In short
- Only espresso and cappuccino have a formal (Italian) specification. Everything else varies by café and country.
- Smallest to largest, roughly: macchiato, then cortado and gibraltar, then flat white and cappuccino, then latte.
- Foam is the other big difference: thick on a cappuccino, thin on a flat white or latte, little or none on a cortado.
- At home: weigh the shot, then build by milk volume and texture.
Latte, cappuccino, flat white and cortado are the same two ingredients, espresso and milk, in different amounts and textures. This guide puts every common espresso drink in one table and shows where sources disagree. Every drink starts with the shot itself, so if extraction is new to you, read Pro Espresso Extraction first.
Every drink in this guide starts with a good shot. Our short video course Dial In Espresso by Taste shows you how to pull one by taste.
The master ratio table
Ratios for straight shots are dose to yield by weight. Ratios for milk and water drinks are espresso to added liquid. Only espresso and cappuccino have a formal specification, from Italy’s Istituto Nazionale Espresso Italiano; the rest are typical ranges, not rules.
| Drink | Espresso | Milk or water | Foam | Typical cup | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Espresso | Italy: 7 g in, about 25 ml out. Specialty double: 18–20 g in, about 36 g out | None | Crema only | 50–100 ml cup (Italy) | 1:2 typical (1:1.5–1:2.5 reported); traditional Italian about 1:3 |
| Ristretto | Normal dose, shorter shot | None | Crema only | Espresso cup | 1:1 to 1:1.5 common; definitions stretch to 1:1.67 or 1:2 |
| Lungo | Normal dose, longer shot | None | Crema only | Espresso cup | 1:3 to 1:4, sometimes higher |
| Americano | Any; one barista uses a 34 g double | Hot water added to the espresso | Less crema than a long black | 8–20 fl oz (237–591 ml) at Starbucks | No guideline: 1:1 to 1:15 espresso to water; 1:2 often called standard |
| Long black | Double espresso or ristretto | 100–120 ml hot water, espresso poured on top | Crema kept | Small cup or glass | Less water than an americano |
| Macchiato (espresso) | Single or double | None, or a splash | A spoonful of foam | Espresso cup | No agreed amount |
| Cortado | Usually double; often single in Spain | Warm steamed milk | Little or none | Small glass | About 1:1 espresso to milk; 1:0.5 also common in Spain |
| Gibraltar | Double | Steamed milk, roughly equal to the espresso | As a cortado | 4.5 oz (about 133 ml) Gibraltar glass | About 1:1 |
| Flat white | Usually double, sometimes ristretto | Steamed milk | Thin, about 0.5 cm or less | About 150–180 ml (5–6 oz) | No fixed ratio: more milk than a cortado, less than a latte |
| Cappuccino | Single (Italy); double in some cafés | 100 ml milk, steamed to about 125 ml (Italy) | Thick: at least 1 cm | 150–160 ml (Italy); 5–6 oz (SCA) | 25 ml espresso to 100 ml milk (Italian certified) |
| Latte | 1–2 shots | The most milk of the group | Thin, about 0.5 cm | About 200 ml (Australia); 7–10 oz (UK cafés); 8–20 fl oz at US chains | Highest milk share; no fixed ratio |
| Mocha | Single or double | Steamed milk plus chocolate (e.g. 20 ml sauce) | Varies | Usually latte-sized | Latte build plus chocolate |
Straight shots: espresso, ristretto, lungo
Italy’s certified espresso is 7 g ±0.5 g of coffee, 25 ± 5 seconds and 25 ml ±2.5 ml in the cup, crema included (INEI). The SCA’s heritage definition is broader: 25–35 ml from 7–9 g (double for a double). A 2017 survey of baristas reported by the SCA found an average dose of 18–20 g, an average yield of 36.5 g and an average ratio of 1:2, with answers ranging from 1:1.5 to 1:2.5.
