Coffee
Flat white
A flat white is espresso with steamed milk and a very thin layer of microfoam, served smaller than a latte so the coffee stays forward.
What it means for a café
Distinguished from a latte by ratio rather than ingredients: less milk, so the espresso is more present. It travelled from Australasia to the UK and then onto chain menus worldwide, which makes it a useful marker of how fast a speciality drink can become a standard one.
This page describes flat white in general. It is not a description of any particular chain’s recipe, and the photograph is not of any named company’s product.
- Typical serve
- 150–180 ml
- Origin
- Australia and New Zealand
- Milk
- Microfoam, minimal foam layer
More coffee
Espresso
Espresso is a concentrated coffee brewed by forcing hot water under pressure through finely ground beans, served in a small cup.
Cappuccino
A cappuccino is espresso with steamed milk and a thick layer of foam, traditionally served in a cup of around 150–180 ml.
Latte
A latte is espresso with a large volume of steamed milk and a thin layer of microfoam, usually served in a glass or tall cup.
Americano
An americano is espresso diluted with hot water, producing a drink of similar strength to filter coffee but with espresso’s character.
Mocha
A mocha is espresso combined with chocolate and steamed milk, sitting between a coffee and a hot chocolate.
Cold brew
Cold brew is coffee steeped in cold water for many hours and then filtered, producing a low-acidity concentrate usually served over ice.
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