Espresso. A small, concentrated coffee made by forcing hot water at about 9 bar through finely ground coffee in 25–30 seconds. It has a layer of golden crema on top and an intense, syrupy body.
2. Doppio. Italian for “double”: two shots in one cup. Most cafés in the US and UK use a double as their standard base.
3. Ristretto. A shorter shot using the same coffee with less water. It’s sweeter and thicker, with less bitterness.
4. Lungo. A longer shot with more water passed through the coffee. Lighter in body and more bitter than espresso. Not the same as an Americano, where water is added after brewing.
For how dose and yield change these shots, see our espresso brew ratio guide.
Espresso with water
5. Americano. Espresso diluted with hot water to roughly the strength of drip coffee, but with a different, roastier flavor.
6. Long black. The Australian and New Zealand version: espresso poured on top of hot water, keeping more crema.
Espresso with a little milk
7. Macchiato. “Marked” espresso: a shot topped with a spoonful of milk foam. Small and strong.
8. Cortado. Espresso cut with an equal amount of warm, lightly textured milk. Originally Spanish; smooth but coffee-forward.
9. Gibraltar. Essentially a cortado served in a 4.5 oz Libbey “Gibraltar” glass, a name that started in San Francisco cafés.
10. Piccolo latte. A tiny latte, usually a ristretto topped with warm milk in a small glass. Popular in Australia.
Classic milk drinks
11. Flat white. A double shot with steamed milk and a thin layer of velvety microfoam, in a 5–6 oz cup. Stronger and silkier than a latte.
12. Cappuccino. Espresso with steamed milk and a thick cap of foam, traditionally about one-third each. Lighter and airier than a flat white.
13. Latte (caffè latte). Espresso with a large amount of steamed milk and a thin layer of foam. Mild and creamy; the most customizable drink on any menu.
14. Latte macchiato. Milk “marked” by espresso: steamed milk is poured into a tall glass first, then espresso is added so it forms layers.
15. Breve. A latte made with steamed half-and-half instead of milk. Richer and sweeter.
16. Mocha. A latte with chocolate sauce or cocoa, often topped with whipped cream.
Want to make these at home? Our guide to making espresso at home covers the shot, and our milk frother picks help if your machine has no steam wand.
Sweet and special espresso drinks
17. Espresso con panna. A shot topped with whipped cream.
18. Café cubano. Espresso brewed or whipped with sugar to create a sweet, foamy layer called espumita.
19. Café bombón. From Spain: espresso layered over sweetened condensed milk in a small glass.
20. Red eye. A cup of drip coffee with a shot of espresso added. Two shots makes a “black eye”; three, a “dead eye” in some cafés.
21. Affogato. A scoop of vanilla ice cream or gelato “drowned” in a hot shot of espresso. Half drink, half dessert.
Iced espresso drinks
22. Iced latte. Espresso poured over cold milk and ice.
23. Shaken espresso. Espresso shaken hard with ice and syrup until frothy, then topped with a splash of milk.
24. Espresso tonic. Espresso poured over tonic water and ice. Bright, bitter and fizzy.
Brewed coffee drinks
These use hot or cold water to extract coffee without espresso pressure. They’re usually larger, lighter-bodied and closer to “a regular cup of coffee”. Each method changes body and clarity.
25. Drip coffee (filter coffee). Hot water drips through ground coffee in a paper or mesh filter. The everyday cup in much of North America.
26. Pour over. Drip coffee made by hand with a dripper like a V60, Kalita Wave or Chemex. Clean and nuanced.
27. French press coffee. Coarse coffee steeped in hot water and pressed through a metal filter. Full-bodied and rich.
28. Café au lait. Brewed coffee mixed with roughly equal hot milk. Unlike a latte, it doesn’t use espresso.
29. Cold brew. Coarse coffee steeped in cold water for 12–24 hours, then filtered. Smooth, chocolatey and low in perceived acidity.
30. Nitro cold brew. Cold brew infused with nitrogen and served from a tap, giving a creamy, stout-like texture without milk.
31. Iced coffee. Hot-brewed coffee chilled or poured over ice. Brighter than cold brew. “Japanese-style” iced coffee brews hot coffee directly onto ice.
Regional and specialty coffee drinks
32. Turkish coffee. Extra-finely ground coffee simmered with water (and often sugar or cardamom) in a cezve, served unfiltered with the grounds settling in the cup. Thick and intense.
33. Vietnamese iced coffee (cà phê sữa đá). Strong coffee dripped slowly through a metal phin filter onto sweetened condensed milk, then poured over ice. Often made with robusta for a bold, chocolatey flavor.