A ristretto is a shorter shot from the same dose. Barista Hustle defines it as 1:1 to 1:1.67; La Marzocco calls 1:1 to 1:2 ristretto and 1:3 to 1:4 lungo, and notes there is “wiggle room for interpretation”. A lungo passes more water through the coffee; that is not the same as adding water afterwards.
Espresso with water: americano and long black
Both are espresso plus hot water added after brewing, rather than water forced through the puck (Barista Hustle). For an americano, Perfect Daily Grind reports no set guideline: some call 1:2 espresso to water standard, others prefer 1:1, and some cafés go as high as 1:15. One barista quoted there uses 34 g of espresso with 68 g of 75 °C water.
A long black reverses the order: in Australia and New Zealand it is typically a double espresso or ristretto poured over 100–120 ml of hot water, which keeps more crema and uses less water than an americano (Perfect Daily Grind).
Small milk drinks: macchiato, cortado, gibraltar
“Macchiato” means marked, and there is no universally accepted amount of milk (Perfect Daily Grind). Traditionally it is a single espresso with a little foam on top; some specialty cafés use a double. It is not the tall, layered latte macchiato.
The cortado comes from Spain and is traditionally about 1:1 milk to espresso with little froth. A Barcelona roaster quoted by Perfect Daily Grind puts the Spanish version at 1:1 or 1:0.5, usually with less milk than coffee, while one European chain serves 1:2. The gibraltar, attributed to Blue Bottle Coffee in San Francisco, is two shots of espresso and two shots of steamed milk in a 4.5 oz Libbey Gibraltar glass, and many third-wave cafés now serve their cortado in that glass.
Larger milk drinks: flat white, cappuccino, latte, mocha
A flat white usually has a double shot and thin microfoam, typically no more than 0.5 cm (Perfect Daily Grind). For cappuccino foam, the 2022 World Latte Art Champion quoted there sets a minimum of 1 cm, and the SCA describes a cappuccino as a 5–6 oz drink. A latte is bigger and milkier, with a thin foam layer similar to a flat white.
A mocha is usually espresso, chocolate and steamed milk, with the chocolate mixed into the espresso before the milk goes in (Perfect Daily Grind).
Why sizes change by country
| Drink | Italy | Australia | US chain (Starbucks) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black coffee | Ask for caffè americano, not caffè all’americana (filter) | Long black: double shot over 100–120 ml water | Americano, 8–20 fl oz |
| Cappuccino | 150–160 ml (5.1–5.4 oz) cup | Varies by café | 8, 12, 16 or 20 fl oz (237–591 ml) |
| Flat white | Not a traditional Italian drink | About 180 ml (6.1 oz) cup | Launched as a “bold” latte alternative |
| Latte | Caffè latte: a very milky breakfast drink | About 200 ml (6.8 oz) glass | 8–20 fl oz |
Australian figures come from a Melbourne roaster quoted by Perfect Daily Grind, who says the foam difference between latte and flat white has largely faded. UK café owners in the same article put a flat white at 5–6 oz and a latte at 7–9 oz, “pushing it to 10”. US serving sizes have crept up over decades, and 20 oz drinks are common (Perfect Daily Grind). Starbucks lists Short 237 ml, Tall 354 ml, Grande 473 ml and Venti 591 ml (Starbucks).
Latte vs cappuccino vs flat white
| Flat white | Cappuccino | Latte | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Size | About 5–6 oz (150–180 ml) | 5–6 oz in specialty; 150–160 ml in Italy | Largest of the three |
| Espresso | Usually double | Single traditionally | 1–2 shots |
| Foam | Thin, about 0.5 cm or less | Thick, 1 cm or more | Thin, about 0.5 cm |
The “one-third espresso, one-third milk, one-third foam” rule for cappuccino is a rule of thumb, not a standard (Perfect Daily Grind). The Italian certified version is 25 ml espresso and 100 ml milk steamed to about 125 ml at around 55 °C. Barista Hustle‘s classic single-shot version is a 30 ml espresso with about 90 ml of milk aerated to give roughly 60 ml of foam. For the most coffee flavour, order a flat white; for texture, a cappuccino; for something mild, a latte.
