There are dozens of coffee drinks, but they all derive from a small number of bases: espresso, brewed coffee, or cold brew. Everything else is about the milk ratio, temperature, preparation method, and flavorings.
This guide covers every major category — espresso-based, milk-based, iced, cold brew, and specialty brews — with what makes each one distinct and links to full recipes and deep-dive guides where we have them.
Espresso — The Foundation
Before the drinks, you need to understand the base.
Espresso is 18–20g of ground coffee extracted under ~9 bars of pressure in 25–30 seconds, producing about 2 oz (60ml) of concentrated coffee. It has a thick body, concentrated flavor, and a thin layer of reddish-brown foam called crema on top.
Everything in this guide either uses espresso as its base, or uses an alternative brewing method (drip, French press, cold brew) to achieve a similar concentrated or full-bodied result.
Espresso shots:
- Single shot (solo): 1 oz from ~9g of coffee
- Double shot (doppio): 2 oz from ~18g of coffee — the standard for most drinks
- Ristretto: Short pull with less water — 1 oz from 18–20g, more concentrated and sweeter
- Lungo: Long pull with more water — 3–4 oz, lighter and slightly more bitter
Hot Espresso Drinks
Espresso (Straight)
What it is: A straight double shot (2 oz) with no additions. Pure espresso.
Flavor: Intense, concentrated, complex — bitter, acidic, sweet, with a heavy body.
Best for: Experienced espresso drinkers. If you haven’t tried it straight, start with a cortado.
Americano
What it is: Espresso diluted with hot water. Usually 2 oz espresso + 4–6 oz hot water.
Flavor: Similar to drip coffee in strength, but with the flavor profile of espresso — cleaner, no bitter drip taste.
vs. drip coffee: Americano uses espresso as the base. The result is different in taste even at the same strength.
→ Full Americano guide
Long Black
What it is: The Australian/New Zealand version of an Americano — hot water first, espresso poured on top to preserve crema.
Flavor: Same as Americano but with better crema. Slightly more nuanced.
vs. Americano: Construction difference (water-first vs. espresso-first) affects crema and perceived bitterness.
Macchiato
What it is: Espresso “stained” with a small amount of steamed milk or milk foam. About 2 oz espresso + 1–2 tablespoons of foam.
Flavor: Mostly espresso. The milk just takes the edge off the bitterness.
Types: Traditional (foam only), latte macchiato (large milk, small espresso), caramel macchiato (Starbucks variant with vanilla and caramel).
→ What is a macchiato?
Cortado
What it is: Equal parts espresso and steamed milk. Usually 2 oz espresso + 2 oz milk.
Flavor: Strong espresso flavor with just enough milk to smooth it. Not sweet unless you add syrup.
Best for: Anyone who finds lattes too milky but straight espresso too intense.
→ Cortado vs. macchiato | Cortado vs. flat white
Flat White
What it is: 2 shots of espresso with 4 oz of microfoamed whole milk. Smaller and stronger than a latte.
Flavor: Rich, creamy, espresso-forward. Proportionally more coffee than a latte.
vs. latte: Smaller, stronger, less milk foam.
→ Flat white vs. latte | Flat white vs. cappuccino
Cappuccino
What it is: Equal thirds: 2 oz espresso, 2 oz steamed milk, 2 oz milk foam.
Flavor: Balanced — strong espresso, creamy milk, with that thick foam layer.
Types: Wet cappuccino (more milk, less foam), dry cappuccino (all foam, minimal liquid milk), bone dry (no steamed milk — just espresso and dry foam).
→ Full cappuccino guide | Cappuccino vs. latte
Latte
What it is: The most popular espresso drink — 2 oz espresso with 6–8 oz of steamed milk and a thin layer of microfoam.
Flavor: Mildly coffee-flavored, creamy, smooth. The large milk ratio makes it the most approachable espresso drink.
Variations: Vanilla latte, caramel latte, hazelnut latte, lavender latte — the latte is the base for most flavored coffee drinks.
→ Full latte guide
Mocha
What it is: Latte with chocolate — espresso, steamed milk, and chocolate syrup or sauce.
Flavor: Sweet, chocolatey, rich. Somewhere between a hot chocolate and a latte.
Variations: White mocha (white chocolate), peppermint mocha, dark chocolate mocha.
→ Full mocha guide
Café Breve
What it is: A latte made with half-and-half instead of whole milk. Very rich and indulgent.
Flavor: Intensely creamy, almost dessert-like. Significantly higher in fat and calories.
vs. latte: Same espresso base, but half-and-half creates a thicker, creamier texture.
Café au Lait
What it is: Brewed drip coffee (not espresso) mixed with steamed milk, usually 1:1.
Flavor: Milder than any espresso-based drink. Gentle, comforting, lightly coffee-flavored.
Note: This is a drip coffee drink, not espresso-based — important distinction.
Red Eye
What it is: A cup of drip coffee with a shot (or two) of espresso added. Also called a Black Eye (2 shots) or Dead Eye (3 shots).
