How to order coffee like an Aussie in the US

Walked into an Aussie café and the board’s speaking another language? Relax. Say “regular flat white, please”, tell them if you’re having it here or taking it away, and you’re sorted. That’s most mornings covered.

The rest is your cheat sheet for everything else up there.

The 30-second version

• Want to actually taste the coffee? Flat white.
• No milk? Long black.
• Small, strong, bit of milk? Piccolo.
• Feeling like a local? Ask for a Magic. Not everyone makes one.
• Skim milk? Say “skinny”.
• Paper cup? Say “take away”.

Here or take away?

First thing the barista wants to know. “Take away” gets you a paper cup. “Having it here” gets you a proper cup, and if you order a latte, it’ll often turn up in a glass. That’s normal. Nobody’s run out of mugs.

“To go” works fine in the States, too. Nobody’s going to make you say it in an accent.

Sizes: think small

Most Aussie cafés do two sizes: regular and large. That’s it. No Venti, no 20-ounce bucket.

A flat white is meant to be small, around 160 ml, or about 5.5 fl oz. Even a Starbucks Short is 8 oz. So if there’s a choice, go the smallest. At an Aussie-run café, “regular” is the right call nine times out of ten.

The flat white

The one to start with, and the drink we judge every café on. It’s espresso, usually a double these days, sometimes a single, with silky steamed milk and a thin, flat layer of foam. Less milk than a latte, so the coffee does the talking.

The full rundown is on What is a flat white?, and the side-by-side is on Flat white vs latte vs long black.

Long black, short black

A long black is two shots of espresso poured over hot water. It’s the Aussie take on an Americano. A short black is just a single espresso.

No long black on the board? Ask for an Americano with less water. Close enough.

The piccolo

The flat white’s little sibling. A piccolo is a full shot of espresso with much less milk, sometimes called a ¾ latte. It’s often served in a small glass: a few mouthfuls of strong, milky coffee. Perfect when you want the hit without the volume. Little Ripper in LA has one on the menu.

The Magic

Melbourne’s insider order. A double ristretto (a short, punchy shot) topped up with milk in a smaller cup, roughly a three-quarter flat white. Think of it as a punchier flat white.

It’s rarely on the menu, and nobody can agree on who invented it. In the US, Perch Coffee in Utah makes one. Anywhere else, ask nicely and be ready to explain. If they can’t do it, a flat white’s a fine consolation prize.

Milk: skinny, soy, oat

• Skinny means skim. A “skinny flat white” is a perfectly normal order.
• Soy, almond and oat are the usual swaps.
• Not too hot. Milk tastes sweetest around 60°C (140°F). Past about 70°C (158°F) it starts to scorch. If you like it hotter, say “extra hot”, but the good stuff lives a bit cooler.
• Cappuccino comes with a dusting of cocoa on top. Don’t send it back.

Aussie iced coffee: bring a spoon

Here’s where people get caught out. Order an iced latte and you get espresso, cold milk and ice. Order an iced coffee at an Aussie café and you might get a scoop of ice cream in it. It’s closer to dessert than a drink.

The Aussie Grind near Dallas does one with ice cream.

Your order, sorted

Say it with us: “Regular flat white, skinny, having it here, thanks.” No worries.

Still stuck on a word? The Aussie café glossary has everything from brekkie to smashed avo. Now find an Aussie café near you and give it a crack.