How to make each one at home
Weigh the shot first. Crema adds volume but little weight: a 20 ml espresso might weigh only 13–17 g (Barista Hustle). If your shots taste sour or bitter, fix that before adding milk: our espresso dial-in guide walks through it, and the brew ratio calculator works out yield for any dose.
- Ristretto or lungo: keep the dose, stop the shot at about 1:1–1:1.5 or let it run to 1:3.
- Americano: start at 1:2 espresso to hot water and add more water to taste.
- Long black: 100–120 ml hot water in the cup first, then the double shot on top.
- Macchiato: one shot, then a spoonful of foam from a small amount of steamed milk.
- Cortado or gibraltar: a double shot with about the same volume of warm, lightly textured milk.
- Flat white: a double shot in a 150–180 ml cup; add less air so the foam stays thin.
- Cappuccino: about 100 ml cold milk, stretched by a quarter (INEI) up to two-thirds (Barista Hustle’s ceiling), in a 150–160 ml cup.
- Latte: one or two shots in a larger cup with silky, thin-foamed milk.
- Mocha: stir chocolate into the hot espresso, then add milk as for a latte.
For milk drinks, the World Latte Art Champion quoted by Perfect Daily Grind serves in a 55–60 °C range. For technique, see Advanced Milk Steaming & Latte Art. For a whole routine, barista-style coffee at home covers equipment and daily habits, and our barista skills hub maps out what to learn next.
New to espresso drinks? Our free Barista 101 email course takes you from your first shot to your first latte, one short lesson at a time. Join the list to get Barista 101 free.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an official ratio for a latte, flat white or cortado?
No. The Istituto Nazionale Espresso Italiano certifies espresso (about 25 ml from 7 g) and cappuccino (25 ml espresso with 100 ml steamed milk). Other drinks vary by café and country, so this guide gives typical ranges.
Is a cappuccino one-third espresso, milk and foam?
That’s a rule of thumb, not a standard. The Italian certified cappuccino is 25 ml espresso and 100 ml milk steamed to about 125 ml in a 150–160 ml cup.
Is a flat white stronger than a latte?
It usually tastes stronger: a flat white is typically smaller (about 5–6 oz) and often uses a double shot, so there is less milk per gram of espresso. Caffeine depends on the number of shots.
What’s the difference between a cortado and a gibraltar?
Very little. A cortado is espresso with about the same amount of warm milk. A gibraltar is a double shot with a similar amount of steamed milk, served in a 4.5 oz Libbey Gibraltar glass, and many specialty cafés serve their cortado in that same glass.
Keep learning
- Espresso Extraction: Grind, Dose, Temp & Time
- How to Dial In Espresso
- Milk Steaming and Latte Art Techniques
- Barista-Style Coffee at Home
- Brew Ratio Calculator
- Barista Skills
- Latte art for beginners: heart, tulip and rosetta
Sources
- Istituto Nazionale Espresso Italiano, Certified Italian Espresso and Cappuccino
- INEI, The Certified Italian Espresso and Cappuccino (brochure PDF)
- Specialty Coffee Association, Defining the Ever-Changing Espresso (25 Magazine, Issue 3)
- Barista Hustle, Espresso Size and Strength
- Barista Hustle, Ristretto, Lungo and Caffè Crema
- Barista Hustle, Espresso with Water
- Barista Hustle, Traditional and Regional
- La Marzocco, Brew Ratios Around the World
- Perfect Daily Grind, What’s the Difference Between Americano and Filter Coffee?
- Perfect Daily Grind, What Is a Long Black Coffee?
- Perfect Daily Grind, What’s a Macchiato Coffee?
- Perfect Daily Grind, What Is a Cortado?
- Perfect Daily Grind, Microfoam: How Much Should Each Milk-Based Coffee Drink Have?
- Perfect Daily Grind, What Is a Flat White and How Is It Different from a Latte?
- Perfect Daily Grind, What Is a Mocha?
- Starbucks, What Are the Sizes of Starbucks Drinks?
Checked 18 October 2026.
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