Your Ultimate Guide to Coffee Shop Menu Classics: From Affogato to Ristretto

Stepping into a coffee shop can sometimes feel like entering a foreign country where everyone else speaks the language. The menu is a list of intriguing, often Italian, names that can be confusing to decipher. But fear not! This guide is your passport to the world of coffee.

We’ve compiled an alphabetical list of the most common coffee drinks you’re likely to encounter, breaking down what they are, how they’re made, and what makes each one unique. The next time you order, you’ll do so with confidence.

Affogato

Category: Dessert Drink
The Experience: Translating to “drowned” in Italian, the Affogato is a sublime dessert beverage. A scoop of high-quality, cold vanilla gelato or ice cream is literally drowned in a shot of hot, freshly pulled espresso. The result is a magical contrast of temperatures and textures—bitter, robust coffee mingling with sweet, melting creaminess.
Served in: A small glass bowl or a sturdy ceramic cup or glass that can handle the temperature change.
Pro Tip: For an extra twist, a shot of amaretto or a sprinkle of crushed biscotti takes it to the next level.

Americano

Category: Diluted Espresso
The Experience: Born from American GIs in WWII Italy who diluted espresso to mimic the filter coffee back home, the Americano is a simple, long black coffee. It is made by pouring a single or double espresso over hot water, preserving the rich crema on top. This method prevents over-extraction, resulting in a smooth, strong cup that’s less intense than a straight espresso.
Ratio: Typically 1:2 to 1:3 (one part espresso to two or three parts water).
Served in: A mug or cappuccino cup.

Café au Lait

Category: Milk Coffee
The Experience: The classic French “coffee with milk.” Unlike its Italian counterparts, it uses strongly brewed filter coffee (often from a French press) as its base instead of espresso. Steamed milk is added in a 1:1 ratio, creating a mild, comforting, and homely beverage traditionally enjoyed from a large bowl at breakfast.
Key Difference: Uses filter coffee, not espresso.
Served in: A large bowl or a wide coffee mug.

Caffè Latte

Category: Milk Coffee
The Experience: “Latte” simply means milk in Italian. In coffee terms, it’s a tall, mild, and milky coffee designed for sipping. It consists of one shot of espresso filled with steamed milk and topped with only a thin layer (about 1cm) of microfoam. The goal is a smooth, creamy texture where the coffee flavor is present but not overpowering.
Ratio: Typically 1:3 to 1:5 (espresso to milk).
Served in: A tall latte glass or a large ceramic mug.

Cappuccino

Category: Foamy Milk Coffee
The Experience: The hallmark of Italian breakfast culture. A cappuccino is the perfect harmony of equal parts: one-third espresso, one-third steamed milk, and one-third thick, airy milk foam. Often finished with a dusting of cocoa powder or cinnamon, it’s known for its distinct layered structure and rich, velvety texture.
Fun Fact: In Italy, it’s almost exclusively a morning drink.
Served in: A small, wide-rimmed cappuccino cup.

Cold Brew Coffee

Category: Cold Coffee
The Experience: Cold Brew is not simply iced coffee. It’s a process where coarsely ground coffee is steeped in cold water for 12-24 hours. This slow extraction produces a smooth, sweet, and less acidic concentrate that is then diluted with water or milk. It’s known for its remarkably mellow and nuanced flavor profile.
Key Difference: Brewed with cold water over a long time, not brewed hot and then cooled.

Doppio

Category: Espresso
The Experience: “Doppio” is Italian for “double.” It is simply a double shot of espresso, extracted using twice the amount of coffee grounds to yield roughly 60ml. This is the standard base for most large milk-based drinks like lattes and flat whites.
Served in: An espresso or small cappuccino cup.

Espresso

Category: The Foundation
The Experience: The heart and soul of most coffee drinks. Espresso is a highly concentrated coffee brewed by forcing a small amount of nearly boiling water under pressure through finely-ground coffee beans. It’s characterized by its intense flavor, full body, and the golden-brown crema that sits on top. It’s meant to be enjoyed quickly, in just a few sips.
Volume: Typically 25-35ml per shot (“solo”).
Served in: A small, thick-walled demitasse cup.

