Caffè Breve
Also breve latte, brevé
An American espresso drink built with steamed half-and-half instead of milk. The higher fat makes a dense, sweet foam and a dessert-like cup.
Espresso and milkServed hotFrom United States
- Volume
- 210ml7.1 US fl oz
- Espresso
- 1shot
- Caffeine
- 64mgderived, USDA FDC
- Coffee to milk
- 1:6.0
The build
Watch it made, step by step- Espresso30 ml14%
- Cream150 ml71%
- Foam30 ml14%
- Volume
- 210ml
- Caffeine
- 64mg
- Espresso
- 1shot
Scales every component together, so the ratio holds; caffeine scales with the coffee.
A latte or cappuccino made with half-and-half instead of milk, which foams thickly and tastes sweeter and richer.
Caffeine
Derivedin a 210 ml caffè breve
USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy caffeine per 100 g scaled to the coffee volume in components, assuming 1 g per ml. FDC 171891 (Beverages, coffee, brewed, espresso, restaurant-prepared) 212.0 mg/100 g x 30 ml.
USDA FoodData Central record 171891 · read 2026-10-26
A derived figure: the reference food's caffeine per 100 g scaled to the coffee in this build. Real cups vary with the coffee, the dose and the shot.
Variants by country
No regional variants recorded.
History
Popular accountA US café term from the espresso-bar boom of the 1980s and 1990s. This is a popular account; we have not found a primary source for it.
American variant using half-and-half.
Parts of this story are repeated widely but were not confirmed against a source this atlas accepts. They are kept as the story people tell, not as fact.
Related drinks
Espresso with a large volume of steamed milk and a little foam, usually in a tall glass or wide bowl cup. It is the mildest and milkiest of the core espresso drinks.
Espresso and milk Latte Macchiato 250 ml · 64 mgSteamed milk in a tall glass with espresso poured through the foam, producing three layers. It is the inverse of the caffè macchiato: milk marked with coffee.
Espresso and milk Caffè Mocha 260 ml · 64 mgA latte with chocolate added, usually as syrup mixed with the espresso before the milk goes in. Toppings of whipped cream or cocoa are common.
Espresso and milk Flat White 165 ml · 127 mgA double espresso with steamed milk textured to a thin microfoam, served in a small cup. It is stronger and less foamy than a latte and smoother than a cappuccino.
Espresso and milk Cappuccino 150 ml · 64 mgEspresso with steamed milk and a cap of dense foam in a small cup. In Italy it is a morning drink of about 150 ml; abroad it has grown into a larger latte-like beverage.
Espresso and milk Franziskaner 150 ml · 64 mgA Viennese Melange finished with whipped cream rather than foam, lighter in colour than a Kapuziner. A coffee-house staple.