Latte

What is Latte? Latte, known in full as caffè latte, is an Italian-origin coffee drink built from one or more shots of espresso topped with a generous pour of steamed milk and only a thin layer of microfoam. It is traditionally served in a roughly 230 mL glass, noticeably larger than a cappuccino cup, which gives it a milder, milkier character. The name comes literally from caffè e latte, meaning coffee and milk, so in Italy ordering just latte will get you a glass of plain milk. The drink as we know it emerged in the 20th century, after espresso machines and their steam wands spread beyond Italy and made hot, textured milk a reliable part of the bar repertoire.

Origin and History

The phrase caffè latte first appeared in English as early as 1847, but the modern drink only took shape once espresso machines became widespread in the 20th century. A pivotal moment came in 1903, when the steam wand was added to espresso machines, allowing baristas to heat and texture milk on demand. Without that piece of hardware, the velvety microfoam that defines a proper latte simply was not possible.

In Italy, milky coffees like the latte have always carried a particular cultural place: they are traditionally consumed only at breakfast, often alongside pastry. Outside Italy, the latte travelled far from those morning roots and became an all-day drink, especially in the United States, where it is frequently served sweetened with refined sugar, artificial sweeteners, or agave syrup. That sweetened, flavoured version is a departure from the Italian style rather than the original recipe.

Composition and Serving

A latte is built in a clear order: espresso first, then hot steamed milk poured over it. The milk is textured with a steam wand to create microfoam, the fine, velvety bubbles that allow baristas to pour latte art on the surface. Crucially, only a thin cap of foam sits on top — unlike a cappuccino, which carries a much thicker, drier layer of foam over a smaller body of milk.

The traditional serving vessel is a glass of about 230 mL, roughly 8 US fluid ounces, though cups are also used. Compared with a cappuccino's smaller ~140 mL cup, the latte's higher milk-to-espresso ratio makes the coffee taste noticeably milder and the texture creamier. This is the defining trade-off of the drink: more milk, softer espresso character, longer sipping experience.

Latte Versus Latte Macchiato

A latte is easy to confuse with a latte macchiato, but the two are built in opposite directions. In a standard latte, espresso goes into the glass first and milk is poured over it; in a latte macchiato, steamed milk is prepared first and espresso is poured into the milk, marking or staining it — which is what macchiato means.

The reversed order changes both the visual layering and the flavour balance. A latte macchiato typically shows clearer banded layers and leads with milk on the palate, while a classic latte integrates more readily and lets the espresso meet the milk as a single, unified drink.