Caffè Macchiato

Also espresso macchiato, macchiato

An espresso marked with a small spoonful of milk foam. Not to be confused with the latte macchiato or the syrupy chain-café 'macchiato'.

Espresso and milkServed hotFrom Italy

Volume
45ml1.5 US fl oz
Espresso
1shot
Caffeine
64mgderived, USDA FDC
Coffee to milk
1:0.5

The build

Watch it made, step by step
Demitasse, 70 ml. Layers in pouring order from the bottom, drawn by volume.
  1. Espresso30 ml67%
  2. Foam15 ml33%
Volume
45ml
Caffeine
64mg
Espresso
1shot

Scales every component together, so the ratio holds; caffeine scales with the coffee.

Espresso marked with a dollop of foam; the coffee dominates completely.

Caffeine

Derived
64mg

in a 45 ml caffè macchiato

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

2
NameCountryHow it differs
macchiato caldo / freddoItalyMarked with hot foamed milk or a splash of cold milk.
café pingadoPortugalEspresso with a drop of milk.

History

An Italian bar order that lets a drinker signal a touch of milk; Wikidata records Italy as country of origin and milk and espresso as parts.

Italian 'macchiato' means 'stained' or 'marked'.

Related drinks

Espresso and milk Marocchino 77 ml · 64 mg

A small glass of espresso with milk foam and cocoa above and below. Piedmont's compact cousin of the mocha.

 Espresso and milk Café Noisette 45 ml · 64 mg

A French espresso 'stained' with a little milk, named for its hazelnut colour. The French counterpart of the Italian macchiato.

 Espresso and milk Kleiner Brauner 45 ml · 64 mg

The Viennese single espresso served with a little milk or cream to brown it; ordered as 'kleiner' or 'großer' for single or double.

 Espresso and milk Cappuccino 150 ml · 64 mg

Espresso 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 Wiener Melange 150 ml · 64 mg

Vienna's milk coffee: a long espresso with hot milk and foam in a large cup. The gentle heart of the Viennese coffee-house menu.

 Espresso and milk Café Pingado 35 ml · 64 mg

A Portuguese espresso with a single drop of milk, the local macchiato.