Best Coffee Drinks for Beginners

Start with a latte or mocha. Both have enough milk to soften the espresso while still tasting like coffee. A mocha adds chocolate, which makes the transition easier if you are not sure you like coffee yet.

Once you like those, work toward a cappuccino. Then a flat white. Then a cortado. That is the natural progression toward tasting more espresso and less milk.

The US has 64,793 coffee shops. Only 4,437 are specialty. Start at a good one.

Pulled Coffee tracks 4,437 specialty shops in the US, which is 6.9%. A good latte from a specialty shop will taste noticeably better than one from a chain. Find specialty shops in Denver or Chicago on the Pulled map.

"6.9% of US coffee shops are specialty. One good latte from a quality shop converts more beginners than a hundred mediocre ones."

The beginner's drink ladder

Level 1: Mocha. Espresso, chocolate, steamed milk. Tastes like a warm dessert. What is a mocha?
Level 2: Latte. Espresso and steamed milk, 8 to 12 oz. Creamy, mild, easy. What is a latte?
Level 3: Cappuccino. 5 to 6 oz, more foam. You start tasting the espresso. Latte vs cappuccino.
Level 4: Flat white. Double shot, microfoam, 5 to 6 oz. What is a flat white?
Level 5: Cortado. 4 oz, equal parts espresso and milk. What is a cortado?

What to order if you do not like bitter coffee

Bad espresso is bitter. Well-made espresso is not. If you have always found coffee bitter, you have probably had bad espresso. A properly extracted shot from fresh beans tastes sweet and complex. Try shops like Blue Bottle or Verve. If you still do not like coffee, read what to order at a coffee shop if you do not like coffee.

Related: How to order coffee, What to order if you do not like coffee, Every coffee drink explained.