Cafe Chocolate: 7 Chocolate-and-Coffee Drinks From Around the World
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Coffee and chocolate have been sharing a cup for centuries, and nearly every coffee culture has its own version. The best-known cafe chocolate drinks are Turin's layered bicerin, Italy's marocchino and espressino, the American café mocha, the cinnamon-spiced Mexican mocha, a Spanish-style layered bombón and the pistachio-and-chocolate latte inspired by the Dubai chocolate craze.
Below you will find one quick recipe card for each of these seven drinks, plus a comparison table so you can pick the right one for your mood. Where we already have a full, step-by-step guide, we link to it so you can go deeper.
Cafe Chocolate Drinks at a Glance
| Drink | Where it comes from | Chocolate form | Milk | Style |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bicerin | Turin, Italy | Thick drinking chocolate | Cream layer | Layered, unstirred, small glass |
| Marocchino | Northern Italy | Cocoa powder | Milk foam | Small, strong, glass cup |
| Espressino | Italy | Cocoa and chocolate-hazelnut spread | Steamed milk | Small dessert coffee |
| Café mocha | United States café menus | Chocolate sauce | Steamed milk | Latte-sized, often whipped cream |
| Mexican mocha | Mexican-inspired | Chocolate with cinnamon | Steamed milk | Spiced, a hint of chili |
| Chocolate bombón | Spanish-inspired twist | Chocolate sauce | Condensed milk | Layered glass, very sweet |
| Dubai chocolate latte | Modern trend | Chocolate plus pistachio cream | Steamed milk | Rich, nutty, indulgent |
1. Bicerin (Turin, Italy)
Bicerin is Turin's historic three-layer drink: espresso, thick hot chocolate and cold cream, served in a small glass and sipped without stirring so each layer comes through in turn.
Quick card: 2 oz (60 ml) thick hot chocolate, 1 oz (30 ml) espresso, 1 oz (30 ml) lightly whipped or pouring cream. Pour the chocolate into a small warm glass, float the espresso over the back of a spoon, then top with cream. Full method in our bicerin guide.
2. Marocchino (Northern Italy)
The marocchino is a small, intense drink: a dusting of cocoa in a little glass, a shot of espresso, milk foam on top and more cocoa to finish. It is closer to a chocolate macchiato than to a mocha.
Quick card: 1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 oz (30 ml) espresso, 2 tbsp (30 ml) milk foam. Dust the glass with cocoa, pull the shot over it, spoon foam on top, dust again. More in our caffè marocchino article.
3. Espressino (Italy)
A close cousin of the marocchino, the espressino adds a smear of chocolate-hazelnut spread around the inside of the cup, then combines espresso, cocoa and milk in roughly equal parts. It drinks like a tiny dessert.
Quick card:
- Spread 1 tsp chocolate-hazelnut spread around the inside of a small cup.
- Stir 1 tsp cocoa powder into 1 oz (30 ml) hot espresso and pour it in.
- Top with 1 oz (30 ml) steamed milk and a pinch of cocoa.
Want the same flavor in a larger drink? Our chocolate hazelnut latte scales it up.
4. Café Mocha (United States)
The café mocha is the drink most Americans picture when they think of coffee and chocolate: espresso, chocolate sauce and steamed milk, often finished with whipped cream. The name nods to the old Red Sea port of Mocha, but the modern drink is a café-menu staple.
Quick card: 2 tbsp (30 ml) chocolate sauce, 2 oz (60 ml) espresso, 8 oz (240 ml) steamed milk. Stir the sauce into the hot espresso first so it dissolves, then add milk. Step-by-step: how to make a café mocha.
5. Mexican Mocha (Mexican-Inspired)
Inspired by Mexico's long tradition of chocolate spiced with cinnamon, the Mexican mocha adds warmth and a very gentle heat to the classic mocha.
Quick card: 2 tbsp (30 ml) chocolate sauce or 1 oz (28 g) Mexican-style chocolate, 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon, a tiny pinch of cayenne or ancho chili, 2 oz (60 ml) espresso, 8 oz (240 ml) steamed milk. Whisk the chocolate and spices into the espresso, then add milk. Our full Mexican mocha recipe has variations.
6. Chocolate Bombón (Our Spanish-Inspired Twist)
Spain's café bombón is espresso poured over a layer of sweetened condensed milk in a clear glass, so you see two bands: white and dark. It is not a chocolate drink in its classic form. Our twist adds a thin layer of chocolate sauce at the bottom, giving three stripes. Think of it as an original variation, not the traditional recipe, which you can read about in our guide to Spanish coffee culture.
Quick card: 1 tbsp (15 ml) chocolate sauce, 1 to 2 tbsp (15 to 30 ml) sweetened condensed milk, 1 oz (30 ml) espresso. Layer sauce, then condensed milk, then pour the espresso slowly over a spoon. Stir before drinking.
7. Dubai Chocolate Latte (A Modern Trend)
The viral Dubai-style chocolate bar, filled with pistachio cream and crunchy shredded pastry, has inspired a wave of drinks that combine the same flavors with coffee. It is a recent trend rather than a long tradition, but it is delicious. Read more about it in our article on Dubai coffee culture.
Quick card: 1 tbsp pistachio cream, 1 tbsp chocolate sauce, 2 oz (60 ml) espresso, 8 oz (240 ml) steamed milk. Whisk the pistachio cream and chocolate into the espresso, add milk, top with chopped pistachios. For a pistachio-forward version, see our pistachio latte.
Tips for Better Chocolate Coffee Drinks
- Dissolve chocolate in hot espresso first. Adding cocoa or chopped chocolate straight to milk leaves clumps.
- Choose a chocolate-friendly roast. Medium-dark and dark coffees with cocoa and nut notes blend seamlessly with chocolate; very bright, fruity coffees can clash.
- Control sweetness separately. Use unsweetened cocoa and add sugar to taste, so the drink is not cloying.
- No espresso machine? A moka pot or very strong brewed coffee works in every recipe here.
- Watch the caffeine. Chocolate adds a little caffeine of its own. Our breakdown of caffeine in chocolate vs coffee explains how much.
Cafe Chocolate FAQ
What is coffee with chocolate called?
The most common name is a mocha, or café mocha. Other coffee-and-chocolate drinks have their own names, such as bicerin, marocchino and espressino in Italy.
What is the difference between a marocchino and a mocha?
A marocchino is small and strong, made with cocoa powder, a shot of espresso and a little milk foam in a glass. A mocha is a larger, latte-style drink with chocolate sauce and plenty of steamed milk.
Can I make chocolate coffee drinks without espresso?
Yes. Use about 2 oz (60 ml) of very strong brewed coffee, moka pot coffee or cold brew concentrate in place of each double shot. The flavor will be slightly lighter but still balanced.
Is flavored chocolate coffee the same as a mocha?
Not quite. Chocolate flavored coffee gets its flavor from the beans themselves, with no sugar or milk added, while a mocha is a drink built with real chocolate and milk. You can combine both for an extra-chocolatey cup.
Bring Chocolate and Coffee Together at Home
Every one of these seven drinks starts with a bold coffee base. For the classic route, pair real chocolate with our nutty, chocolatey Brazil Santos. If you want chocolate flavor with no sauce at all, try our Mocha flavored coffee or the spiced Mexican Chocolate. Feel Espresso roasts every order 1–5 days before delivery, so your cafe chocolate creations start with fresh coffee.