COMPARISON
Iced Latte vs Iced Coffee
Verdict: Order an iced latte for a creamy, espresso-based milk drink; order an iced coffee for a lighter, mostly-black cup over ice.
An iced latte and an iced coffee are both cold, but one is a milk drink and the other is mostly black. An iced latte is espresso and cold milk over ice; an iced coffee is brewed coffee over ice.
The decision
Which should you order?
- Iced Latte
- Espresso with a generous pour of cold milk over ice - a creamy, clearly milky cold drink.
- Iced Coffee
- Plain brewed coffee over ice, black by default, with milk only if you add it yourself.
Both drawn to the same scale.
The difference
How Iced Latte and Iced Coffee compare
These two look similar in the glass but start from different coffee and carry very different amounts of milk.
An iced latte is a shot of espresso with a generous pour of cold milk over ice, so it is creamy, mild, and clearly a milk drink. An iced coffee is brewed coffee poured over ice, served black unless you add milk yourself, so it tastes lighter and more like plain coffee. One is built on espresso and milk; the other is simply chilled brewed coffee.
HOW EACH IS BUILT
The numbers
Side by side
| Feature | Iced Latte | Iced Coffee |
|---|---|---|
| Espresso | 2 oz | 0 oz |
| Milk | 9 oz | 0 oz |
| Foam | None | None |
| Cup size | 12-16 oz | 12-16 oz |
| Temperature | Iced | Iced |
| Strength (concentration, not caffeine) | 2/5 | 3/5 |
| Caffeine (typical) | ~126 mg | ~118 mg |
| Quantity bars share one scale per row. Strength is concentration, not caffeine. | ||
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What's the main difference between Iced Latte and Iced Coffee?
Milk and the coffee base. An iced latte is a shot of espresso with a lot of cold milk poured over ice, so it is creamy and mild. An iced coffee is brewed coffee over ice, served black unless you add milk yourself. One is a milk drink; the other is chilled coffee.
Is Iced Latte stronger than Iced Coffee?
No - Iced Coffee is the stronger-tasting one, 3/5 to Iced Latte's 2/5 on our concentration scale. (Strength here is about taste, not caffeine.)
Which has more milk?
Iced Latte - about 9 oz of milk to Iced Coffee's 0 oz.
Which has more caffeine?
Iced Latte has a little more - about 126 mg to Iced Coffee's 118 mg (typical).
Can you get Iced Latte iced like Iced Coffee?
Yes - both are iced drinks. Iced Latte and Iced Coffee are each served over ice, so serving temperature is not what separates them.