Australian Coffee

A magic coffee is a Melbourne specialty espresso drink: 2 ristretto shots topped with steamed milk in a small 5 oz glass. It is stronger than a piccolo, smaller than a flat white, and considered the unofficial drink of the Melbourne cafe scene. Many Melbourne cafes don’t list it on the menu — you have to know to order it. The magic occupies a precise sweet spot: enough milk to cut the espresso, but not enough to dilute the ristretto sweetness. Baristas love it because it lets the espresso shine while still being a drinkable milky coffee. ...

A piccolo (also called a piccolo latte) is an Australian espresso drink made with one ristretto shot topped with about 3 oz of steamed milk, served in a 4 oz glass. It is essentially a “baby latte” — same proportions as a flat white, but smaller, sweeter (because of the ristretto), and served in a demitasse-style glass instead of a tulip cup. The piccolo was invented by Sydney baristas in the early 2000s as a way to taste milk and espresso in proper proportion without committing to a 6 oz flat white or a 12 oz latte. It has since become standard on Australian and New Zealand cafe menus and is increasingly common in specialty cafes worldwide. ...