Espresso Con Panna

Category: Espresso Dessert Drink
The Experience: Meaning “espresso with cream,” this is a simple yet indulgent treat. A shot of espresso is topped with a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream. It offers a delightful contrast between the hot, bitter coffee and the cool, sweet cream.
Similar to: A simpler, hotter alternative to an Affogato.

Espresso Macchiato

Category: Espresso
The Experience: “Macchiato” means “stained” or “spotted.” An Espresso Macchiato is primarily a shot of espresso that is merely “stained” or marked with a tiny dollop of milk foam. This touch of foam takes the edge off the espresso’s intensity without adding significant volume or milkiness.
Served in: A demitasse (espresso) cup.

Flat White

Category: Milk Coffee
The Experience: Hailing from Australia/New Zealand, the Flat White has gained global popularity. It features a double ristretto (a more concentrated espresso shot) topped with steamed milk. The key difference from a latte is the texture: the milk is velvety and microfoamed (“flat”), with little to no dry foam, integrating seamlessly with the espresso for a strong, creamy, and smooth drink.
Texture: Silkier and more integrated than a cappuccino; stronger coffee flavor than a latte.

Frappé

Category: Blended Iced Drink
The Experience: A rich, slushy-style iced drink. The original Greek frappé is made by shaking instant coffee, water, and sugar. However, in most coffee shops today, it’s a blended beverage made with espresso, milk, ice, and often sugar or flavored syrups, resulting in a creamy, frozen treat.
Served in: A tall glass, often with a straw and whipped cream.

Freakshake

Category: Extravagant Dessert Drink
The Experience: The ultimate Instagram-worthy indulgence. A Freakshake goes far beyond a simple drink. It starts with a blended milkshake base (often coffee-flavored with cold brew) that is extravagantly topped with whipped cream, sauces, chunks of cake, cookies, brownies, and sprinkles. It’s a full dessert experience in a glass.

Iced Latte

Category: Iced Coffee
The Experience: The iced version of a Caffè Latte. It is made by pouring one or two shots of espresso over cold milk and ice. Simple and refreshing, it’s often customized with sugar or flavored syrups like vanilla or caramel.
Served in: A tall latte glass with a straw.

Iced Mocha

Category: Iced Coffee Dessert Drink
The Experience: Essentially an iced latte with chocolate. It combines espresso with cold milk, ice, and chocolate syrup or sauce, finished with a crown of whipped cream. It’s a decadent, dessert-like iced coffee.

Irish Coffee

Category: Coffee Cocktail
The Experience: A classic warm cocktail designed to delight. It combines hot, strong-brewed filter coffee, Irish whiskey, and a teaspoon of sugar, topped with a layer of thick, lightly whipped cream. The cream is poured over the back of a spoon to float on top, allowing you to sip the hot coffee and whiskey through the cool cream.

Latte Macchiato

Category: Milk Coffee
The Experience: The inverse of an Espresso Macchiato. “Latte Macchiato” means “milk stained with coffee.” It is made by pouring a shot of espresso slowly into a glass filled primarily with steamed milk and a distinct, thick layer of foam. This creates a beautiful triple layer: steamed milk on the bottom, espresso in the middle, and foam on top.
Key Difference: Milk-based, not espresso-based. Has more foam than a latte.

Lungo

Category: Espresso
The Experience: “Lungo” means “long” in Italian. It is made by pulling a standard espresso shot with about twice the amount of water, resulting in a longer, larger coffee (about 50-60ml). This extended extraction pulls out more bitter flavors and caffeine, making it stronger in volume and bitterness but less concentrated in body than a regular espresso.

Ristretto

Category: Espresso
The Experience: The opposite of a Lungo, “Ristretto” means “restricted.” It is extracted using the same amount of coffee as a regular espresso but with about half the water, pulled for a shorter time. This results in a highly concentrated, sweeter, and more flavorful shot (about 15-20ml) as the extraction is stopped before the more bitter compounds are released.
Flavor Profile: More intense, syrupy, and less bitter than a standard espresso.