Argentine Café Menus
Cortado? Lagrima? Café con Leche? How to Order Coffee in Argentina
Aug 26, 2009
Ordering a Coffee in Buenos Aires is difficult without a knowledge of Argentine Coffee Terms
A café latte in Sydney, New York and London, all mean the same thing. When the coffee order arrives, there are never any surprises in terms of size or contents. However, in South America, depending on the country, the terminology for the different coffee orders can change greatly and can affect what size and type of coffee is delivered.
Therefore, the following is a breakdown of the most useful terminology to know when looking at a coffee menu in Buenos Aires. Particularly important when stopping off for a tasty, hot treat in El Gato Negro on Avenida Corrientes, perhaps one of the most charming coffee houses in the capital.
Definitions and words used to describe typical coffee orders in Buenos Aires
- Expresso is a very short, black shot of strong coffee, best taken with a little sugar.
- Lagrima has a wonderful translation. The word 'lagrima' literally means 'teardrop' and so this is a coffee served with a lot of milk and a mere ‘drop’ of coffee.
- Cortado is when the coffee is served with just a dash of milk. It’s a good choice to get an energy kick in the mornings.
- Café solo is served in a large cup and is nothing but pure, honest, black coffee.
- Cafe con Leche is exactly half milk, half coffee and is served in a larger cup than the cortado.
- Cafe con Crema is the same as a cafe con leche, but obviously with cream instead of milk.
- Cafe Doble is when the order is a double serving of any coffee on the menu. For example, café con leche doble or lagrima doble.
- Cafe en Jarro (sometimes 'Jarrito') is a reference to the size of the coffee cup as opposed to the way in which the coffee is poured. Therefore, an order of café con leche in a ‘jarro’ or ‘jarrito’, as it is sometimes known, will bring a tasty little number served in a mug rather than a cup to the table. Very simple.
- Capuccino (a universal coffee) is always served in a tall glass in Buenos Aires. Therefore, this coffee is the largest coffee on the menu.
- Submarino is a tall glass of hot milk, served with a chocolate bar.
Further Explanation on How To Take a Submarino
When taking a submarino, follow the lead of the Argentines to avoid looking like an oaf!
- Break the chocolate bar up into smaller pieces
- Drop it into the milk
- Let it melt
- Then stir it in to the milk, basically making a thick and creamy hot chocolate drink
How NOT to take a Submarino
Eating and ‘dunking' the chocolate bar, like the English do with biscuits in their tea (awwhh, the English!), is the way forward for taking this beverage correctly. Avoid looking like an uncultured, mis-informed swine at all costs when supping at an Argentine coffee house on a submarino. This is very important as coffee, to the Argentines, ranks as highly on their list of cultural customs as beef and wine.
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