What Is a Macchiato

The word macchiato means stained or marked in Italian. A caffè macchiato is a shot of espresso with a small mark of steamed milk or foam on top. One shot, one spoonful. The drink is barely larger than a straight espresso. The milk is not there to soften the coffee. It is there to signal that the coffee has been touched, barely, by something else.

This is the drink that has been most thoroughly misunderstood by the modern coffee industry. What most chains sell as a macchiato has almost nothing in common with the original. If your macchiato arrives in a cup larger than your fist, it is not a macchiato.

How It Compares

The macchiato is the most espresso-forward of the milk drinks. From most to least coffee-dominant: macchiato, cortado, flat white, cappuccino, latte. If you like the taste of espresso and want just enough milk to take the edge off without changing the character, the macchiato is your drink.

When to Order One

A macchiato is an espresso drinker's concession to milk. Order one when you want espresso but want it a touch less intense. It is the fastest drink at any coffee bar. Find a specialty shop that pulls clean espresso and order one. If the barista asks what flavor you want, you are in the wrong place.

Keep reading: What Is a Cortado, What Is Espresso, How to Find Great Coffee.