The macchiato
Macchiato means stained in Italian. The drink is espresso with a little foamed milk. Baristas added the spot of milk so they could tell it apart from a plain espresso. There is no agreed amount of milk. A teaspoon or two is usual. A bad shot has nowhere to hide in a macchiato.
The latte
Caffè latte means milk coffee. It is one or more shots of espresso topped up with hot steamed milk. Traditionally it comes in a glass, sometimes a cup. Specialty cafés pour about 230 ml. Chains go up to 20 ounces, about 590 ml.
Where the confusion comes from
A latte macchiato is a caffè macchiato in reverse. The milk goes into a tall glass first. The espresso is poured in last and settles in layers. The Starbucks caramel macchiato uses the same build. Vanilla syrup goes under the milk, caramel on top. Most customers probably do not know the difference. Many order a macchiato in a café and are surprised by a small cup with no syrup.
Which one to choose
All three are espresso and milk. Pick by how much coffee you want to taste. A macchiato sits just below a plain espresso in strength. A latte is mostly milk, so it drinks mild and warm. A latte macchiato usually has even more milk than a latte. A single shot brings about 63 mg of caffeine, in any of the three.
| Espresso macchiato | Latte macchiato | Latte | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What goes in first | Espresso | Steamed milk | Espresso |
| Espresso to milk | A spot of milk, 1-2 tsp | About 1 shot to 6 oz milk | About 1 : 4-5 |
| Typical size | About 60-90 ml | Tall glass, varies | 200-300 ml |
| Foam | A spot on top | Varies | Thin, 0.5-1 cm |
| Glass | Espresso cup | Tall glass | Glass, sometimes a cup |
How to order
In Italy, latte means milk. Ask for a latte and you get a glass of milk. Say caffè latte, or caffè macchiato for the small one. Italians often drink milky coffee only at breakfast. A caffè macchiato is fine at any hour. Elsewhere, say espresso macchiato so the size is clear. If you want the sweet one, ask for a caramel macchiato.