Starbucks Adds “Latte Macchiato” to Menu

Regular Starbucks visitors will see a new item on the permanent menu at their favorite store this week: the Latte Macchiato. Like a latte, the drink is made with just espresso and milk, though there are a few differences between them. The latte macchiato starts with steamed whole milk and espresso is poured through the top of the foam (leaving a dot that “marks” that foam), while the latte starts with the espresso in the bottom of the cup. Judging from the illustrations of the ratios of coffee to milk (pictured above), it appears that the latte macchiato has a higher espresso-to-milk ratio than a regular latte. It also appears to be darker in color, suggesting a more intense coffee flavor than you’ll find in a very milky latte. While some coffee traditionalists might find the name of this new drink to be a bit strange, it’s clear that the coffee drink creators were trying to make sure the name conveyed how the drink is different from a regular latte to drinkers who aren’t as well-versed in coffee language. For me, I think this will be a solid option when I’m looking for a creamy drink and don’t want to go with a traditional latte (which is not usually my favorite option at Starbucks unless I’m adding shots to bump up the coffee flavor in the first place).