Walk up to a cafe counter and the menu can read like a foreign language: espresso, ristretto, Americano, macchiato, cortado, flat white, cappuccino, latte, mocha, cold brew, nitro. Most of these drinks are built from the same few ingredients, espresso or brewed coffee, milk, foam, water, ice, and sometimes chocolate or syrup, combined in different ratios. Once you understand the building blocks, every menu makes sense.
This guide explains the most popular coffee drinks you will find in American cafes, how each is made, how they compare in strength and size, and how to choose and customize your order.
Espresso drinks start with concentrated shots of espresso: straight (espresso, ristretto, lungo), with water (Americano), with a little milk or foam (macchiato, cortado, flat white), or with more milk (cappuccino, latte, mocha). Brewed coffee drinks include drip coffee, pour over, French press, and cold brew. The main differences are the amount of milk and foam, the size, and how the coffee is brewed.
| Drink | What it is | Strength and texture |
|---|
| Espresso | A concentrated shot brewed under pressure | Intense, small |
| Ristretto | A shorter, more concentrated espresso shot | Sweeter, very intense |
| Lungo | A longer espresso shot with more water | Milder, more bitter |
| Americano | Espresso diluted with hot water | Similar strength to drip coffee |
| Macchiato | Espresso marked with a little foam | Strong, tiny |
| Cortado | Espresso with a roughly equal amount of warm milk | Balanced, small |
| Flat white | Espresso with a thin layer of velvety microfoam | Strong, smooth |
| Cappuccino | Espresso, steamed milk, and thick foam | Bold, airy |
| Latte | Espresso with lots of steamed milk and light foam | Mild, creamy |
| Mocha | Latte with chocolate | Sweet, rich |
| Drip coffee | Hot water filtered through ground coffee | Everyday cup |
| Cold brew | Coffee steeped in cold water for many hours | Smooth, low acidity |
| Nitro cold brew | Cold brew infused with nitrogen | Creamy, cascading texture |
Espresso and its variations
Espresso is the foundation of most cafe drinks. Hot water is forced through finely ground, tightly packed coffee under high pressure, producing a small, concentrated shot topped with a golden crema. A single shot is about one ounce; a double (doppio) is about two. Our article on who invented espresso tells the story of the machine that made it possible.
A ristretto ("restricted") uses less water for a shorter, sweeter, more concentrated shot. A lungo ("long") uses more water for a larger, milder, and slightly more bitter shot.
An Americano is espresso diluted with hot water, producing a drink similar in strength to drip coffee but with espresso's flavor. A popular story links the name to American soldiers in Italy during World War II who diluted espresso to resemble the coffee they knew at home. Iced Americanos are a refreshing alternative to iced coffee.
Espresso with a little milk
A traditional macchiato (espresso macchiato) is a shot of espresso "stained" or marked with a small dollop of milk foam. Some American chains use the name for a large, layered, sweetened milk drink, often called a latte macchiato or caramel macchiato, which is very different. If you want the traditional version, ask for an espresso macchiato.
Originating in Spain, a cortado is espresso "cut" with a roughly equal amount of warm steamed milk and little foam. It is small, balanced, and smooth.
The flat white, associated with Australia and New Zealand, is espresso, often a double, topped with a thin layer of velvety microfoam. It is smaller and stronger than a latte, with a silky texture.
A cappuccino combines espresso with steamed milk and a thick layer of foam, traditionally in roughly equal parts, served in a small cup. It tastes bold and feels light and airy.
A latte has the same espresso with much more steamed milk and a thin layer of microfoam. It is larger, creamier, and milder, and it is the base for most flavored drinks. For a detailed comparison, see our guide to latte versus cappuccino.
A mocha, or caffe mocha, is a latte with chocolate sauce or cocoa, often topped with whipped cream. It is sweet and rich, closer to a dessert.
A breve is an espresso drink made with half and half instead of milk, rich and creamy. A red eye is a cup of drip coffee with a shot of espresso added for extra caffeine.
- Drip coffee: the everyday American cup, brewed by pouring hot water over grounds in a filter.
- Pour over: brewed by hand by pouring water over grounds in a cone, highlighting a coffee's flavor notes.
- French press: grounds steeped in hot water, then pressed with a mesh plunger, producing a full bodied cup.
- Cafe au lait: brewed coffee mixed with steamed milk, the French counterpart of a latte.
- Iced coffee: brewed coffee chilled and served over ice.
- Cold brew: coarse grounds steeped in cold or room temperature water for many hours, typically 12 to 24, producing a smooth, low acidity coffee that is often stronger than iced coffee.
- Nitro cold brew: cold brew infused with nitrogen and served from a tap, with a creamy texture and cascading foam, usually without milk.
