The History of the Cappuccino: From Capuchin Friars to Milk Foam

Ask where the cappuccino comes from and most people say Italy. They are only half right. The history of the cappuccino starts in Habsburg Vienna, where coffeehouses served a Kapuziner: coffee with a little cream, named for the reddish-brown robes of the Capuchin friars. The drink traveled south into the Italian-speaking lands of the empire, met the espresso machine in the 20th century, and only then gained the cap of steamed milk foam we picture today.

Here is the full story, from friars to foam, including the legends worth doubting and how the cappuccino became one of the world’s most ordered coffees.

Key takeaways

• The name comes from the Capuchin friars, an order founded in Italy in the 1520s, and the color of their brown habits.
• Vienna’s Kapuziner, coffee with a little cream, appeared on Habsburg coffeehouse menus by around the late 1700s.
• In 19th-century Italy, cappuccino described black coffee with a few drops of milk or cream, not a foamy drink.
• Espresso machines in the early 20th century, and later steamed milk foam, turned it into the modern cappuccino.
• The story that it was named after friar Marco d’Aviano after the 1683 Battle of Vienna is a popular but unverified legend.

In this article

1. Why is it called a cappuccino?
2. Vienna’s Kapuziner
3. The history of the cappuccino: a timeline
4. Espresso machines and the arrival of foam
5. How the cappuccino went global
6. FAQ

Why is it called a cappuccino?

The Order of Friars Minor Capuchin is a Franciscan reform movement that began in Italy in 1525 and won papal approval in 1528. Its friars wore simple brown habits with a long, pointed hood, the cappuccio, which gave the order its name. When Viennese coffeehouse customers described coffee lightened to the same brown as those robes, the friars’ name became the drink’s name.

A common mistake is to think the drink is named for the hood itself, perhaps because of the foam cap. Dictionaries such as Merriam-Webster connect it to the color of the habit, and early descriptions confirm it: an 1897 Milanese-Italian dictionary defined cappuccino as black coffee with a few drops of milk or cream, giving it the color of a Capuchin’s tunic. No foam was involved.

The Marco d’Aviano legend

You will often read that the cappuccino was invented, or named, after Marco d’Aviano, a Capuchin friar who rallied Christian forces at the Battle of Vienna in 1683. The story connects nicely with another Vienna legend about coffee left behind by the retreating Ottoman army. But there is no contemporary evidence linking d’Aviano to a coffee drink, so treat it as folklore. Vienna has several such tales; our article on the croissant and Vienna legend looks at another.

Vienna’s Kapuziner

By around the late 1700s, the Kapuziner was on coffeehouse menus across the Habsburg monarchy. In its simplest form, it was strong black coffee with a few drops of cream, just enough to turn it the color of a friar’s habit. Some versions added whipped cream and spices. Vienna also named a creamier, lighter cousin, the Franziskaner, after the paler habits of the Franciscans.

The Kapuziner still exists in Vienna today, typically as a small black coffee with a dash of cream, which makes it quite different from an Italian cappuccino. Our guide to Viennese coffee drinks covers the whole menu, from Melange to Einspänner.

The history of the cappuccino: a timeline

Espresso machines and the arrival of foam

The modern cappuccino needed two technologies: an espresso machine to make a concentrated shot, and a steam wand to texture milk. Espresso machines appeared in Italy in the early 20th century; our article on who invented the espresso machine traces that story. As these machines spread through Italian bars, cappuccino evolved from coffee tinted with cream into espresso topped with hot milk and, eventually, a generous layer of foam.

Trieste matters here. The port city belonged to the Habsburg Empire until 1918 and was full of Viennese-style coffeehouses, so it was a natural bridge between the Kapuziner and the Italian cappuccino.

The classic Italian cappuccino

Italy’s Espresso Italiano Institute describes a cappuccino as 25 ml of espresso topped with milk and foam, and the classic rule of thumb is roughly one third espresso, one third steamed milk and one third foam, in a cup of about 150 to 180 ml. Compare that with the 12 oz (360 ml) or larger cappuccinos common at US chains, which are closer to a foamy latte. Our latte vs cappuccino vs flat white guide breaks down the differences.

The morning rule

Many Italians drink cappuccino only in the morning, often with a pastry, and switch to espresso after about 11 a.m. or after meals, when milk feels too heavy. It is a custom, not a law, but it explains the raised eyebrows when tourists order one after dinner. See our article on Italian coffee rules for more.

How the cappuccino went global

In the United States, cappuccino first appeared in Italian American neighborhoods such as New York’s Greenwich Village and Little Italy, Boston’s North End and San Francisco’s North Beach. New York’s Caffe Reggio, founded in 1927, claims to have introduced it to America, and San Francisco’s Caffe Trieste, opened in 1956, claims the same for the West Coast. In Britain, espresso first caught on largely in the form of cappuccino, helped by the British taste for coffee with milk. The specialty coffee boom of the late 1990s and 2000s then made it a staple worldwide.

Make a classic-style cappuccino at home

For an Italian-style cappuccino, use a cup of about 150 to 180 ml (5 to 6 fl oz), a single or double shot, and milk steamed with more air than for a latte, so the foam is thick but still glossy. Our guide on how to froth milk shows the technique.

A classic cappuccino calls for a rich, chocolatey espresso. Our Italian Roast is our darkest roast, slow roasted from Arabica and Robusta for an intense, smoky cup with thick crema. 6 Bean Blend is a bold dark roast built for espresso, and Brazil Santos is a smooth medium roast with cocoa and nut notes for a gentler cup. All are roasted 1 to 5 days before delivery. Explore our blends.

Cappuccino history FAQ

Where did the cappuccino originate?

Its ancestor, the Kapuziner, came from Habsburg Vienna. The modern espresso-and-foam cappuccino developed in Italy in the 20th century.

Why is it called a cappuccino?

After the Capuchin friars: the coffee’s color resembled their brown habits. The name was in use before milk foam was part of the drink.

Is the cappuccino Italian or Austrian?

Both, in a sense. The name and the original idea come from Vienna’s Kapuziner; the drink we know today, built on espresso and steamed milk, is Italian.

Was the cappuccino named after Marco d’Aviano?

That is a popular legend, but there is no reliable evidence for it.

When did cappuccino come to America?

Italian American cafés served it in the 20th century; New York’s Caffe Reggio, founded in 1927, claims to have been first. It went mainstream during the specialty coffee boom of the late 1990s and 2000s.

Sources

1. Cappuccino, Wikipedia (citing Oberzill, Merriam-Webster, Angiolini 1897, Baedeker 1893 and the Espresso Italiano Institute)
2. Order of Friars Minor Capuchin, Wikipedia

Facts checked in October 2026.

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