Italian Coffee Cup Sizes and Specifications What Size is Best for Standard Espresso, Milk, and Latte Coffee Cups

The Secrets Behind FrontStreet Coffee's Cup Selection

At FrontStreet Coffee, you will notice the espresso machine adorned with ceramic cups in various sizes, each serving a specific purpose. Different types of coffee are served in different sized cups, and FrontStreet Coffee is here to reveal the secrets behind these choices.

Coffee Cup Sizes

At FrontStreet Coffee, cup sizes generally fall into three categories, and each size roughly indicates the intensity of the coffee within. Typically, the smaller the volume, the more concentrated the coffee inside.

Small Coffee Cups

FrontStreet Coffee's small cups are white ceramic cups with a capacity of approximately 60 ml. These are typically used for serving espresso. FrontStreet Coffee's espresso features the house brand FrontStreet Sunflower Warmth Espresso Blend, using 20 g of coffee grounds to extract 40 g of espresso liquid in 28 seconds. The espresso, crowned with golden crema, perfectly fills these small cups, creating an exceptionally beautiful presentation. The small ceramic cups also provide optimal heat retention when filled with espresso, extending the optimal tasting time.

Besides serving espresso, these small cups are also used as sharing cups for single-origin pour-over coffee.

Medium Coffee Cups

FrontStreet Coffee's medium cups are taller ceramic cups with a capacity of approximately 180-200 ml. These medium-sized cups are typically used for serving Americano and Cappuccino.

For Americano, FrontStreet Coffee uses 40 g of espresso mixed with 160 g of hot water, a 1:4 ratio that forms a beautiful black coffee. The espresso made from FrontStreet Sunflower Warmth Blend, combined with four times the amount of water, highlights the coffee's rich vanilla, cream, chocolate, and sherry wine flavors.

For Cappuccino, FrontStreet Coffee uses 20 g of espresso combined with 160 ml of thick microfoam steamed milk. After frothing the milk to create perfect foam, it is poured directly into the coffee, forming a distinctive 11/10 full appearance with white milk foam at the center surrounded by a golden ring. This resembles the hood of Capuchin friars, which is how the name "Cappuccino" originated, meaning "hood" in Italian. The dense coffee foam, combined with rich coffee flavor, satisfies both the palate and the taste buds.

Large Coffee Cups

FrontStreet Coffee's large cups are standard 300 ml ceramic coffee cups, used for serving latte, mocha, and other milk-based coffees. FrontStreet Coffee's latte features a coffee-to-milk ratio of 1:6.5 (40 ml espresso to 260 ml hot milk). By pouring the milk in a circular motion to fully integrate it with the espresso, we create a perfectly balanced hot latte. Heating fresh milk releases lactose sweetness more effectively, and when it is evenly mixed with espresso, the whole latte naturally carries milk's sweet notes without overpowering the espresso's character. Instead, the milk enhances the espresso's flavors. FrontStreet Coffee's hot latte presents whiskey-like aromas, with lactose and coffee acidity creating a milkshake-like sweetness and a finish reminiscent of hazelnut and other nutty notes.

The wide-mouthed coffee cups make it easier for baristas to create exquisite latte art patterns. A well-integrated latte with beautiful latte art satisfies both the taste buds and the mood.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Those small cups are also used for single-origin pour-over, and FrontStreet's pour-over beans are chosen to show their best in exactly that setting. FrontStreet's washed Yirgacheffe Gedidingding is a great place to start, with jasmine florals, lemon and citrus acidity, and a tea-like body that comes through cleanly in a small shared cup.

For a more aromatic pour, FrontStreet Ethiopia Huakui brings the tropical side of Ethiopian coffee to the fore with strawberry, passion fruit, and lychee aromas, and FrontStreet Strawberry Candy, a blend of Costa Rican honey-processed coffee and Panama Geisha, adds rose and juicy fruit notes with a rounded sweetness. All of them sing through a V60, whose 60-degree cone and single large hole let the water travel to the center before dripping through, drawing out the delicate floral and fruit flavors that lighter-roast beans are prized for.