Types of Coffee Drinks: Chart and Guide

Most coffee drinks fall into a few families. Espresso drinks are short, strong shots such as espresso, ristretto and lungo. Espresso and water gives you an Americano or long black. Espresso and milk gives you the café classics, from the small cortado and macchiato to the cappuccino, flat white and latte, which differ mainly in how much milk and foam they use. Brewed coffee drinks start with drip, pour-over or French press coffee, and cold coffee drinks include iced coffee, cold brew and frappés. The chart below compares the most common types at a glance, followed by a guide to each one.

Espresso Drinks

Espresso is made by forcing hot water through finely ground coffee at about 9 bars of pressure, giving a small, concentrated shot topped with crema. It is the base of most café drinks.

• Espresso (short black): a single shot, about 1 oz. See how to drink espresso.
• Doppio: a double shot, about 2 oz, now the standard in many cafés.
• Ristretto: a “restricted” shot made with less water, so it is shorter, sweeter and less bitter.
• Lungo: a “long” shot pulled with more water, so it is larger, lighter in body and more bitter. Compare all three in espresso vs ristretto vs lungo.

Espresso and Water Drinks

• Americano: espresso topped with hot water, similar in strength to drip coffee but with espresso’s flavor. See what is an Americano.
• Long black: popular in Australia and New Zealand; the espresso is poured on top of the hot water, which keeps more of the crema.
• Espresso tonic: espresso poured over tonic water and ice, a bright, fizzy summer drink. See espresso tonic.

Milk-Based Espresso Drinks

Most café drinks are espresso plus steamed milk and foam. From smallest and strongest to largest and milkiest:

• Macchiato: espresso “marked” with a small spoonful of milk foam. See what is a macchiato.
• Cortado: from Spain; espresso cut with about the same amount of warm, lightly textured milk. See what is a cortado.
• Gibraltar: a San Francisco name for a cortado-style drink served in a 4.5 oz Gibraltar glass.
• Piccolo latte: a ristretto or single shot topped with steamed milk in a small glass, a kind of mini latte.
• Cappuccino: espresso with steamed milk and a thick layer of foam, traditionally about a third of each. A “wet” cappuccino has more milk, a “dry” one more foam; see bone-dry cappuccino.
• Flat white: from Australia and New Zealand; a double shot with a smaller amount of thin, velvety microfoam, so it tastes stronger than a latte.
• Latte: espresso with plenty of steamed milk and a thin layer of foam, the mildest and milkiest. See latte vs cappuccino.
• Latte macchiato: a glass of steamed milk “marked” with espresso poured in last, so it forms layers.
• Mocha: a latte with chocolate sauce or cocoa, often topped with whipped cream. See what is a mocha.
• Breve: made with steamed half-and-half instead of milk, for a richer drink. See what is a breve.
• Espresso con panna: espresso topped with whipped cream.
• Café bombón: from Spain; espresso layered over sweetened condensed milk.

To make these at home, see how to froth milk and how to make espresso without a machine.

Types of Lattes

A standard latte is one or two shots of espresso with about 6 to 10 oz of steamed milk and a thin layer of foam, roughly 1 part espresso to 3 to 5 parts milk. Popular variations include:

• Flavored lattes: vanilla, caramel and hazelnut syrups are the classics; see the best coffee syrups. Seasonal favorites include the pumpkin spice latte.
• Iced latte: espresso and cold milk over ice.
• Plant-based lattes: made with oat, almond, soy or coconut milk; oat milk steams and foams the most like dairy.
• Breve latte: made with half-and-half for extra richness.
• Latte macchiato: layered, with the espresso poured in last.
• Dirty chai: a spiced chai tea latte with a shot of espresso added.
• Coffee-free lattes: chai lattes, matcha lattes and golden (turmeric) lattes borrow the name but usually contain no coffee.

Brewed Coffee Drinks

• Drip or filter coffee: the everyday cup from a coffee maker. See espresso vs drip coffee.
• Pour-over: hand-brewed through a paper filter for a clean, bright cup. See our pour-over guide.
• French press: steeped and pressed for a full-bodied cup. See French press coffee.
• Café au lait: brewed coffee with steamed milk, the French breakfast classic.
• Red eye, black eye and dead eye: drip coffee with one, two or three shots of espresso added for extra strength. Names vary from café to café.

Cold Coffee Drinks

• Iced coffee: hot-brewed coffee chilled over ice; flash-chilled iced coffee is brewed straight onto ice.
• Cold brew: coarse coffee steeped in cold water for 12 to 24 hours for a smooth, low-bitterness drink. See cold brew vs iced coffee and how to make cold brew.
• Nitro cold brew: cold brew infused with nitrogen and served on tap for a creamy, stout-like texture. See nitro cold brew.
• Frappé: an iced, frothy coffee, from the shaken Greek instant-coffee frappé to blended café drinks. See what is a frappé.
• Affogato: a scoop of vanilla ice cream “drowned” in a hot shot of espresso.

Coffee Drinks From Around the World

• Turkish coffee: very finely ground coffee simmered in a small pot and served unfiltered. See how to make Turkish coffee.
• Vietnamese iced coffee: strong coffee dripped through a phin filter over sweetened condensed milk and ice. See Vietnamese iced coffee.
• Café de olla: Mexican coffee brewed with cinnamon and piloncillo sugar. See Mexican coffee.
• Irish coffee: hot coffee, Irish whiskey and sugar topped with cream. See Irish coffee.
• Caffè corretto: an Italian espresso “corrected” with a splash of grappa, sambuca or brandy.
• Greek freddo espresso: espresso shaken with ice; see café freddo.
• Swedish egg coffee: coffee grounds mixed with an egg before brewing for a clear, smooth cup. See Swedish egg coffee.

Tips for Ordering Coffee

• Want it strong? Choose a smaller milk drink, such as a cortado or flat white, or ask for an extra shot.
• Want it mild? A latte or café au lait has the most milk.
• Watching sugar? Skip flavored syrups and sweetened drinks such as mochas, or ask for fewer pumps.
• Sizes vary: a macchiato or cappuccino at a chain may be much larger and sweeter than the Italian original, so ask if you are unsure.
• Ask about the beans: many cafés offer a house espresso blend and a single-origin option. See espresso blends.