In 1947 two Italian brothers Orazio and Carmelo first spotted an opportunity to introduce a taste of their Italian heritage to Australia after migrating from Sicily. Beginning as a small family business importing products including mineral water, parmesan cheese and pasta to their adoptive country, they were longing for the much-loved Italian ritual of a daily espresso.
This yearning drove them to develop their own piece of Italy right here in Australia because they knew that coffee is at its best when it’s fresh. In 1958, the brothers began locally roasting their own premium 100% Arabica coffee beans right here in Australia long before the market understood this measure of quality. Named after their first roaster, the Vittoria Coffee brand was born.
While growing the brand over the following decades, CEO Les Schirato AM had the ambition to “make Italian-style coffee famous” in Australia. Through a dedicated and persistent approach to educating the market about espresso, Italian-style coffee became famous in Australia and Vittoria Coffee is now a household name.
Australian Coffee Drinks
Everyone has an idea of how they like their perfect coffee. Coffee is serious business, and there are many different sizes and styles to choose from before you even get to the nuances of different bean origins, roasts and blends.
We have assembled a comprehensive guide to the types of coffee in Australia, so you can get exactly what you want next time you head to your local café.
Milk Coffee
Milk-based coffee drinks are an easy place to start if you want to drink coffee but are not a fan of the bolder taste of espresso alone. They are also great as a morning coffee.
Think latté, flat white, cappuccino, macchiato and everything in between. These coffees are typically enjoyed by those who like the more mellow flavour that adding textured or steamed milk provides.
Flat White
In Australia, flat whites are a single pull (30ml) of espresso topped up with steamed milk and a small amount of milk foam. The ratio works out to ⅓ coffee and ⅔ milk. The steamed milk gives it a silky feel and a smooth taste. If served in-house at a café, you will typically receive your flat white in a single-dose cappuccino cup for about 170ml of coffee.
Cappuccino
While cappuccinos are often served with varying levels of foam depending on the café or barista’s preference, a true cappuccino is a single espresso shot served in a 170ml cappuccino cup. The remainder of the cup is filled with steamed milk and foam. The ratio for this coffee drink is usually ⅓ coffee, ⅓ milk and ⅓ foam - and here in Australia, a little sprinkle of chocolate on top to finish.
Caffé Latté
Also known as just “latté” and is another popular choice at any café. A caffé latté is traditionally served in a glass as a single shot of espresso, topped up with frothy steamed milk - usually resulting in about 1 cm of foamed milk on top to finish.
This is a taller drink with around 260ml in the cup. You may also see flavoured versions of these, which also have a shot of syrup (such as vanilla, or hazelnut). This is especially common with ‘Americanised’ cafés like Starbucks, where there is typically a wider range of flavour options.
Piccolo Latté
This one is a perfect pint-sized pick-me-up, served in a 4oz cup or glass. A single dose of espresso is topped with steamed milk - much like the caffé latté, but smaller with much less milk. The serving size for this is 70ml.
Mocha
The mocha starts with a single espresso shot and adds in drinking chocolate for a rich, velvety flavour before being topped up with steamed milk. Coffee and chocolate are classic flavours, so for those who enjoy a bit of something sweet with their caffeine kick - this is the one.
Affogato
Not technically a milk-based coffee, but it is a sweeter option and more akin to a dessert. The affogato is essentially one shot of espresso served with two scoops of ice cream. The presentation can differ from place to place, with some serving the components separately and some serving the finished affogato in a cappuccino. The rich bitterness of the coffee and the creaminess of the ice cream combine to make a much-loved treat for those with a sweet tooth.
Black Coffee
All coffee, and nothing but - or very little, as the case may be. These coffees are espresso-forward and full of bold, rich flavours. This is where you can really pick up on the nuanced aromas of particular blends, so check that your coffee shop is using quality coffee beans for the best experience.
In Italian tradition, people tend to drink less milky coffee as the day gets later. The day might start with a cappuccino, and end with espresso. In Australian coffee culture, we tend to drink our preferred coffee at any time of day. Here's your guide to black coffee:
Espresso (Short Black)
Known as the short black, this is exactly what it sounds like: A single 30ml shot of espresso coffee, with nothing added.
Long Black
The popular long black coffee is made by floating a double espresso over a ⅔ cup of hot water, which preserves the crema and allows the full aromatic taste experience in-cup.
Ristretto
In Italian, ‘ristretto’ means ‘restricted’. The difference with a ristretto lies in the extraction - it is a single dose of espresso but stopped partway to only extract 15mls rather than the full 30ml. The rest of the coffee cup is left empty. This makes for an intense shot of concentrated coffee that is full of body, very smooth, and usually less bitter than espresso.
Macchiato
This one is difficult to categorise as milky or black. Traditionally, a macchiato is a single dose of espresso 'stained' with a very small dash of textured milk, with the rest of the cup left empty. It’s not technically a black coffee - but only just, as the amount of milk should be just enough to stain the espresso and not any more.
However, solving the macchiato mystery can be confusing in modern Australian coffee culture: We now have long and short macchiatos commonly on the menu. The short macchiato is the traditional kind, with a single shot and a splash of milk. Unless you get it topped up, in which case the cup will be filled with textured milk instead of being partly empty.
The long macchiato has a few variations. This Australian-created beverage is defined as a double shot of espresso with a dash of textured milk. Unless you are in Perth, in which case the ‘long mac’ glass will be topped up to full with milk; or Melbourne, where you will likely get two shots, hot water and a dash of textured milk on top.
Honourable mentions: Other Café Favourites
Hot Chocolate
This is drinking chocolate mixed with foamed milk to make a paste, and then filled with steamed milk and finished with a sprinkle of chocolate powder. If you are making these at home, we recommend using a luxuriously smooth and high-quality Italian-style drinking chocolate - it’s worth the effort.
Iced Coffee
Most cafés will offer iced versions of popular drinks, though you will need to specify what you want - an ‘iced latté’ will usually get you a cold drink of espresso, milk and ice, while an ‘iced coffee’ has a scoop of ice cream added. Some places may also add syrups for different flavours.
Babychino
As the name suggests, this one is perfect for kids - it’s typically 30ml of steamed, foamy milk finished with a sprinkle of chocolate powder (and a marshmallow or two if the kids are lucky).
Getting your perfect cup of coffee
Now that you know the difference between the most popular coffee choices, all you need to do is work out your preference. Do you like the full body of espresso, or do you enjoy the velvety and less espresso-forward experience of something like a flat white?
If you are your own at-home barista, you might like to experiment with the coffee beans you are using as well. Different blends or single origins will have a different body and flavour profile. We recommend always using fresh coffee beans that are 100% arabica. When compared with Robusta beans, arabica beans have a sweeter, more rounded and nuanced flavour for creating that perfect brew.
Why not try one of our easily adapted coffee subscription options? All Vittoria coffee beans, ground coffee and capsules are 100% Arabica and available in a range of blends and types, to suit every flavour and brewing method preference.
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