Flat white: what it is and how Australian cafes make it

A flat white is a coffee made from espresso, normally a double shot, and steamed milk that has been heated and stirred into a thin, glossy layer with very little foam. It is smaller, stronger and smoother than a latte. The flat white is one of the most ordered drinks in Australian cafes.

What is a flat white?

A flat white is an espresso-based milk coffee served in a small cup, with the milk textured so finely that the surface looks flat and shiny instead of foamy. The drink has a strong coffee flavour with a creamy body.

The pieces are simple: espresso, steamed milk and a thin finish of microfoam, which is milk with bubbles so small that they cannot be seen. A flat white usually carries latte art such as a leaf or a heart, drawn by pouring the milk through the surface of the crema.

Where does the flat white come from?

The flat white came out of Australian and New Zealand cafe culture in the 1980s, and both countries claim it. Stories point to Sydney in the mid 1980s and to Wellington at the end of that decade, and no single claim has been settled.

What is not in dispute is how the drink spread. Cafes in Melbourne, Sydney, Wellington and Auckland served it as an everyday order, and it later travelled to the United Kingdom, the United States and many other countries. Today it appears on menus around the world.

How is a flat white different from a latte or cappuccino?

A flat white has less milk and less foam than a latte, and its texture is smoother than a cappuccino. The three drinks use the same ingredients in different proportions.

Sizes vary from cafe to cafe, so treat the numbers as a guide rather than a standard. Ordering by name is the reliable way to get the style you want.

What does a flat white taste like?

A flat white tastes of espresso first, rounded by the sweetness of steamed milk. The coffee flavour comes through clearly because the milk does not dilute it as much as in a latte.

Milk heated to the right range tastes slightly sweet, and well-textured milk feels creamy on the tongue. If the milk is overheated it turns flat in taste and can smell burnt, which is why baristas watch the temperature. A flat white that is too hot, too bubbly or too watery is a sign that the milk was not steamed well.

How is a flat white made?

A flat white is made by pulling a double shot of espresso, steaming milk into microfoam and pouring the milk into the coffee so that it blends with the crema. The whole process takes only a couple of minutes on an espresso machine.

1. Grind fresh coffee and pull a double shot into a small, warm cup.
2. Pour cold milk into a jug, about one third full.
3. Steam the milk with the wand just under the surface for a few seconds to add air, then lower the jug to swirl the milk and heat it.
4. Stop when the jug feels hot to hold but not too hot to touch for a second. Many baristas aim for around 60 to 65 degrees Celsius.
5. Tap the jug on the bench and swirl it so the milk looks like wet paint.
6. Pour from a height at first, then bring the jug close to the cup to draw a pattern.

How do you make a flat white at home?

At home, a flat white can be made with strong coffee from a moka pot or AeroPress and milk whisked or frothed until smooth. An espresso machine gives the best result, but other tools get close.

• Moka pot: brew a small amount of strong coffee on the stovetop.
• AeroPress: press a concentrated shot with a short brew time.
• Milk: heat gently in a small pan to steaming but not boiling, then froth with a handheld whisk or frother until it is silky, not stiff.
• Pour: tap out any big bubbles, then pour the milk slowly into the coffee.

Using a small cup matters, because a flat white that is too big becomes a latte. Aim for roughly one part coffee to two to three parts milk by volume.

Which milks work in a flat white?

Full cream dairy milk steams into the glossiest microfoam, so it is the standard choice for a flat white. Many cafes also steam oat, soy, almond and coconut milk.

Barista versions of plant milks include added fats and stabilisers so they hold their texture when steamed, and the regular carton versions may split or stay thin. Different milks change the taste too, so a flat white with oat milk is a little sweeter and one with soy is a little nutty. If a cafe offers a choice, it is normally listed on the menu board or the counter.

What are common flat white mistakes?

The most common mistakes are too much foam, milk that is too hot and a cup that is too large. Each one pushes the drink away from the smooth, strong style that defines a flat white.

• Stiff foam: the milk was stretched too long, so the drink feels like a cappuccino.
• Burnt milk: heating past about 70 degrees Celsius changes the flavour.
• Weak coffee: a single shot or a large cup makes the drink taste thin.
• Pouring too fast: the milk sinks into the coffee, with no pattern on top.

Is a flat white on the Melo Cafe menu?

Yes, Flat White is listed in the hot drinks section of the menu recorded for Melo Cafe, an independent brunch cafe in Windsor Gardens, Adelaide. The menu listing used for this guide is unofficial and undated, so the drinks may have changed.

The same section lists a Latte, Cappuccino, Long Black, Macchiato and Piccolo, which makes it easy to compare the styles described above. The cafe was reported in 2020 to serve a Melbourne-roasted Valenciano blend. No prices are recorded, so check the cafe directly. This guide is independent and does not take orders. The full recorded menu is on the menu page and opening times are on the hours and location page.

Common questions

Before you go, check the Melo Cafe guide for the current hours and the menu.

This article is general information from an independent guide, not from Melo Cafe itself. For the store’s current details see hours and location.