What’s the Difference? Flat White vs Latte vs Cappuccino
Pull up a seat and your favorite caffeinated beverage, we’re about to discuss everything and answer the common question of espresso and coffee lovers – what is the difference between flat white vs latte vs cappuccino? There are a lot of similarities, a decent amount of notable differences, and a lot to love (and drink!) if you’re a coffee lover like me.
We’re going to go over these three popular espresso-based drinks and share the history and origin of each, how they are made, the coffee-to-milk ratio for each, which is really the main difference in espresso drinks, tips for making them yourself, and a few pro tips to consider when ordering or making!

Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
Table of Contents

Cappuccino
Let’s start with the cappuccino – one of my personal faves and one that I’ve spent time on daily after returning home from a trip to Italy.
A cappuccino is a simple and basic espresso-based drink, yet I see it made incorrectly quite frequently. It all comes down to the ratio and a cappuccino is equal parts of espresso, steamed milk, and frothy milk foam. So the size will vary based on whether you’re making your cappuccino with a single or double shot of espresso. The other important factor, that may seem minor, but I feel is important is to serve it out of a correct cappuccino mug. Because this drink is about 6 fluid ounces or less, you need a proper cup or it will feel like your mug is empty.
The cappuccino origin is slightly contested, but it’s assumed Italy after the espresso machine was invented. It may have been inspired by the Kapuziner, which was a coffee drink found in Vienna cafes made from coffee and whipped cream.
The name cappuccino comes from the color of robes that were worn by the Capuchin order of friars, which was brown with a white top, similar to that of a cappuccino. And that’s why your cappuccino color should be a rich brown with a white foam top.
If you really get into cappuccinos, you’ll also want to understand the different types of cappuccinos, which are called wet and dry cappuccinos and is again, related to the ratio of steamed milk and foam. According to Starbucks, a dry cappuccino has more foam than steamed milk, and a wet cappuccino has more steamed milk than foam. A bone-dry cappuccino has no steamed milk at all and a super-wet cappuccino is really just a latte.
Cappuccinos at home are incredibly easy to make – just be sure to get the right-sized cups, I feel so strongly about it, that I have an entire article dedicated to the subject.
Make it at Home: Cappuccino, Iced Shaken Espresso (similar strength and flavor but in iced version)

Flat White
Next up is the velvety flat white. I would describe it as a cross between a cappuccino and a latte. It’s incredibly smooth and creamy, but has the espresso flavor of a cappuccino and has less milk so it isn’t as mild and milky as a latte. It originated in Australia and New Zealand (its exact origin is contested) but found its way to the US and has since become quite popular. It’s not necessarily a standard item you will see at every coffee shop, but many baristas know how to make it.
The steamed milk is really what sets a traditional flat white apart from a cappuccino – you want a smooth microfoam that is uniform throughout, instead of a thicker layer of foam that you’ll find on a cappuccino or the combination of steamed milk and foam layer in a latte. Whole milk is preferred as it is the fat content in whole milk helps to create a luxurious and creamy texture.
The flat white coffee is made with a 1:2 or (sometimes 1:3 ratio, but that’s what a latte is and it’s not quite as milky as a latte!) of espresso to microfoam milk. I don’t have an exact recipe for a flat white (yet!), but you’ll want to pull a double espresso and steam about 6 ounces of milk with a touch of foam, before moving the steam wand further in the pitcher to create the whirlpool effect until milk is hot and has a velvety texture.
Ordering Tip: Similar to a cappuccino, the larger volume size you order, the more your flat white is going to lean into latte land, unless they are also increasing the amount of espresso shots. So keep the cup size on the small side for the true flat white experience.

Latte
We’re saving the milkiest and most popular choice for last! A cafe latte (or caffe latte) translates to coffee and milk! (Which is why if you try to order a latte in Italy, they will give you a glass of milk!)
Interestingly, the latte is thought to have originated in Italy but isn’t something that Italians really drink much of, but was born of the espresso flavor in an espresso shot or cappuccino being too strong for American tourists so they started adding more milk to the espresso to mellow it out a bit. The drink became more popular in the US after Italian immigrants introduced espresso, but Americans weren’t quite ready for the strong espresso flavor so lattes became a milder way to enjoy espresso and really started gaining popularity in the 1980s.
Technically speaking, a latte is an espresso and milk drink that has a 1:3 ratio. One part espresso to three parts steamed milk and it’s topped with a small amount of microfoam (a lot less foam than a cappuccino), which will then be used for latte art. The combination makes a caffeinated and creamy beverage that has a mild espresso flavor but isn’t too strong.
A latte has a more subtle espresso flavor and is sometimes described as being “milk forward” or “milky coffee” which I think is pretty accurate. It’s also a great beginner drink as it’s milder and can work with so many sweeteners or flavored syrups.
Make it at Home: Classic Latte, Lavender Latte

Tools You Need to Make These Drinks At Home
- Espresso Machine – This is the first real-deal espresso machine I’ve had and have thus far loved it. I’m not saying I won’t ever upgrade, but it’s been such a great machine to learn on and relatively easy to learn, use, and clean. Highly recommend!
- Nespresso – If you aren’t ready for the commitment of a full machine, a Nespresso is a great place to start and is a delicious and easy option to get a fresh espresso shot. I used mine for years before
- Proper Cups – I don’t know why I’m such a stickler with the cups, you may not care and you do you! But if you want to use the proper cups, be sure to look at the volume that the cup holds, instead of the name – I’ve seen “cappuccino cups” that are 12 ounces and that’s more of a latte size.

More Espresso Drinks to Try
If you’re here, I know you love and appreciate an espresso drink. Here are a few more to try!
- Espresso Tonic
- Double Shot Espresso (Iced espresso based off of the Starbucks canned drink)
- Dirty Chai Latte
- Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso
How to Pick The Best Coffee Beans for Espresso at Home
A lot of this will come to personal preference in flavor, taste, and strength of coffee beans. Look for high-quality beans that have been freshly roasted – the more recent roasting the better. Here in Minneapolis, we have so many quality coffee roasters that I always buy local beans.
- Fika Roasters – My absolute favorite for espresso roast and light roast for pour-over coffees. You can order directly from their site.
- Spyhouse – Another staple bean, I love their Orion blend for espresso but many use it as their standard bean for espresso and coffee. It has a medium and well-rounded flavor (which is what I wrote before checking their site which says the same, HA!)
- Blue Bottle Coffee – I’m always a sucker for Blue Bottle Coffee, even though I don’t live near one anymore and will still sometimes buy and order it.
There are also subscription services that can help introduce you to new types of specialty coffee and roasters:
- Atlas Coffee – This is a great one that comes with an educational component with each bag. I was gifted a subscription for my 40th birthday (I had a coffee shop-themed party so if you didn’t already think I was a coffee nerd, this fact probably sealed the deal).
- Driftaway Coffee – This subscription features an explorer sampler box that will walk you through a coffee tasting to determine your taste and flavor preferences.
- Fellow Drops – This text-to-order coffee program is next-level and features upscale “unique processing methods to underground micro-roasters” with really creative and interesting varieties (think peach tea coffee beans, which surprisingly had peach tea notes!).
I hope this helps you understand (and appreciate!) the differences between flat white vs cappuccino vs latte and determine what you like best, or simply improve your coffee and espresso knowledge.