COMPARISON
Latte vs Macchiato
Verdict: Choose a latte for a large, mild, milky coffee; choose an espresso macchiato when you want almost pure espresso with only a hint of milk.
A latte and an espresso macchiato sit at opposite ends of the milk scale. A latte is a big, milky drink built on a shot of espresso; an espresso macchiato is a straight shot marked with a dollop of foam.
The decision
Which should you order?
- Latte
- A tall pour of steamed milk over the espresso, so it tastes mostly of milk with the coffee underneath.
- Espresso Macchiato
- When you'd order a straight shot but want it softened by a dollop of foam, in a cup you finish in a sip or two.
Both drawn to the same scale.
The difference
How Latte and Espresso Macchiato compare
These two drinks share an espresso base and almost nothing else. Everything that separates them comes down to how much milk goes in.
A latte drowns the shot in a tall pour of steamed milk, finished with a thin foam cap, so it is large, mild, and creamy. An espresso macchiato does the opposite: it leaves the espresso almost untouched and simply marks it with a small dollop of foam, so it stays tiny and tastes overwhelmingly of coffee. One is mostly milk with a little coffee; the other is mostly coffee with a little milk.
HOW EACH IS BUILT
The numbers
Side by side
| Feature | Latte | Espresso Macchiato |
|---|---|---|
| Espresso | 2 oz | 1 oz |
| Milk | 9 oz | 0.25 oz |
| Foam | Thin | Thin |
| Cup size | 10-12 oz | 2-3 oz |
| Temperature | Hot or iced | Hot |
| Strength (concentration, not caffeine) | 2/5 | 4/5 |
| Caffeine (typical) | ~126 mg | ~63 mg |
| Quantity bars share one scale per row. Strength is concentration, not caffeine. | ||
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What's the main difference between Latte and Espresso Macchiato?
It comes down to milk. A latte is mostly steamed milk poured over a shot of espresso, so it is large and mild. An espresso macchiato is just a shot of espresso marked with a small dollop of foam, so it is tiny and tastes almost entirely of coffee.
Is Latte stronger than Espresso Macchiato?
No - Espresso Macchiato is the stronger-tasting one, 4/5 to Latte's 2/5 on our concentration scale. (Strength here is about taste, not caffeine.)
Which has more milk?
Latte - about 9 oz of milk to Espresso Macchiato's 0.25 oz.
Which has more caffeine?
Latte has noticeably more - about 126 mg to Espresso Macchiato's 63 mg (typical).
Can you get Latte iced like Espresso Macchiato?
Latte is served both hot and iced; Espresso Macchiato is traditionally served hot.