Flavor: Very strong, high caffeine. The espresso concentrates the already-caffeinated drip coffee.
Best for: High-tolerance coffee drinkers or anyone pulling a long shift.
Doppio
What it is: A double shot of espresso (2 oz) served straight, no milk, no water.
vs. Americano: A doppio is straight espresso. An Americano is a doppio diluted with hot water.
Lungo
What it is: An espresso pulled with double the water — about 3–4 oz instead of 2 oz. Lighter and slightly more bitter than a standard espresso.
vs. Americano: Both have more water than espresso. A lungo pulls the extra water through the grounds. An Americano adds hot water to a finished espresso shot. The lungo has more bitter extraction from the longer pull.
Flavored Espresso Drinks
These are lattes, macchiatos, and other milk drinks with added syrups or sauces:
Caramel Macchiato
Vanilla syrup, steamed milk, espresso poured on top, caramel drizzle. The classic Starbucks drink — intentionally layered for a bittersweet experience. You hit the espresso first, then the caramel-vanilla sweetness below.
→ Full caramel macchiato recipe
Caramel Latte
Espresso, steamed milk, and caramel sauce or syrup mixed throughout — uniformly sweet.
→ Hot caramel latte | Iced caramel latte
Vanilla Latte
Espresso, steamed milk, vanilla syrup. The most popular flavored latte — vanilla is subtle enough not to overwhelm the espresso.
→ Hot vanilla latte | Iced vanilla latte
Hazelnut Latte
Espresso, steamed milk, hazelnut syrup. Nutty and sweet. Popular as an alternative to caramel for a warmer, toasted flavor.
→ Hazelnut latte
Lavender Latte
Espresso, steamed milk, lavender syrup. Floral, lightly sweet, aromatic — one of the more distinctive flavored lattes.
→ Lavender latte
Pistachio Latte
Espresso, steamed milk, pistachio syrup or paste. Slightly nutty, slightly sweet, with a green-tinted color. Very popular in 2023–2025 as a seasonal special at Starbucks.
→ Pistachio latte
Honey Latte
Espresso, steamed milk, honey. Lower in processed sugar — honey provides a different sweetness profile: floral, complex, slightly savory.
→ Honey latte
Cinnamon Dolce Latte
Espresso, steamed milk, cinnamon syrup, whipped cream, and cinnamon topping. Sweet, spiced, warming.
→ Cinnamon dolce latte
Iced Coffee Drinks
Iced Latte
2 shots of espresso poured over ice, topped with cold milk. No steaming, no foam. The iced version of a latte.
→ Full iced latte recipe
Iced Americano
Espresso shots poured over ice, topped with cold water. Refreshing, strong, and zero calories without additions.
Iced Caramel Latte
Espresso, caramel syrup, cold milk, ice. The cold version of a caramel latte — same ingredients, just built cold instead of with steamed milk.
→ Iced caramel latte recipe
Iced Vanilla Latte
Espresso, vanilla syrup, cold milk, ice. The most popular iced flavored latte.
→ Iced vanilla latte recipe
Shaken Espresso
3 shots of espresso shaken with ice in a cocktail shaker, strained over fresh ice, topped with a small amount of oat milk. The shaking aerates and chills the espresso simultaneously, creating a frothy, light result. Starbucks popularized this style.
Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso
Espresso, brown sugar syrup, and cinnamon shaken with ice, poured over ice, topped with oat milk. Starbucks BSSE copycat — sweet, spiced, and cold.
Iced Coffee
Brewed drip coffee (not espresso) poured over ice. Weaker than an iced latte, different flavor profile. Usually served with milk and sweetener.
Espresso Tonic
Espresso poured over ice and tonic water. Surprisingly good — the carbonation and quinine bitterness of tonic water interact with espresso in an unexpectedly refreshing way. Popular in Scandinavian cafes.
Cold Brew Drinks
Cold brew is different from iced coffee. It’s coffee brewed cold over 12–24 hours, not hot coffee chilled down.
Cold Brew Coffee
Coffee grounds steeped in cold water for 12–24 hours, then strained. Smooth, low-acid, naturally sweet. Usually served as concentrate diluted with water or milk.
Cold Brew Latte
Cold brew concentrate plus milk over ice. Smoother and less acidic than an iced latte made with espresso.
Cold Foam
Whipped cold milk (no steam, no heat) that floats on top of iced drinks. A topping, not a standalone drink — but a feature of many modern iced drinks. 3 methods: French press, handheld frother, jar-shaking.
Vietnamese Iced Coffee
Very strong drip coffee brewed through a Vietnamese phin filter over sweetened condensed milk and ice. Intensely sweet, rich, and caffeinated. One of the most distinctive regional coffee traditions.
Dessert Coffee Drinks
Affogato
A single or double shot of espresso poured over a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Italian dessert-drink hybrid. The espresso partially melts the ice cream — you eat/drink the result immediately.
