What is a Mocha?

A mocha is a shot of espresso plus chocolate sauce plus steamed milk, typically 8 to 12 oz. It is a chocolate latte. The name comes from the Yemeni port city of Mocha, historically a major coffee trading hub.

Also called a caffè mocha or mocha latte. Same drink, different names depending on the shop.

The most popular gateway espresso drink for new coffee drinkers, by a wide margin

The chocolate masks the intensity of the espresso. Good espresso combined with real chocolate sauce tastes like a dessert worth paying for. Specialty shops in Seattle and Denver often use higher-quality chocolate, which makes a genuine difference. The chains use standardized syrup. Independent shops sometimes use dark chocolate or house-made sauces.

"A mocha with real dark chocolate and quality espresso tastes completely different from a chain mocha with flavored syrup."

Mocha vs other chocolate coffee drinks

A hot chocolate is just chocolate and milk, no coffee. A mocha adds espresso. A white mocha uses white chocolate sauce. A mocha frappuccino is a blended iced version. In terms of caffeine, a mocha made with a double shot has about 125mg, similar to a regular latte. More in how much caffeine is in espresso.

How to order a better mocha

Ask for dark chocolate sauce instead of mocha syrup if the shop offers it. Ask for less sugar if the default is too sweet. A double shot mocha with dark chocolate and whole milk is about as good as this drink gets. Try it at Heart Coffee Roasters in Portland or specialty shops in Los Angeles.

Related: What is a latte?, Best drinks for beginners, Every coffee drink explained.