Macchiato

The word "macchiato" means "stained" or "marked" in Italian — the drink was originally created so that Italian baristas could distinguish between espresso orders for those who wanted a small amount of milk. A single shot of espresso is "stained" with just a dollop of foamed or steamed milk, taking the edge off the bitterness without fundamentally changing the drink's character.

There are two main styles: the espresso macchiato (a shot with a spoonful of foam) and the latte macchiato (steamed milk "stained" by a shot of espresso poured through it). At Cappadocia, we serve the traditional espresso macchiato style — intense, concentrated, and just slightly softened by milk.

The macchiato is the choice of coffee purists who want something stronger than a latte but gentler than a straight espresso — a perfect middle ground that showcases the quality of the espresso itself.