Overheard a barista say flat whites are just small lattes

Ngl it got me thinking about how much coffee culture has shifted since I started drinking it 15 years ago. Do you guys think drink names actually matter anymore or is it all just milk ratios?

2 comments

2 Comments

simonp4729d agoTop Commenter

Milk ratios are really the whole game at this point. Fifteen years ago you'd order a cortado and get a specific shot ratio, now half the time you just get a tiny latte with microfoam. The texture difference the_jana mentioned is huge though, a real flat white has that velvety smoothness that a latte just doesn't have because of how much air gets worked in. But name two cafes that make them exactly the same way these days. You'd be lucky to get a consistent ristretto shot in any of them. The whole thing's turned into a guessing game unless you know the barista personally.

the_jana29d ago

Ugh, that barista is just plain wrong (and probably trying to save themselves some work). A flat white has way less foam and a much silkier texture than a latte, even if the cup sizes are similar. It's frustrating when people dismiss the little differences that actually change the whole drink.