Are you planning on serving coffee at your restaurant or looking for new ideas to expand your coffee menu? If you are, it’s important to learn about the different types of coffee drinks and their recipes to easily prepare your customer’s coffee orders. We’ve created this informative guide to help you learn about the most popular coffee drinks around the world and to get you on your way to preparing flavorful coffee.
Espresso
The espresso, also known as short black, originated in Italy and is a popular coffee drink in Europe and America. The espresso is an ounce of highly concentrated coffee and is served in a 2 to 4-ounce espresso cup. A shot of espresso is also used as an ingredient in many coffee beverages, such as americanos, macchiatos, cappuccinos, and more.
Cappuccino
The cappuccino is a popular breakfast drink making it an excellent choice to add to your establishment’s breakfast menu. The cappuccino is a creamy coffee drink that consists of 3 different layers:
- The bottom layer is a shot of espresso.
- The middle layer is 2 ounces of steamed milk.
- The top layer is 2 ounces of foamed milk.
Many baristas like to add cinnamon, chocolate powder, chocolate
shavings, or other toppings to cappuccinos to provide it with additional
flavor. Cappuccinos are typically served in a 6 to 8-ounce coffee mug to
keep the layers of the drink in order.
Macchiato
Similar to the espresso, the macchiato is a cornerstone of Italian
coffee culture. Macchiatos are served in a small espresso cup and
consist of a shot of espresso and 2 teaspoons of steamed milk. The
Italian word “macchiato” means mark or stain and is in reference to the
mark that steamed milk leaves on the surface of the espresso. Many
Italians drink macchiatos in the afternoon because the steamed milk
provides extra flavor to their espressos.
Vienna
Vienna coffee, also known as einspännera, is a popular cream-based
coffee beverage that is easy to prepare. You simply add 1 to 2 shots of
espresso in a 4 to 5-ounce espresso cup and infuse the coffee with
whipped cream. The whipped cream gives the coffee extra flavor and acts
as an insulator keeping the Vienna nice and warm during winter. You can
add chocolate sprinkles or chocolate shavings to this creamy coffee
drink to give it a stylish touch.
Affogato
Affogatos are more of a dessert coffee, but they can add a fun twist to
the dessert menu at your restaurant, coffee shop, or other foodservice
establishment. Originating in Italy, the word “affogato” comes from the
Italian word “affogare” which means to drown. You prepare this tasty
dessert coffee by putting a scoop of vanilla ice cream on a 5 to 7-ounce
dessert dish and drown the ice cream by pouring a shot of espresso over
it.
Americano
It’s a popular belief that Americano coffee was invented by American soldiers stationed in Italy during World War ll. They would pour hot water into their espresso because the taste of the espresso was too strong for them. The hot water dilutes the espresso while still maintaining its caffeine.
The Americano is one of the most popular breakfast drinks making it a
great addition to your foodservice establishment’s menu. To make this
delicious drink, you pour a shot of espresso into a 5 to 6-ounce coffee
cup and fill the rest of the coffee glass with hot water.
Iced Coffee
Iced coffee is a popular coffee drink during the summertime because it’s refreshing and available in a number of flavors such as vanilla, chocolate, caramel, and more. Baristas typically serve iced coffee in a 14-ounce coffee cup due to the number of ingredients that are in this cold drink. Here’s one of the ways you can prepare a flavorful cup of iced coffee:
- Put 4 ounces of ice in a 14-ounce coffee cup.
- Pour in 2 ounces of drip coffee or espresso.
- Pour in 4 to 6 ounces of milk or water.
-
Add flavored syrup to the iced coffee and stir the drink as much as
you’d like.
Latte
The name “latte” is derived from the Italian words “caffè latte” which means “milk coffee.” Italians came up with the name “caffè latte” because this drink consists of a shot of espresso and 6 to 10 ounces of steamed milk. Lattes are one of the few coffee drinks that can wake you up, warm up your body, and satisfy your sweet tooth which is why it’s become one of the most popular morning drinks in the United States.
Also, latte art is something that has grabbed the attention of coffee fanatics in recent years. Latte art is a beautiful presentation of white milk along the top of the coffee mug that can be arranged in the shape of a bird, heart, flower, or any other creative design. To create stylish latte designs for your customers, you can:
- Add a shot of espresso to the coffee cup.
- Slowly add steamed milk into the coffee cup.
- Within a few seconds, the white milk rises to the top.
-
Slowly pour the rest of the steamed milk into the coffee while
creating a design.
Which Cups Should I Use To Serve Coffee At My Restaurant?
Before deciding which coffee cups you want to serve that tasty espresso or delicious americano in, you should consider your customers. For instance, if the majority of your customers order to go, you should think about using disposable coffee cups. Disposable cups for coffee are light in weight making it easy for your customers to drink their flavorful coffee while walking or driving.
Furthermore, disposable coffee cups come in a variety of sizes making it easy for your employees to serve delicious coffee. For instance, if a customer orders an espresso, you can serve his or her hot drink in a 2 to 4-ounce drink to allow them to drink comfortably.
Reusable coffee mugs are great to use when you have a lot of customers that dine in. You can simply wash a customer’s coffee glass once they finish their drink and later serve another customer using the same beverage glass to help reduce waste at your restaurant, coffee shop, cafe, or other foodservice establishment.
Ingredients to Make a Cup Of Coffee
After reading the sections above, you probably noticed that all coffee
drinks consist of different ingredients. It’s important to learn how
each cup of coffee is different to ensure you have all the necessary
items to start preparing coffee at your food establishment. We’ve
created a chart to help you easily recognize the differences between
each coffee drink:
Espresso
- Ingredients: Espresso
- Cup Size: 2-4 oz
Cappuccino
- Ingredients: Espresso, steamed milk, and foam
- Cup Size: 6-8 oz
Macchiato
- Ingredients: Espresso and steamed milk
- Cup Size: 3-4 oz
Vienna
- Ingredients: Espresso and whipped cream
- Cup Size: 6-8 oz
Affogato
- Ingredients: Espresso and ice cream
- Dessert Cup Size: 5-7 oz
Americano
- Ingredients: Espresso and hot water
- Cup Size: 5-6 oz
Iced Coffee
- Ingredients: Espresso, steamed milk, ice, and flavoring syrup
- Cup Size: 14 oz
Latte
- Ingredients: Espresso, steamed milk, and foam
- Cup Size: 8-14 oz
