COFFEE GUIDE
Macchiato
Espresso stained with a small foam dollop. 2 oz. The real one.
WHAT IT IS
A traditional macchiato (espresso macchiato) is a single espresso shot with a small dollop of foamed milk on top. Total volume: about 2 oz. The word macchiato means "stained" in Italian. The foam stains the espresso. A latte macchiato is the reverse: milk stained by espresso.
HOW IT IS MADE
A single espresso shot is pulled. A small amount of milk is steamed and a spoonful of foam is placed on top. That is it. The drink is served in the same small cup as an espresso.
WHAT IT TASTES LIKE
Very close to straight espresso. The foam softens the intensity slightly but the coffee flavor dominates completely. If you want to taste the espresso with minimal milk interference, this is the drink.
WHEN TO ORDER IT
When you want almost-straight espresso with just a tiny bit of milk to take the edge off. When you want to explore espresso flavor with minimal interference. When you have had an Americano and want something smaller and more focused.
HOW TO ORDER IT
Say "espresso macchiato" to be specific. If you just say "macchiato" some shops may interpret it differently depending on their local convention.
VARIATIONS
Latte macchiato: milk with espresso poured through it. Caramel macchiato (Starbucks version): a large flavored latte that shares only the name.
CAFFEINE
About 63mg per single shot. The foam adds negligible caffeine.
According to Pulled Coffee data from 462,531 coffee shops worldwide, 15.9% of all coffee shops are classified as specialty — the type most likely to serve a proper Macchiato. In cities like Vancouver (4,175 specialty shops) and London (3,621), your chances of finding a great one are significantly higher than the global average.
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Find a great Macchiato near you
MACCHIATO BY CITY
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