Milk Drinks
Espresso-and-milk classics — latte, cappuccino, flat white, cortado, macchiato, and mocha — and exactly what sets them apart.
Almost every drink on a café menu is a different balance of two ingredients: espresso and milk. Change the ratio, the milk texture, and the cup size, and one shot of espresso becomes a latte, a cappuccino, a flat white, or a cortado.
A cappuccino is roughly equal parts espresso, steamed milk, and foam. A latte adds much more steamed milk and a thin cap of microfoam. A flat white is smaller and stronger, with velvety milk. A cortado cuts espresso with an equal splash of milk. Once you see drinks as ratios, the whole menu makes sense — and our comparison guides give you the exact numbers.
4 articles in “Milk Drinks”
Latte vs Cappuccino: The Real Difference (With Ratios)
Both are espresso and steamed milk — so what actually separates them? The difference comes down to milk, foam, and ratio. Here is exactly how each is built.
Flat White vs Latte: What’s the Real Difference?
A flat white is smaller, stronger, and topped with velvety microfoam. A latte is larger, milkier, and capped with a thin layer of foam. Here’s exactly how they compare.
Cortado vs Macchiato: Which One Should You Order?
A cortado is espresso cut with an equal part of warm milk. A macchiato is espresso stained with just a dollop of foam. Here’s exactly how they differ in size, strength, and taste.
Mocha vs Latte: How They Compare
A mocha is a latte with chocolate. That one addition nearly doubles the calories and changes the flavor profile completely. Here’s exactly how the two drinks differ.
Related calculators
Free tools for milk drinks.