Café latte
In Italian: caffè latte or caffellatte; usually just “latte”
A café latte is espresso topped up with plenty of steamed milk and a thin layer of foam, the largest and milkiest of the classic espresso drinks. In Italian latte simply means milk, so in Italy you ask for a caffè latte or caffellatte.
At a glance
- In the cup
- Espresso, steamed milk, a thin layer of foam
- Milk
- The most of the classic espresso drinks
- Variations
- Iced latte, breve (with half-and-half)
Why does “latte” mean milk?
Because it does, in Italian. Treccani defines caffellatte as a drink of coffee and milk, taken mostly in the morning at breakfast. English borrowed the short form: the Online Etymology Dictionary dates “latte” for espresso with milk to around 1990.
Sources: caffellatte, Vocabolario Treccani; latte, Online Etymology Dictionary
Latte, cappuccino or flat white?
The difference is the milk: how much, and how much of it is foam. A latte has the most milk and a thin layer of foam; a cappuccino has less milk under at least 1 cm of foam; a flat white is smaller than both, with about 0.5 cm. The table in the guide sets them side by side.
Source: What is a flat white & where did it come from?, Perfect Daily Grind (2022)
What is a breve?
A latte-style drink made with steamed half-and-half, a mix of milk and cream, instead of milk. The extra fat makes it richer and heavier.
Source: Understanding the differences between breve vs. latte, Breville
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