34. Irish coffee. Hot coffee with Irish whiskey and sugar, topped with a layer of lightly whipped cream. An after-dinner drink for adults.
Other drinks you’ll see on menus include Greek frappé (instant coffee shaken with water, ice and sugar into a thick foam), dalgona coffee (whipped instant coffee over milk), Vietnamese egg coffee (cà phê trứng, coffee topped with a whipped egg yolk and sugar cream) and blended frozen coffees made with ice, milk and syrup.
How to tell types of coffee drinks apart
When a menu is confusing, ask three questions:
- Is it espresso or brewed coffee? Latte, cappuccino, flat white and Americano are espresso. Café au lait, cold brew and drip are brewed.
- How much milk and foam? From least to most milk: espresso → macchiato → cortado → flat white → cappuccino → latte.
- Hot, iced or blended? Most drinks have iced versions; the base stays the same.
From strongest to mildest taste
| Strength (taste) | Drinks |
|---|---|
| Most intense | Ristretto, espresso, Turkish coffee |
| Strong | Macchiato, cortado, Gibraltar, piccolo, long black |
| Balanced | Flat white, cappuccino, Americano, drip, pour over |
| Mild and milky | Latte, breve, café au lait, latte macchiato |
| Sweet | Mocha, café bombón, Vietnamese iced coffee, affogato |
Taste strength isn’t the same as caffeine. A large latte with two shots has the same caffeine as a double espresso; the milk simply dilutes the flavor. A large cold brew or drip coffee can contain more caffeine than either.
Which coffee drink should you try?
- New to coffee: a latte or mocha. Mild, creamy and easy to sweeten.
- You like coffee flavor but not bitterness: a flat white or cortado.
- You drink it black: an Americano, pour over or long black.
- You want something cold and smooth: cold brew or an iced latte.
- You want dessert: an affogato.
If you plan to make these at home, beans make a big difference. Our best coffee beans for espresso covers versatile options for both straight shots and milk drinks.
Coffee drink names around the world
The same name can mean different drinks depending on where you order:
- Italy: ask for “un caffè” and you’ll get an espresso. A “latte” is just milk; order a “caffè latte” for the coffee drink. Cappuccino is traditionally a morning drink.
- Australia and New Zealand: the flat white, long black and piccolo are menu staples. “Short black” means espresso.
- Spain: “café solo” is espresso, “cortado” is espresso with a little milk, and “café con leche” is roughly half coffee, half milk.
- France: “un café” is espresso; “café crème” is espresso with steamed milk, similar to a latte.
- United States: sizes are often much larger, and a “macchiato” at large chains may mean a layered, sweetened latte rather than a traditional espresso macchiato.
- Vietnam: “cà phê đen” is black coffee, “cà phê sữa” adds condensed milk, and “đá” means iced.
When in doubt, ask how big the drink is and how much milk it contains. That clears up most confusion faster than the name.
Hot vs iced versions
Almost any espresso drink can be served iced. The usual rule is to keep the espresso the same and replace steamed milk with cold milk and ice. An iced cappuccino is often topped with cold foam (milk frothed cold) instead of hot foam. Iced Americanos use cold water and ice instead of hot water. Because ice dilutes the drink as it melts, many cafés add an extra shot to iced drinks, or use cold brew or chilled espresso to keep the flavor strong. If you prefer a smoother, less acidic iced drink, cold brew is the base to choose; for a brighter flavor, try iced pour over brewed directly onto ice.
FAQ
What are the main types of coffee?
The main types of coffee drinks are espresso-based drinks (espresso, Americano, latte, cappuccino, flat white, mocha), brewed coffee (drip, pour over, French press, cold brew) and regional specialties like Turkish and Vietnamese coffee. “Types of coffee” can also mean bean species, mainly arabica and robusta.
What’s the difference between a latte and a cappuccino?
Both are espresso with steamed milk. A cappuccino is smaller with a thick layer of foam, so it tastes stronger and lighter in texture. A latte has more milk and only a thin layer of foam, so it’s creamier and milder.
What is the strongest coffee drink?
In flavor, a ristretto or straight espresso. In total caffeine, a large drip coffee, cold brew or a drink with extra espresso shots usually contains the most.
Is a macchiato stronger than a latte?
Yes, in taste. A traditional macchiato is espresso with just a spoonful of foam, while a latte has much more milk. Both may contain the same number of espresso shots.
What coffee drink has the least milk?
Apart from black drinks like espresso and Americano, a macchiato has the least milk, followed by a cortado.