Dalgona Coffee
Instant coffee, sugar, and hot water whipped until thick and frothy, then spooned over cold milk. Viral in 2020, but genuinely delicious. The inverted latte — the milk is on the bottom, the foamy coffee floats on top.
Espresso Martini
Espresso, vodka, coffee liqueur (Kahlúa), and simple syrup shaken hard with ice and strained into a martini glass. The signature cocktail of the modern coffee bar. One of the most popular cocktails of the 2020s.
Pumpkin Spice Latte
Espresso, steamed milk, pumpkin sauce (or real pumpkin purée + spices), whipped cream, pumpkin pie spice. The most famous seasonal coffee drink in America.
Dirty Chai Latte
Chai tea latte (spiced black tea + steamed milk) with a shot of espresso. The espresso adds caffeine and intensity to the spiced tea base. Sweet, warming, complex.
Matcha Latte
Ceremonial grade matcha whisked with hot water, then combined with steamed milk. Not coffee, but espresso bar–adjacent and served in most coffee shops. Earthy, grassy, naturally sweet.
Specialty Brewing Methods
These drinks use non-espresso brewing methods — but they belong on any complete coffee drinks list.
French Press
Coarsely ground coffee steeped in hot water, then pressed. Full-bodied, slightly oily, rich. No filter paper means more coffee oils in the cup.
Pour Over
Boiling water poured slowly over ground coffee in a filter above a cup or carafe. Clean, clear, nuanced flavor. Methods include Chemex, V60, Kalita Wave. See our pour over ratio guide.
AeroPress
Coffee brewed under gentle manual pressure in a plastic cylinder. Fast (1–2 minutes), highly customizable, easy to clean. Can produce espresso-style concentrate or standard-strength coffee depending on method.
Moka Pot
Stovetop brewer using steam pressure to push water through coffee grounds. Produces strong, espresso-adjacent coffee. Common in Italian households, widely used as an espresso substitute in homes without a machine.
Turkish Coffee
Very finely ground coffee simmered with water (and often sugar) in a small pot called a cezve or ibrik. Unfiltered — the grounds settle to the bottom of the cup. Intensely flavored, heavily textured, traditionally served with the grounds in the cup. One of the oldest coffee traditions.
Siphon Coffee
Vacuum brewing using two chambers — water in the bottom is heated, vapor pressure pushes it up through the grounds in the upper chamber, then vacuum suction pulls the brewed coffee back down through a filter. Theatrical, complex, and produces an unusually clean cup.
How to Choose a Coffee Drink
Use this as a starting point:
| If you want… | Try this |
|---|---|
| Maximum coffee intensity | Espresso, ristretto, or doppio |
| Strong but drinkable without milk | Americano or long black |
| Strong with a little milk | Cortado or flat white |
| Balanced coffee and milk | Cappuccino |
| Coffee with a lot of milk | Latte |
| Something sweet and chocolatey | Mocha |
| Something sweet and caramel | Caramel latte or caramel macchiato |
| Something cold and strong | Iced latte or iced Americano |
| Something cold and smooth | Cold brew latte |
| A dessert drink | Affogato or espresso martini |
| No espresso machine | Moka pot, AeroPress, or French press |
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most popular coffee drinks? By order count globally: latte, cappuccino, Americano, flat white, mocha, macchiato. In the US specifically: latte, iced latte, and cold brew have dominated café orders since 2020.
What is the difference between espresso and regular coffee? The brewing method. Espresso uses pressure (9 bars) to extract concentrated coffee in 25–30 seconds — about 2 oz from 18–20g of grounds. Drip coffee uses gravity filtration, taking 4–6 minutes to produce 8–12 oz from the same amount of grounds. Espresso is more concentrated, more complex, and contains more caffeine per ounce (but not per cup, since you drink much less of it).
Which coffee drink has the most caffeine? A drip coffee typically contains more total caffeine per serving than an espresso drink — 95–200mg in a 12 oz cup vs. 60–80mg in a double espresso. However, a Red Eye (drip coffee + espresso) or a Venti iced drink with 3 shots can hit 300+ mg. See our full espresso caffeine guide.
Which coffee drink is least bitter? Cold brew is naturally the least bitter — the cold extraction process extracts very little of the astringent compounds that cause bitterness. A vanilla latte or oat milk latte is a close second, where the milk and syrup mask any bitterness. Ristretto is less bitter than regular espresso despite being more concentrated (shorter extraction pulls different compounds).
What’s a good coffee drink for beginners? Start with a latte — it has the most milk and the least espresso intensity. From there, try a flat white (same flavor, less milk), then a cortado, then a cappuccino. Once you can appreciate straight espresso, you’ll understand what makes each of these drinks distinct.
Explore Every Drink In Depth
Browse our complete library by category:
- All Espresso Recipes — step-by-step recipes for every drink
- Home Barista Guides — technique, equipment, and coffee knowledge
- Espresso Glossary — definitions for every term you’ll encounter
- Getting Started with Home Espresso — the beginner’s roadmap