The main types of coffee drinks are espresso and its short and long versions; espresso with milk, such as cappuccino, latte, flat white and cortado; the Egyptian home coffees (Turkish, French, American filter and instant); and iced coffee. The chart below shows what is in each one and how to make it at home with what Coffee & Cream sells.
Types of coffee drinks chart
| Drink | What is in it | Milk | Cup size | Make it at home with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Espresso | Fine coffee and hot water under pressure, with crema on top | None | About 30 to 40 ml | An espresso machine, or a Nespresso capsule on the Nespresso Original espresso button (40 ml) |
| Ristretto | The same coffee as espresso, with less water. Ristretto means restricted | None | About 15 to 25 ml | A portafilter machine, or a Nespresso Original ristretto capsule at 25 ml. On a two-button machine, start it on the espresso button and stop it at about 25 ml |
| Lungo | The same coffee as espresso, with more water through the grounds | None | About 60 to 90 ml | A portafilter machine, or the Nespresso Original lungo button (110 ml) |
| Americano | An espresso shot, then hot water added in the cup | None | A long cup | An espresso shot plus hot water, or a Dolce Gusto Americano pod. See Lungo vs Americano |
| Macchiato | Espresso with a small amount of milk, usually foamed | A small amount, usually foamed | Espresso cup | An espresso shot and a milk frother |
| Cappuccino | Espresso, less steamed milk, and a thick foam cap | Steamed milk and thick foam | About 150 to 180 ml | An espresso machine and a frother, or a Dolce Gusto Cappuccino pod |
| Latte | Espresso with more steamed milk and a thin foam layer. Latte means milk | More steamed milk, thin foam | About 240 ml or more | An espresso machine and a frother, or a Starbucks Caffè Latte pod for Dolce Gusto |
| Flat white | Espresso, steamed milk and a thin foam layer, so the coffee tastes stronger | Steamed milk, thin foam | Smaller cup than a latte | A Nescafé Dolce Gusto Flat White pod, milk already in the capsule |
| Cortado | Espresso plus about the same amount of warm milk | Warm milk, about equal to the shot | A short glass | An espresso machine and a milk frother |
| Latte macchiato | Steamed milk in the glass first, espresso poured in last | Steamed milk is the base | A tall glass | A Nescafé Dolce Gusto Latte Macchiato pod: milk capsule first, then coffee |
| Mocha | A latte with chocolate added | Steamed milk | A latte cup | A LaCapsuleria Sweet Mocha capsule, compatible with Nespresso Original |
| Spanish latte | A latte sweetened with condensed milk | Steamed or cold milk, plus condensed milk | About 240 ml or more | Espresso, Rainbow Sweetened Condensed Milk, and milk |
| Café au lait | Coffee with hot milk added | Hot milk | A mug | A Nescafé Dolce Gusto Café au Lait pod, milk already in the capsule |
| Turkish coffee (ahwa turki) | Extra-fine coffee and cold water, unfiltered, heated in a kanaka | None, unless you swap part of the water for milk | Small cup (finjan) | Mehmet Efendi or Al Ameed from Turkish ground coffee, in a kanaka |
| French coffee (ahwa faransawi) | Light coffee mixed with creamer | Creamer in the blend | Varies | Turkish ground coffee, when in stock |
| American filter coffee (ahwa amriki) | Medium grind and hot water through a paper filter or dripper. In Egypt this is filter coffee, separate from an Americano | None | A mug | American filter coffee in a dripper or drip machine |
| Instant coffee (Nescafé) | Granules or powder dissolved in water. In Egypt many people say Nescafé for any instant coffee | Optional | A mug | A jar or sachet from instant coffee |
| Iced coffee | Coffee brewed strong, cooled fast over ice, with cold milk and sugar or syrup if you want it | Optional cold milk | A tall glass | Espresso or filter coffee, ice, and cold milk |
Espresso, ristretto, lungo and Americano
Ristretto, espresso and lungo are the same coffee made with different amounts of water. Ristretto is the short, thick cup. Espresso is the balance most recipes start from, with crema on top. Lungo runs longer, lighter and more bitter. An Americano adds hot water in the cup after the shot, while a lungo runs the extra water through the coffee. Ristretto, espresso and lungo compares the sizes, including Lungo vs Americano. For a strong short cup with no pump machine, see espresso without a machine.
Espresso with milk
Cappuccino is espresso with less steamed milk and a thick foam cap, about 150 to 180 ml, and it tastes stronger than a latte or a Spanish latte. Latte is espresso with more steamed milk and a thin foam layer, about 240 ml or more. Spanish latte is a latte sweetened with condensed milk, about 240 ml or more. Latte, cappuccino and Spanish latte compares the three, and the Spanish latte recipe has the condensed milk amounts, hot and iced. Rainbow Sweetened Condensed Milk is in milk and creamers, and syrups such as Monin are in syrups.
