A latte is espresso with steamed milk and a thin layer of foam, while an Americano is espresso diluted with hot water. That single difference in the added liquid changes everything about how each drink tastes and feels.
The National Coffee Association defines both as espresso beverages, but the two diverge the moment you add the second ingredient: milk for one, water for the other. An Americano lands somewhere between straight espresso and drip coffee, while a latte becomes a creamy, milk-forward drink.
What Goes Into Each Drink
A latte consists of one or two espresso shots, a generous pour of steamed milk, and a small cap of microfoam on top. According to the National Coffee Association’s Coffee 101 guide, the milk is what defines the drink, not the espresso dose itself.
An Americano consists of the same espresso base plus hot water, with no milk by default. Starbucks lists its Caffè Americano as espresso shots combined with hot water, served either iced or hot.
That foam layer matters more than most people give it credit for. Properly steamed milk creates fine bubbles that sit on top of a latte, giving it a velvety texture distinct from the flat surface of an Americano.
Side-by-Side Comparison
Use the table below to choose between the two drinks based on composition, texture, and size rather than guessing from the menu board.
| Feature | Latte | Americano |
|---|---|---|
| Base | Espresso | Espresso |
| Added liquid | Steamed milk | Hot water |
| Milk content | High, milk-based | None by default |
| Foam layer | Thin microfoam cap | No foam, partial crema |
| Taste | Creamy and mild | Coffee-forward, like black coffee |
| Texture | Rich and smooth | Light body, tea-like |
| Typical cup | Larger serving | Medium to large, varies |
All three sources behind this comparison agree on the core split: milk-based versus water-diluted. Recipes still vary from café to café, so exact proportions change from shop to shop.
Why They Taste So Different
Milk changes espresso chemically in ways water cannot. Milk contains lactose, fats, and proteins, and the proteins stabilize the foam while the fats coat your palate, softening the espresso’s bitterness and sharp acidity.
Steaming also makes milk taste sweeter as heat brings out its natural sugars. This is why a latte reads as sweet and gentle even when it uses the same shots as an Americano made beside it.
Water adds no flavor of its own. Barista Hustle notes that adding hot water lowers the total dissolved solids (TDS) of the espresso, typically 8-12%, down to roughly 1.2-1.8%, which is similar in strength to a cup of filter coffee.
TDS is simply a measure of how much coffee material is dissolved in the liquid. More dilution means a lighter body and a cleaner, more direct look at the bean’s origin character.
Caffeine, Calories, and Strength
Neither drink wins on caffeine by default, because both depend entirely on the espresso base, which typically lands around 60-130 mg per serving depending on shot count.
Diluting espresso with water does not remove caffeine, so an Americano keeps the full kick of its shots. Our breakdown of caffeine levels in lattes versus Americanos covers the details.
Calories are where the drinks split hard. An unsweetened Americano runs close to plain black coffee territory, while a latte carries the calories of its whole milk, often north of 100 per 8 oz serving.
If you are watching intake, our guide on which drink is lower in calories spells out the numbers. For perceived strength, see which one actually tastes stronger.
Making Them at Home
You do not need a dual-boiler machine to pull either drink off. A compact espresso setup like the De’Longhi Stilosa manual espresso machine can produce the shots, and its steam wand handles latte milk too.
- Pump pressure: 15 bar
- Steam wand: manual, for milk texturing
Fresh beans matter more than fancy equipment. A bag like Lavazza Super Crema whole bean coffee gives you a balanced, approachable shot for either drink.
- Roast: medium espresso roast
Keep your espresso prep consistent with a scale such as the ACG digital coffee scale with timer. Consistent dosing is the fastest way to make both drinks taste the same from day to day.
A Few Order and Brewing Tips
Serve temperature differs between the drinks too. Barista Hustle advises against heating milk much beyond about 65°C (149°F), because proteins begin to denature and the taste suffers, while an Americano can be served notably hotter since it uses only water.
Order an Americano when you want the coffee itself front and center with a light body. Order a latte when you want something creamy, milder, and easy to sip slowly.
You can adjust either drink without changing its identity. A shorter Americano uses less water for a more concentrated cup, and an extra shot in a latte cuts the milk-to-coffee ratio so light roasts still come through.
In Australia and New Zealand, pouring espresso over the water instead of the reverse preserves the crema intact, and that variant is called a Long Black. Same ingredients, slightly different pour order, noticeably different top layer.
Cafés may vary these recipes slightly, so definitions hold as general standards rather than fixed formulas. If ordering guidance helps, comparing a hot latte against an iced latte is worth a quick look before your next order.
The Bottom Line
The difference between a latte and an Americano comes down to one decision: milk or water. The latte is espresso plus steamed milk and foam, delivering something creamy and mild, while the Americano is espresso plus hot water at roughly 1.2-1.8% TDS, delivering something close to a clean black coffee.
Next time you order, pick based on texture: reach for the Americano for pure coffee flavor, or the latte when you want that steamed-milk sweetness in the cup.