Sunday, November 1 2026

What coffee is Starbucks Flat White? The difference between Australian White and Latte and an analysis of ristretto

Flat White, this Italian-style milk coffee originating from the Southern Hemisphere, is now ubiquitous on cafe menus around the world, with Chinese translations including 澳白, 馥芮白, and 小白咖啡. Many people think it is just a scaled-down latte, but in fact the two have obvious differences in espresso type, milk ratio, and milk foam thickness. Flat White uses Ristretto, with a smaller coffee-to-water ratio and higher concentration, and the milk pouring method is also more particular. This article will start with the extraction differences between Espresso and Ristretto, analyze the essential differences between Flat White and Latte, and share Front Street Coffee's specific parameters for making Flat White and its blend bean selection, to help you fully understand the uniqueness of this coffee. [more…]