Flat white is espresso with steamed milk and a thin foam layer in a smaller cup than a latte, so the coffee tastes stronger. The Nescafé Dolce Gusto Flat White pod has the milk in the capsule, one capsule per cup. Cortado is espresso plus about the same amount of warm milk. Pull a shot on an espresso machine and warm the milk with a milk frother.
Macchiato is an espresso with a small amount of milk, usually foamed, so the coffee still leads. Latte macchiato is the other way around, with milk as the base and the espresso poured in last. The Nescafé Dolce Gusto Latte Macchiato uses two capsules, milk capsule first, then the coffee capsule, and the glass settles into three layers. Café au lait is coffee with hot milk added. The Nescafé Dolce Gusto Café au Lait pod holds robusta coffee and milk in one capsule, so you add no separate milk.
Mocha is a latte with chocolate added. For a capsule, LaCapsuleria Sweet Mocha is compatible with Nespresso Original. Mocha at home has the full method with chocolate and milk. A moka pot is the stovetop pot, a different thing from the mocha drink. It brews a short, strong cup that can stand in for espresso when you have no pump machine. The steps are in how to use a moka pot, and the coffee is in ground coffee for moka.
Egyptian coffee names
Turkish coffee (ahwa turki) is one heaped teaspoon of extra-fine coffee (about 7 g), sugar to taste and one small cup of cold water (about 60 to 70 ml) in a kanaka, heated slowly and taken off as the foam rises, before it boils. It is unfiltered, and the grounds settle in the cup. Mehmet Efendi and Al Ameed are the bags to start with, from Turkish ground coffee, brewed in a kanaka or an Arzum machine from Turkish coffee machines. The Turkish coffee guide has the full method and the four sugar levels below.
Turkish coffee names by sugar
- Sada (plain): No sugar.
- Ala el reeha (a little): About half a teaspoon per cup.
- Mazboot (medium): About one teaspoon per cup, the same as the coffee. This is the everyday cup.
- Ziyada (sweet): About two teaspoons per cup.
Mehawag is the same Turkish coffee with cardamom already in the blend, such as Al Ameed with cardamom. Turkish coffee with or without cardamom compares it with the plain bag, and how to choose Turkish coffee covers roast and pack size.
French coffee (ahwa faransawi) is light coffee mixed with creamer. When we have it, it sits in Turkish ground coffee.
Ahwa amriki in Egypt means filter or drip coffee, not an Americano. Brew it from American filter coffee in a dripper or a drip machine. One 250 ml cup takes about 15 g of coffee, and the American coffee guide has the drip machine and V60 steps.
Nescafé is the everyday Egyptian word for instant coffee: granules or powder you dissolve in water. Plain jars such as Davidoff, Jardin and Bon Aroma, and 3 in 1 sachets, are in instant coffee.
Iced coffee
Iced latte, iced americano, frappé and cold brew are four iced cups you can make at home. Brew the coffee strong, cool it fast over plenty of ice, and add cold milk and sugar or syrup if you want them. Recipes for each one are in iced coffee recipes.
Coffee beans
The two main bean types are arabica and robusta. Arabica is the smoother, more complex bean with gentle acidity. Robusta is stronger, more bitter, and pulls a thicker crema. Arabica vs robusta matches each bean to a brew method.
FAQ
What are the names of the main types of coffee drinks?
Espresso, ristretto, lungo, Americano, macchiato, cappuccino, latte, flat white, cortado, latte macchiato, mocha, Spanish latte and café au lait, plus the Egyptian home cups: Turkish, French, American filter and instant. Iced latte, iced americano, frappé and cold brew cover the cold ones.
What are the 12 types of coffee and their names?
Twelve common names are espresso, Americano, macchiato, cappuccino, latte, flat white, cortado, mocha, Spanish latte, Turkish coffee, filter coffee and iced coffee. Ristretto, lungo, latte macchiato, café au lait, French coffee and instant coffee are common too.
Which coffee is best to drink?
The best coffee to drink depends on how much milk and sugar you like. Espresso is the short black cup, a latte or cappuccino adds milk, and Turkish mazboot is the everyday sweet cup at home.
What are the names of iced coffee drinks?
The usual iced coffee names are iced latte, iced americano, frappé and cold brew. Iced coffee recipes has the amounts for each.
What are the four main types of coffee?
The four main types of coffee beans are arabica, robusta, liberica and excelsa. Arabica and robusta are the two you will find in shops, and liberica and excelsa are rare. Arabica vs robusta covers how the two main ones taste.
What are the types of black coffee?
Espresso, ristretto, lungo, Americano, Turkish coffee and filter coffee are all black coffee, made with no milk. Sugar does not change that, so Turkish coffee is black whether you take it sada or ziyada.
For the cups in this chart, start with espresso machines, Nespresso capsules, Dolce Gusto pods, milk frothers, Turkish ground coffee, American filter coffee and instant coffee. Orders reach Cairo and Giza in 1 to 2 business days and other governorates in 2 to 4 business days. You can pay cash on delivery or by card. Delivery fees are on the shipping policy.