Types of Coffee Drinks: A–Z Glossary of Every Coffee Shop Order

Most types of coffee drinks fall into a few families: straight espresso drinks (espresso, ristretto, lungo), espresso with milk (latte, cappuccino, flat white, cortado, macchiato), espresso with water (Americano, long black), brewed coffee (drip, pour-over, French press, cold brew) and regional specialties like Cuban cafecito or Vietnamese iced coffee. Once you know the base and how much milk, foam or water goes in, almost any menu makes sense.

Use this A–Z glossary as your decoder ring. Where we have a full guide on the blog, the drink name links to it.

Types of Coffee Drinks at a Glance

Here is how the most common espresso-and-milk drinks compare. Exact proportions vary from shop to shop, so treat these as typical rather than official.

A–C: Affogato to Cortado

Affogato: a scoop of vanilla gelato or ice cream “drowned” in a hot shot of espresso. Half dessert, half coffee.

Americano: espresso topped up with hot water, giving a drink similar in strength to drip coffee but with espresso’s flavor.

Breve: an espresso drink made with steamed half-and-half instead of milk, for a richer, creamier cup. A “breve latte” is the most common order.

Café au lait: French-style brewed coffee mixed with hot milk, often in a wide cup or bowl. It uses brewed coffee, not espresso.

Café con leche: the Spanish and Latin American cousin of café au lait, typically strong coffee or espresso with plenty of scalded milk.

Café de olla: a traditional Mexican coffee brewed with cinnamon and piloncillo (unrefined cane sugar), classically in a clay pot.

Cafecito (Cuban coffee): a small, very sweet espresso made by whipping sugar with the first drops of coffee into a pale foam called espumita.

Caffè shakerato: espresso shaken hard with ice and sugar, then strained into a chilled glass for a frothy, cold sip.

Cappuccino: espresso with steamed milk and a generous cap of airy foam. Smaller and foamier than a latte.

Cold brew: coarse coffee steeped in cold or room-temperature water for many hours, then strained. Smooth, low in perceived bitterness and served over ice or diluted.

Cortado: espresso “cut” with a roughly equal amount of warm milk. Small, balanced and strong.

D–I: Dalgona to Irish Coffee

Dalgona coffee: instant coffee, sugar and hot water whipped into a thick foam and spooned over cold or hot milk.

Dirty chai: a chai latte with a shot of espresso added. Spice meets coffee.

Doppio: Italian for “double,” meaning a double shot of espresso.

Drip coffee: the classic American brewed coffee, made by hot water dripping through ground coffee in a filter, usually in an automatic machine.

Egg coffee: a Hanoi specialty of strong coffee topped with a custard-like foam of whipped egg yolk and sweetened condensed milk.

Espresso: a concentrated coffee made by forcing hot water through finely ground, tightly packed coffee under pressure. The base of most café drinks, crowned by crema.

Espresso con panna: a shot of espresso topped with a dollop of whipped cream.

Espresso martini: a cocktail of vodka, coffee liqueur and fresh espresso, shaken until foamy. For adults of legal drinking age (21+ in the US).

Espresso tonic: espresso poured over tonic water and ice, bitter, bubbly and refreshing.

Flat white: espresso with a thin layer of velvety microfoam, usually stronger in coffee flavor than a latte.

Frappé (Greek): instant coffee shaken or blended with water, sugar and ice into a thick foam, with milk optional.

French press coffee: coarse grounds steeped in hot water for a few minutes, then separated with a metal mesh plunger. Full-bodied with some sediment.

Iced coffee: brewed coffee served over ice. Methods vary, from chilled hot coffee to Japanese iced coffee brewed directly onto ice.

Irish coffee: hot coffee, Irish whiskey and sugar topped with lightly whipped cream. For adults 21+.

L–P: Latte to Proffee

Latte: espresso with lots of steamed milk and a thin layer of foam. The mildest, creamiest classic. Try an iced latte in summer or a pumpkin spice latte in fall.

Latte macchiato: steamed milk “marked” with espresso poured on top, creating visible layers in a tall glass.

Long black: hot water first, then espresso poured on top, which keeps more crema than an Americano.

Lungo: a “long” espresso pulled with more water, giving a larger, lighter-bodied, often more bitter shot.

Macchiato: in its traditional form, espresso “stained” with a small spoonful of milk foam. Some chains use the name for sweetened, layered milk drinks.

Mazagran: a historic chilled coffee drink often called the original iced coffee.

Mocha: a latte with chocolate added, often topped with whipped cream. The peppermint mocha is a holiday favorite.

Nitro cold brew: cold brew infused with nitrogen and poured from a tap for a creamy, cascading texture.

Pour-over: hot water poured by hand over grounds in a filter cone, giving precise control over the brew.

Proffee: coffee mixed with a protein shake or protein powder.

R–V: Red Eye to Vienna

Red eye: a cup of drip coffee with a shot of espresso added. A “black eye” uses two shots.

Ristretto: a “restricted” espresso pulled with less water for a shorter, sweeter, more intense shot.

Thai iced coffee: strong, sweetened Thai-style coffee served over ice, often with milk.

Turkish coffee: extremely fine coffee simmered in a small pot called a cezve and served unfiltered, grounds settling at the bottom of the cup.

Vietnamese iced coffee: strong coffee dripped through a metal phin filter onto sweetened condensed milk, then poured over ice.

Viennese coffee drinks: the café classics of Vienna, such as the melange and the Einspänner, a strong coffee topped with whipped cream.

Coffee Drinks FAQ

What is the strongest coffee drink?

By concentration, a ristretto or regular espresso is the most intense. By total caffeine, a large drip coffee or a red eye often contains more, because the serving is bigger. Most healthy adults should stay within the FDA’s general guideline of up to 400 mg of caffeine a day.

What is the difference between a latte and a cappuccino?

Both are espresso with steamed milk. A cappuccino has a thicker layer of foam and less milk, while a latte is larger, milkier and has only a thin foam layer.

What coffee drink should a beginner order?

A latte or a flavored latte is a friendly start because the milk softens espresso’s intensity. If you prefer black coffee, try an Americano or drip coffee.

Which coffee drinks use brewed coffee instead of espresso?

Drip coffee, pour-over, French press, cold brew, café au lait and a classic iced coffee all start with brewed coffee. A red eye combines brewed coffee with espresso.

Make Your Favorites at Home

Now that you know the types of coffee drinks on any menu, you can make many of them at home. Pull lattes and cortados with our dark, bold 6 Bean Blend, steep a smooth batch with Cold Brew Coffee, or add a twist with our flavored coffees. Every Feel Espresso coffee order is roasted 1–5 days before delivery.