Compare

Cappuccino vs flat white: what's the difference?

Both are small and coffee-forward, but they are opposites in texture. A cappuccino has a tall, airy cap of foam; a flat white has almost none, just a thin, silky layer that sits flat with the rim.

The differences

A cappuccino

Cappuccino

A thick cap of airy foam over less liquid milk. Australian cafés usually finish it with a dusting of chocolate.

How the café in Cuppology builds it

  1. Start with a hot cup.
  2. Pour in the espresso: 30 ml.
  3. Pour in the stiff foam: 150 ml.

What the café accepts as a cappuccino

  • Shot: ristretto or espresso or lungo
  • Coffee 18–90 ml
  • Milk 80–250 ml
  • Foam 16 mm or more
  • Milk 40–75 °C
A flat white

Flat white

Less milk and a thinner layer of foam than a latte. Many Melbourne cafés use a double ristretto; here that makes a magic.

How the café in Cuppology builds it

  1. Start with a hot cup.
  2. Pour in the espresso: 30 ml.
  3. Pour in the silky microfoam: 110 ml.

What the café accepts as a flat white

  • Shot: ristretto or espresso or lungo
  • Coffee 18–90 ml
  • Milk 80–170 ml
  • Foam under 16 mm
  • Milk 40–75 °C

Which should you order?

Pick a cappuccino for a light, foamy cup. Pick a flat white for the smoothest milk and the strongest coffee taste of the two.

Make both in Cuppology →

More drinks people mix up