Short answer
A flat white is a small milk coffee made from a double espresso and steamed milk with a thin layer of silky microfoam. It is stronger and less foamy than a latte, and usually served in a cup of about 150 to 180 ml.
A flat white is a small milk coffee made from a double espresso and steamed milk with a thin layer of silky microfoam on top. It is stronger and less foamy than a latte, and it is usually served in a ceramic cup of about 150 to 180 ml.
What is a flat white?
A flat white is an espresso drink where velvety, finely textured milk is poured over a double shot, giving a smooth, coffee-forward cup with only a thin film of foam. The surface looks flat rather than domed, which is where the name is often said to come from.
Cafes serve it in a small ceramic cup, often with simple latte art such as a dot or a heart. It sits between a cortado and a latte in size, and many coffee drinkers choose it when they want milk without losing the taste of the espresso.
Where does the flat white come from?
The flat white is claimed by Australia and New Zealand, and the question of which country invented it is disputed. Cafes in both places were serving it by the 1980s, and it spread to Britain and North America from the 2000s onward.
No single record settles the argument, so it is fair to say the flat white is an Australasian drink without naming one inventor. The name is now used on cafe menus around the world, sometimes with slightly different sizes.
How is a flat white made?
A flat white is made by pulling a double espresso, steaming milk to a smooth, glossy texture and pouring the milk in so the espresso and microfoam blend. The key skill is steaming the milk with little air.
- Pull a double shot, about 60 ml, into a pre-warmed cup.
- Steam about 120 to 150 ml of milk to roughly 60 to 65 degrees Celsius, introducing air briefly then submerging the wand to swirl the milk.
- Tap and swirl the jug so the milk looks like wet paint.
- Pour from a low height so the microfoam mixes with the espresso, finishing with a thin white surface.
How much milk and foam does a flat white have?
A flat white has roughly two to three parts milk to one part espresso, with a foam layer around 5 mm thick or less. This ratio is more coffee-heavy than a latte but milkier than a cortado.
| Drink | Espresso | Milk | Foam | Typical cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cortado | Double or single | About equal to espresso | Almost none | 120 ml |
| Flat white | Double | About 120 to 150 ml | Thin microfoam | 150 to 180 ml |
| Latte | Single or double | 200 ml or more | Light layer | 240 ml or more |
| Cappuccino | Single or double | Equal parts steamed milk and foam | Thick | 150 to 180 ml |
Sizes vary by cafe, so these figures are typical rather than rules.
How does a flat white taste?
A flat white tastes of espresso first, rounded by the sweetness of the steamed milk and with a smooth, velvety feel. It has less foam than a cappuccino, so the milk coats the tongue rather than sitting on top.
The taste follows the bean. A medium roast gives caramel, chocolate and nut notes, while a light roast adds a fruity brightness that can still be tasted through the milk because there is less of it.
What is the difference between a flat white and a latte?
A flat white is smaller, has less milk and a thinner foam layer than a latte, so it tastes more of coffee. A latte is larger, milder and creamier, often with more room for syrups.
The espresso base can be the same. The difference is mostly the volume of milk, the cup size and the texture. A latte can be served tall or iced, while a flat white is almost always a hot drink in a small cup.
What milk works best for a flat white?
Whole milk gives the silkiest, sweetest flat white, because its fat and protein hold fine bubbles and a glossy texture. Lower-fat milk steams with more foam and less sweetness, and some plant milks are made for cafes and steam well.
- Whole milk: the standard choice, with a rounded, creamy finish.
- Oat milk: steams smoothly and tastes mild, a common plant-based option.
- Soy milk: holds foam but can separate if the coffee is very acidic or the milk is too hot.
- Almond milk: lighter, with thinner microfoam and a slightly nutty taste.
Whichever milk you pick, keep the temperature near 60 to 65 degrees Celsius. Hotter milk loses sweetness and the microfoam turns coarse.
Is a flat white the same as a small latte?
A flat white is not the same as a small latte, although the two overlap. A small latte has more milk and more foam on top, while a flat white is built around a double shot with a short pour of microfoam.
Cafes also differ. Some serve a flat white and a latte in nearly identical cups with a slightly different foam depth, and a few treat the names as interchangeable. If the difference matters to you, ask how many shots the drink contains and what size the cup is. A useful rule of thumb is that the smaller the cup, the more the espresso comes through.
How do you order a flat white?
To order a flat white, ask for it by name, say hot, and mention your milk choice if you have one. Add “double” or “single” only if the cafe offers both, since the standard is a double.
- Say “a flat white”, then your milk, for example whole or oat.
- Ask for a ristretto base if you want it sweeter and more concentrated and the cafe offers it.
- Skip sugar the first time, because the steamed milk already tastes sweet.
- Drink it within a few minutes, while the microfoam is still smooth.
Is a flat white on the menu at El Pacho Coffee Roasters?
A flat white is not confirmed on the recorded menu of El Pacho Coffee Roasters in Toronto. Reviewers on the Cafes in Toronto directory, read on 14 November 2026, mention the cappuccino, latte, chai latte and matcha latte, and a coffee blog says the menu favours classic drinks.
The same blog reports that the cafe roasts its coffee on site and serves single-origin beans with a medium-roast espresso. If you want a flat white, ask the staff what milk drinks are available. See the menu page for the items this guide could confirm and the hours and location page for opening times. This guide is independent and takes no orders.
Common questions
Where does the flat white come from?
The flat white is claimed by both Australia and New Zealand, and the origin is disputed. It became popular in the 1980s in both countries and later spread to cafes in Britain, Canada and the United States.
How many shots are in a flat white?
Most cafes use a double shot, about 60 ml of espresso, though some use a ristretto double. The small cup means the coffee tastes stronger than in a larger latte.
Is a flat white stronger than a latte?
It tastes stronger because it has the same or a similar amount of espresso in less milk. The actual caffeine depends on the number of shots, which cafes set themselves.
Is a flat white the same as a cortado?
No. A cortado is smaller, with espresso and warm milk in about equal parts and almost no foam. A flat white has more milk and a velvety microfoam layer, and is served in a larger cup.
Can you make a flat white at home?
Yes. Brew a double espresso or strong coffee, heat milk to about 60 to 65 degrees Celsius, whisk or froth it lightly to a smooth texture, and pour it in. A frother or French press helps.
This page is part of the independent guide to El Pacho Coffee Roasters, which has the address, hours and menu.
This article is general information from an independent guide, not from El Pacho Coffee Roasters itself. For the store’s current details see hours and location.