Latte vs flat white vs cappuccino

WHAT’S A LATTE?

A latte, or also called a caffè latte, is the big brother of the cappuccino, where everything revolves around the soft, silky foam. Usually the latte is made with a single or double shot of espresso (1/3 of your drink) and 2/3 of your drink is steamed milk with a small layer (around 1 cm) of frothed milk. The texture of a latte is very important and gives that lit bit of extra to the beautiful appearance of this drink.

HOW DO YOU MAKE YOUR OWN LATTE?

To make a latte at home, all you need is espresso and frothed milk. You need to layer the espresso and the frothed milk. Because latte only has a small layer of milk foam, you should pour the liquid, steamed milk on the espresso, while holding a spoon to prevent the frothed milk from being mixed. Once ready, add the milk foam (around 1 cm). When you get more experienced, try creating latte art like a true barista.

WHAT’S A CAPPUCCINO?

A cappuccino contains equal parts of espresso, steamed and milk froth. The coffee cup for a cappuccino is smaller than a latte cup, usually between 150 and 180 ml. The size of your cup is very important to get the right flavour balance between your espresso and the right amount of milk.

The foam of a cappuccino and be dry or velvety. Dry foam has large, airy bubbles and lots of volume, while with velvety foam (or micro foam) the bubbles are barely visible.

BUT HOW DO YOU MAKE A CAPPUCCINO YOURSELF?

If you do not make your cappuccino yourself (very understandable) and have it prepared by a professional barista, you will see that he or she will pour 1/3 of steamed milk at the bottom of your cup. Then the espresso is carefully poured in and then the milk froth will be put on top with a spoon. This creates the right layering in taste and textures. But how do you make this at home without the barista around the corner with your own coffee machine? Then the order will probably be a bit different from the barista’s and you will start with espresso, then pour the steamed milk in the cup and finish with the milk froth. Tip: make your partner the perfect barista with the perfect L’OR espresso.

WHAT’S A FLAT WHITE?

In most cafés and coffee bars a flat white is in fact a small latte with a little less milk. Just like a caffè latte, you use a double shot of espresso. Flat whites are served in two ways: with very little to no foam or with a lot of foam. The foam is rarely dry and is usually velvety with few bubbles in the foam; it’s a mix of frothed foam and liquid steamed milk. The flat white is an all-time favourite of coffee drinkers who prefer a stronger espresso flavour. The milk in a flat white contributes or improves the taste of the drink, while espresso still dominates in the mouth.

HOW TO MAKE A FLAT WHITE?

Prepare an espresso and pour the steamed milk into your cup. The proportions are about: 1/3 espresso and 2/3 milk. The steamed milk must have a micro foam layer, but must not have a stiff foam layer like you use for a latte or cappuccino. Many baristas claim that a flat white has a stronger taste than a cappuccino because of a perfect blend of milk and espresso. Others indicate that a cappuccino is the best drink to perfectly combine milk with espresso. For some it is only the differences between the servings in different cups. Perhaps you should try them both to choose your favourite and taste the difference.

WHAT’S A LATTE MACCHIATO?

Last but not least: the latte macchiato. Known for its' three distinctive layers of milk, espresso and milk foam, the latte macchiato is loved in many countries. The difference between a latte macchiato and a latte is the order of pouring the coffee into your cup or glass. With a latte macchiato you first steam your milk and then you add the espresso to the milk. With a latte you will add the milk to your coffee.

From the left; cappuccino, flat white, caffé latte.

Caffe Latte

Caffé Latte or just latte is an espresso based drink that consists of 1-2 espressos and lightly steamed milk. Traditionally it has been customary to serve it from a tall glass but nowadays it's more and more common to serve it from a bigger cup. Also the amount of espressos has developed during the years; the traditional latte has only one espresso and ~250ml glass but as during past years drink sizes have become a bit bigger it's common to find your your latte served in a 350ml cup and with two espressos.

One thing that is similar between latte and flat white but different in cappuccino is the amount of foam - latte and flat white should have less and cappuccino more. What is then less? It depends a lot what kind of cup/mug/glass the drink is served (glasses usually make foam amount appear bigger than in cups) but these amounts would be my "standards";

• caffe latte 1-2cm of foam
• flat white 1-2cm of foam 
• cappuccino 2-4cm of foam

As the name states, caffe latte is coffee with milk (caffé = coffee, latte = milk) and drink is pretty milky and mild in coffee flavour. It's perfect for someone who is maybe starting their coffee drinking or someone who likes bigger and wants less coffee flavour in their drink. Latte is also really often the base for some flavoured espresso drinks such as caramel latte, cafe mocha or vanilla latte.

Flat White

Flat white originates to Australia as almost all other espresso based drinks are originally from Italy. Flat whites are often served from a glass but it's also common to serve it in a small mug. The size of flat white should be around 200ml and it's always served with two espressos making it a bit stronger in coffee flavour compared to latte and cappuccino. As it's name states the amount of foam should be flat - so as little as possible (~1cm). Little foam and more espresso makes flat white the perfect drink for latte art and one is able to create a great contrast from the double espresso and lightly steamed milk.

Want to know how to pour latte art - check out our videos on different patterns!

I would recommend flat white for someone who is more used to the flavour of coffee and is looking for something a bit stronger. I personally prefer flat whites if I happen to order something with milk in a café. Give flat white a try!

Cappuccino

Cappuccino gets its name from Capuchin monks, referring to the color of their capes reminding the color of cappuccinos surface. Cappuccinos are almost always served from a 150-200ml and with one espresso. What makes cappuccino different from latte and flat white is the amount of foam - it should double the amount 2-4cm layer on top of the drink. There has also been a 1-1-1 standard for cappuccino: 1 part espresso, 1 part warm milk, 1 part foam. But I think that standard has been outdated.

There is a funny "rule" about cappuccinos in Italy - one shouldn't order a cappuccino after 11am as cappuccinos are considered as breakfast drinks as they consists of a lot of milk and it's considered heavy.

Do you want to know more? Make sure to check out our Brew Guides to find out how to make caffé latte, cappuccino and flat white!

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