Macchiato

Macchiato is Italian for “stained” or “marked.” In its traditional sense it is a shot of espresso marked with just a dab of steamed milk or foam, served in an espresso cup. The point is a small softening of the shot, not a milk drink.

Why it matters: the word causes endless confusion. A traditional caffe macchiato is mostly espresso with a teaspoon or two of foam. A “latte macchiato” inverts this, a glass of steamed milk marked with espresso, and the large flavored “macchiato” sold by big chains is a different drink entirely, closer to a sweet latte. Knowing which one you want avoids surprises.

In the cup: with the traditional version you taste espresso first, with the milk only rounding the finish. It sits at the most concentrated end of the milk-drink spectrum, with less milk than a cortado or cappuccino. See the cafe menu decoded to place it among its neighbors.