In brief
A flat white is espresso with steamed milk and only a thin layer of foam on top. "Flat" refers to that foam: there is no tall cap like a cappuccino's.
Wikipedia describes the build as a double espresso of about 50 ml, roughly 130 ml of steamed milk, and a 5 mm layer of microfoam. Because the cup is smaller than a latte's and the espresso is similar, the coffee tastes stronger.
The drink comes from Australia and New Zealand in the 1980s. Exactly which country, and which café, is still argued over.
On this page · 6 sections
Where did the flat white come from?
Australia and New Zealand both claim it, and neither claim is settled. Perfect Daily Grind calls the origins "somewhat contentious."
The Sydney claim belongs to Alan Preston of Moors Espresso Bar. Wikipedia says he added the drink to his permanent menu in 1985. Perfect Daily Grind reports that his customers had been ordering a white coffee, flat, and that his recipe used a double ristretto with lightly foamed milk.
New Zealand has two stories. Wikipedia reports a claim by Derek Townsend and Darrell Ahlers of Cafe DKD in Auckland. It also describes a "failed cappuccino" at Bar Bodega in Wellington in 1989. Perfect Daily Grind attributes that version to barista Fraser McInnes, whose milk would not foam properly.
How is a flat white different from a latte?
A flat white has less milk and less foam than a latte, in a smaller cup. Wikipedia says the flat white has "less milk and less microfoam" overall.
Wikipedia gives typical cups of about 200 ml in Australia and 175 ml in New Zealand. Wikipedia's cappuccino article puts latte servings at 200 to 300 ml. With a similar amount of espresso in a smaller drink, the coffee comes through more.
How is a flat white different from a cappuccino?
The foam. A cappuccino has a thick foam layer, while a flat white has a thin one. Perfect Daily Grind puts a flat white's foam at around 0.5 cm, against at least 1 cm for a cappuccino.
| Drink | Cup size (Wikipedia) | Foam |
|---|---|---|
| Cappuccino | 150 to 180 ml | Thick layer |
| Flat white | About 175 to 200 ml | Thin, about 0.5 cm |
| Latte | 200 to 300 ml | Thin layer over more milk |
The milk is texturized differently too. The 2M Barista Journal suggests stretching milk by 50 to 80% in volume for a classic cappuccino. For a flat white or latte, it suggests only 20 to 40%.
How much espresso goes in a flat white?
Usually a double shot. Wikipedia's figure is about 50 ml of double espresso. One barista quoted by Perfect Daily Grind uses a 20 g dose for a 40 g yield in 28 seconds, a 1:2 ratio.
Some cafés use a ristretto instead, following Preston's original double ristretto. A ristretto is a shorter, more concentrated shot, which can stand up to the milk.
When did the flat white go global?
In the 2000s and 2010s. Wikipedia dates its arrival in the UK to 2005. Starbucks offered it in UK stores by 2010 and added it to its American menu on January 6, 2015.
Perfect Daily Grind reports UK flat white sales rose 56% between 2017 and 2018. Wikipedia says that by 2024, one in three UK consumers chose a flat white.
What grind does a flat white need?
An espresso grind, because the drink is built on an espresso shot. The milk does not change what the shot itself needs.
In a small cup, the espresso has less milk to hide behind, so a sour or bitter shot shows. Counter Culture's guide is the usual fix: grind finer if a shot runs under 25 seconds, coarser if it runs over 35.
That takes a grinder that can make small espresso adjustments. The grinder finder narrows the options for espresso, and espresso settings by grinder gives starting points for each model.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Flat white
- Perfect Daily Grind: What is a flat white and where did it come from?
- Wikipedia: Cappuccino
- 2M Barista Journal: Steaming milk, science and technique
- Counter Culture Coffee: Quick and easy espresso
By Jeff Gluck · Checked Oct 21, 2026