COMPARISON
Cortado vs Flat White
Verdict: Reach for a cortado when you want the most coffee-forward, no-foam cup; reach for a flat white when you want a little more milk and a velvety texture.
A cortado and a flat white are both small, espresso-forward milk drinks, but a cortado is the smaller. It uses roughly equal parts espresso and milk with no foam, while a flat white adds more milk and a thin microfoam.
The decision
Which should you order?
- Cortado
- Equal parts espresso and milk, no foam, served in a small glass - the more stripped-back cup.
- Flat White
- Order this for a little more milk and a thin microfoam, smoother and softer, still a small cup.
Both drawn to the same scale.
The difference
How Cortado and Flat White compare
Both of these are small drinks that keep the espresso in charge, which is why they are so often confused. The differences are in the amount of milk and the presence of foam.
A cortado is the more minimal of the two: roughly equal parts espresso and steamed milk, essentially no foam, served in a little glass. A flat white adds a bit more milk and finishes with a thin layer of microfoam in a slightly larger cup, so it drinks a touch smoother and milkier. The cortado stays sharper and more concentrated; the flat white is the mellower, silkier cousin.
HOW EACH IS BUILT
The numbers
Side by side
| Feature | Cortado | Flat White |
|---|---|---|
| Espresso | 2 oz | 2 oz |
| Milk | 2 oz | 4 oz |
| Foam | None | Thin |
| Cup size | 4-4.5 oz | 5-6 oz |
| Temperature | Hot | Hot |
| Strength (concentration, not caffeine) | 4/5 | 3/5 |
| Caffeine (typical) | ~126 mg | ~126 mg |
| Quantity bars share one scale per row. Strength is concentration, not caffeine. | ||
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What's the main difference between Cortado and Flat White?
Milk and foam. A cortado is roughly equal parts espresso and steamed milk with little or no foam, in a small glass. A flat white uses more milk and adds a thin layer of microfoam in a slightly larger cup, so it drinks a touch smoother and milkier.
Is Cortado stronger than Flat White?
Yes. Cortado rates 4/5 to Flat White's 3/5 on our concentration scale, so it tastes more concentrated. (Strength here is about taste, not caffeine.)
Which has more milk?
Flat White - about 4 oz of milk to Cortado's 2 oz.
Which has more caffeine?
About the same - both land near 126 mg (typical).
Can you get Cortado iced like Flat White?
Neither is an iced drink - Cortado and Flat White are both traditionally served hot.