Latte Macchiato
Steamed 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 milkServed hotFrom Italy
- Volume
- 250ml8.5 US fl oz
- Espresso
- 1shot
- Caffeine
- 64mgderived, USDA FDC
- Coffee to milk
- 1:7.3
The build
Watch it made, step by step- Milk180 ml72%
- Foam40 ml16%
- Espresso30 ml12%
- Volume
- 250ml
- Caffeine
- 64mg
- Espresso
- 1shot
Scales every component together, so the ratio holds; caffeine scales with the coffee.
Mostly milk; the espresso is poured in last so it forms a visible dark band between milk and foam.
Caffeine
Derivedin a 250 ml latte 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
1| Name | Country | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| Latte Macchiato | Germany | Hugely popular in Germany in tall glasses, often with flavoured syrup. |
History
Popular accountOriginally a way to give children a coffee-tinted milk in Italy; it became a tall-glass café drink in German-speaking countries in the 1990s and 2000s. Wikidata records espresso as a part; the rest is a popular account.
Italian: milk stained with coffee.
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
A 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 Caffè Latte 240 ml · 64 mgEspresso 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 Cappuccino (US size) 355 ml · 127 mgThe American-sized cappuccino: a double shot under a large volume of steamed milk and foam in a 12 oz cup. The distinction from a latte is mostly the thicker foam layer.
Espresso and milk Caramel Macchiato 360 ml · 127 mgA sweet layered drink of vanilla syrup, steamed milk, espresso and caramel drizzle. Despite the name it is built like a latte macchiato, not an Italian macchiato.
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.