Aussie lingo: a café glossary for Americans

Aussies shorten everything, then stick an “-o” or “-ie” on the end. Breakfast becomes brekkie. Afternoon becomes arvo. It’s not just you.

Here’s what the words on this site, and on the board at Aussie cafés, actually mean. Any time a word on our pages links here, this is where it lands.

At the counter

Flat white: Espresso (usually a double) with silky, finely textured milk and a thin layer of microfoam, in a small cup. The drink this whole site is built around. Full explainer.
Long black: Two shots of espresso poured over hot water. The Aussie take on an Americano.
Ristretto: A "restricted" shot: same coffee, less water, so it's shorter and punchier. Heaps of Aussie cafés use a double ristretto in a flat white.
Piccolo: A full shot of espresso with much less milk, sometimes called a ¾ latte. Small, strong, gone in a few sips. How to order one.
Magic: Melbourne's off-menu order: a double ristretto topped up as a three-quarter flat white. Ask nicely. More on the Magic.
Microfoam: Milk steamed so the bubbles are tiny and it goes smooth and glossy, like wet paint. No big bubbles, no stiff foam.

Brekkie: Breakfast. Aussie cafés take it seriously.
Smashed avo: Avocado on toast, often dressed up with feta or a poached egg. Also called "avo smash".
Lamington: A classic Australian cake: a square of sponge iced all over with a thin layer of chocolate, then coated in coconut.
Pav (pavlova): A meringue dessert topped with fruit. Don't mention New Zealand.
Parmy (or parma): Chicken parmigiana: crumbed chicken topped with tomato sauce and melted cheese, usually with chips and salad. A pub staple right across Australia. Whether it's "parmy" or "parma" depends on where you grew up, and people will argue about it.

Arvo: Afternoon. "See you Saturday arvo." On the books since the 1920s and still going strong.
Heaps: A lot. "Heaps better than the last place."
Reckon: To think or believe. "I reckon you'll like it."
No worries: No problem, all good. Also what you say when someone thanks you.
Mate: A friend, or just a friendly way to address anyone.
Servo: A service station (a gas station). We'll find you a better coffee than the servo.
Flat chat: Flat out: going as fast as possible, or as busy as you can be. "The café was flat chat all morning."
Give it a crack: Give it a go, have a try. Its older cousin is "give it a burl".

Spotted a word we’ve missed? Tell us.