How to Order at a Coffeehouse or Coffee Shop

Listing and Definitions of Common Espresso and Coffee Drinks

Dec 27, 2008

Figuring out how to order a coffee or espresso beverage is intimidating all the confusing coffee-speak, but take a breath, relax, and read on to find your perfect cup.

Grande skinny caramel cappuccino? Breve vanilla iced latte? Don't worry, you're not the only confused one. Translating coffeehouse drinks to everyday English is as simple as learning a few key terms and understanding that each coffee shop has a slightly different way of saying things.

Below you'll find the basic coffeehouse classics found at most coffee shops. Understanding what's in each drink will help you order items better suited to your tastes and help heal that deer-in-the-headlights look when faced with a foreign menu.

The americano is combination of espresso and hot water. Each size has one shot more than a usual espresso drink calls for. A tall, for example, would have two shots instead of one.

Barista

Black Eye

Breve

Ordering a drink breve means the barista will make the drink with half-and-half instead of milk.

Café Au Lait

A café au lait is French for "coffee with milk," which is exactly what a café au lait is: two-thirds coffee, one-third steamed milk.

The cappuccino is a combination of espresso mixed with equal parts steamed milk and froth.

Chai Latte

A chai latte is a spicy black tea with a variety of spices -- cinnamon and black pepper among them -- combined with steamed milk.

Decaf

Decaf is short for decaffeinated. When ordering decaf, keep in mind that although most caffeine has been removed, there are still traces of caffeine found in the coffee or espresso.

Dry Cap

When a person orders a dry cap, he or she wants the cappuccino to have more frothed milk than steamed milk.

Espresso, often mispronounced and spelled "expresso," is the term for the highly concentrated coffee that is added in shots to many common coffeehouse beverages but can also be ordered alone.

When pulled properly, espresso has a bold, rich flavor with a slight sweetness, but when pulled too long or left sitting more than 10 seconds, the espresso quickly loses flavor and becomes bitter.

An espresso con panna is a single, double, or triple shot of espresso topped with whipped cream.

Flavor Shot

A flavor shot is a few ounces (depending on the size) of your favorite flavor that can be added to coffee, tea, or espresso beverages

Frozen or Blended Coffee Beverage

Every coffeehouse has a different name for their own blended coffee drink, but perhaps the best-known name is the Starbuck's Frappuccino. Whatever the name, the drink consists of espresso, flavoring, and milk or a special mix to create a frozen, flavored coffee drink.

Grande

A grande is the medium sized drink at most coffee shops; most grande espresso drinks come with two shots.

Half-Caf

Half-Caf is just coffee-speak for a drink with half the caffeine: half caffeinated, half decaffeinated.

Iced

Iced refers to any espresso or coffee drink served over ice, which almost all the beverages listed can be served over.

A latte is a combination of espresso, steamed milk, and just one or two spoonfuls of froth.

Quad

Red Eye

Shot

A shot is the term used for one ounce of espresso. Adding a shot means adding an extra ounce of espresso.

Skinny

At a coffee shop, ordering something "skinny" means the barista will prepare the drink with skim milk.

Solo (Single Shot)

Soy

Tall

Triple

Vinti

Wet Cap

When somebody orders a wet cap, he or she wants more steamed milk than milk froth in the cappuccino.

Remember that every coffeehouse has a slightly different menu and way of saying things. These basics will help you order more efficiently, but always ask a barista if you have a question regarding a menu item because most baristas are willing to help you decide on a coffee beverage suited to your tastes.

The copyright of the article How to Order at a Coffeehouse or Coffee Shop in Coffee is owned by Megan B. Wyatt. Permission to republish How to Order at a Coffeehouse or Coffee Shop in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.