My favorite type of coffee to drink besides cold brew coffee is espresso. Iced, hot, even as a cold brew, espresso is what gets the job done. It can be enjoyed on its own as a drink, or it can be added to any other coffee beverage to give it a little extra boost of caffeine. What follows is a list of my top five espresso drinks, in no particular rank or order. I hope to not only share with you my favorite espresso drinks but to also provide you with some ideas the next time you head to Starbucks or the local coffee shop!
Espresso
Opening out of the gate with a classic is just plain espresso. It can be enjoyed as a single or double shot, and can have cream or steamed milk and sugar as well. Espresso is known for its strength and bold flavor, which are two things that I love in a cup of coffee. I like to drink espresso any way, so this one is really open-ended as far as how you order it.
Cappucino
Cappucinos are some of the most commercially availabe drinks on the market. They are a little heavier than lattes in the sense that there is a higher amount of coffee in a cappucino, which I particularly enjoy. They tend to have equal parts espresso, milk, and foam which allow for baristas to add a little art to the foam head. Cappucinos are also one of the more customizable espresso drinks, with flavors such as french vanilla or mocha being a popular add-on. I would personally recommend a french vanilla cappucino anywhere you go.
Flat White
The flat white has been around for quite some time. It is a rather simple combination of a double shot of espresso and flat milk, making for a plain yet very strong drink. I typically will go for this whenever I am not in the mood for a flavored drink. I would recommend ordering an extra shot of espresso if you really want that caffeine boost, but this drink can be ordered exactly how it comes and still satisfy the tastebuds and scratch that caffeine itch that all of us coffee-lovers have. It is typically made in a 6 oz. mug, so if you are more interested in overall quality of the coffee over the size of the drink then this is even better for you.
Caffe Latte
Similar to the cappucino, the caffe latte is a drink composed of espresso, steamed milk, and foam. The biggest difference between the caffe latte and the cappucino is that a caffe latte does have less foam than the cappucino. The caffe latte is another espresso drink that can be enjoyed exactly how it comes or with your own level of customization. I would suggest a caffe latte with french vanilla and an added shot of espresso. I also recommend the same drink only with caramel instead of french vanilla. Either way, this drink is one of the better ones out there.
Cubano
The cubano is one of the more simple espresso drinks which is one of the reasons that it has made it on to this list. It is traditionally made with a shot of espresso and natural brown sugar that has been mixed in. You could add cream or milk if so desired, but then it would technically not be a cubano anymore. This drink is perfect as a single the way that it comes, but personally I prefer to order it in a double. Starbucks makes a great cubano but I find that the more local, independent coffee shops make it the best.
