Coffee is an integral part of cultures around the world, and it is something especially appreciated in Europe. But when you go to a coffee shop, what do you order? You kind of know what a latte is, maybe what a cappuccino is, but shouldn’t you try something new? Where do you start??? Good thing I love coffee and am willing to dedicate an entire blog post to it. Next time you’re in Europe and not sure what to order, read this post and hopefully I can help you find your new favorite drink!

Major differences:

• Like cold coffee drinks? Good luck. 99% of options at coffee shops that I have been to in Europe are hot coffee. Iced coffee, iced lattes, etc. are something seen only in tourist areas. In Vienna, the only iced coffee drink I really saw was called “Wiener Eis-Kaffee” which is espresso with a scoop of vanilla ice cream in a glass. You’ll have to learn to appreciate hot espresso and steamed milk while abroad.
• There is almost always an option to a add a shot of rum or other coffee-compatible alcohols to your beverage. This goes for both tea and coffee and is normally 60 cents to a Euro extra charge.
• Coffee drinks are often served with a little cookie or biscuit on the side!
• The type of drink you order determines the kind of glass it will be served in. They do the same thing with different types of alcohols.
• Coffee isn’t something you order a lot of. If you order a cappuccino, it is the norm to drink that cappuccino leisurely, probably accompanied by a pastry. Locals can sit in a cafe for 3 hours, but they will only order one cup of coffee. It is something that is savored and appreciated rather than sucked down through a straw. (Don’t get me wrong, I definitely miss making my daily iced caramel macchiato during my shifts at Scholarly Grounds.)

What to order: A Quick Guide

• For the super tough people who laugh in the face of fear: straight espresso. While I do love the tiny mugs espresso is served in, I am not cool enough yet to just drink espresso by itself.
• Americano- espresso w/ hot water
• Ristretto- made like espresso but with half the amount of water used when grinding the beans, it’s a little sweeter and stronger tasting than espresso
• Cappuccino- espresso w/ steamed milk and lots of foam! In Europe it is served with cocoa powder on top
• Latte- espresso w/ steamed milk and a little foam, milk is poured in on top of espresso (there is also something in German called a Milch Kaffee (milk coffee) that I think is the same as a latte, but sometimes they are both on the menu so I’m not sure. Milch Kaffee is just espresso and steamed milk)
• Chok Mokk/Choc Moc- like a mocha, but instead of a latte with chocolate it is often half a latte and half hot chocolate, so it has more milk than an American Mocha
• Latte Macchiato- same as a latte except the milk is poured in the cup before the espresso
• Cafe Crema- served like a large cup of coffee but is made using the same method and machine used to make espresso; basically espresso but a little weaker, sometimes mixed with liquid cream
• Filter Kaffee- regular filter/drip coffee that you sweeten yourself
• Cafe au Lait- steamed milk on top of filter coffee instead of espresso

This is not even close to the amount of coffee options out there in the world, but they are the staples on pretty much every European menu. Below are just a few of the many coffees I have had during my stay in Europe, including the time I tried to brave an espresso shot and failed miserably. I hope you liked this post and learned a little bit about coffee! Until next week!

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

•