- Iced latte: espresso and cold milk over ice.
- Blended drinks: coffee, milk, ice, and syrups blended into a frozen drink, more dessert than coffee.
- Affogato: a scoop of vanilla gelato or ice cream "drowned" in a shot of hot espresso.
- Cuban coffee (cafecito): sweet espresso whipped with sugar into a foam, popular in Miami. Variations include the colada, cortadito, and cafe con leche.
- Vietnamese iced coffee: strong drip coffee with sweetened condensed milk over ice.
- Turkish coffee: finely ground coffee simmered with water and often sugar, served unfiltered.
- Cafe de olla: Mexican coffee spiced with cinnamon and sweetened with piloncillo.
Our article on where coffee originated explains how coffee spread from Ethiopia and Yemen around the world.
Espresso drink ratios compared
| Drink | Espresso | Milk or water | Typical size |
|---|
| Espresso macchiato | 1 to 2 shots | A spoonful of foam | 2 to 3 ounces |
| Cortado | 2 shots | About equal warm milk | 4 to 4.5 ounces |
| Flat white | 2 shots | Steamed milk, thin microfoam | 5 to 6 ounces |
| Cappuccino | 1 to 2 shots | Steamed milk and thick foam | 5 to 8 ounces |
| Latte | 1 to 2 shots | Lots of steamed milk, light foam | 8 to 20 ounces |
| Americano | 1 to 2 shots | Hot water | 8 to 16 ounces |
Sizes vary widely between cafes, especially at national chains, which often serve every milk drink in the same large cups. Treat these as traditional guidelines rather than strict rules.
- Shots: add an extra shot for more strength, or order decaf or half caf.
- Milk: whole, two percent, skim, oat, soy, almond, or coconut.
- Temperature: ask for extra hot or kid temperature.
- Foam: wet or dry cappuccino, no foam latte.
- Sweetness: fewer pumps of syrup, sugar free syrups, or no sweetener.
- Size: smaller sizes keep traditional ratios closer to how the drinks were designed.
Caffeine depends mostly on the number of espresso shots or the amount of brewed coffee, not on milk. A large drip coffee often contains more caffeine than a single shot latte, and cold brew can be especially strong. Calories come mostly from milk, syrups, chocolate, and whipped cream: black coffee, espresso, and Americanos are nearly calorie free, while flavored lattes, mochas, and blended drinks can carry as many calories as a meal. Our guide to healthy restaurant breakfasts discusses smart coffee choices, and our guide to hidden dairy notes that some syrups and toppings contain milk.
- Want pure coffee flavor? Espresso, Americano, pour over, or cold brew.
- Want strong but smooth? Cortado or flat white.
- Want creamy and mild? Latte.
- Want bold and foamy? Cappuccino.
- Want a treat? Mocha, affogato, or a flavored latte.
- Want refreshing? Iced Americano, cold brew, or iced latte.
- Know your order before you reach the counter when there is a line.
- Order in a logical sequence: size, iced or hot, drink, milk, then extras.
- Ask the barista for a recommendation if you are unsure; most enjoy talking about their coffee.
- Tipping a dollar or so per drink is common at counter service cafes; see our guide on how much to tip.
Coffee pairs naturally with breakfast pastries and brunch. Our articles on where croissants originated, where bagels originated, and the history of brunch make good reading with your next cup.
Most cafe drinks are variations on a few building blocks. Espresso drinks range from straight shots to Americanos, macchiatos, cortados, flat whites, cappuccinos, lattes, and mochas, with more milk making the drink larger and milder. Brewed coffees include drip, pour over, French press, and cold brew. Learn the ratios, customize shots, milk, and sweetness, and you can order confidently at any cafe. For more food and drink basics, explore our food knowledge collection.
Frequently asked questions
Popular cafe drinks include espresso, Americano, macchiato, cortado, flat white, cappuccino, latte, mocha, drip coffee, cold brew, and nitro cold brew.
A traditional espresso macchiato is a shot of espresso marked with a small dollop of foam. A latte is espresso with a large amount of steamed milk and a thin layer of foam.
A cortado is a Spanish style drink of espresso cut with a roughly equal amount of warm steamed milk and little foam.
Iced coffee is brewed hot and chilled over ice. Cold brew is steeped in cold or room temperature water for many hours, producing a smoother, less acidic coffee.
Caffeine depends on the amount of coffee used. Large drip coffees and cold brews often contain more caffeine than single shot espresso drinks.
An Americano is espresso diluted with hot water, similar in strength to drip coffee but with an espresso flavor.
Reviewed and verified by the Restaurant Listings Editorial Team for accuracy and relevance. Our content is researched using official restaurant sources, public records, government agencies, and recognized food safety and hospitality industry resources.
Last reviewed: October 2026
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