What is the difference between a Flat White and a Latte?

Read time: 2 minutes

Date published: 15 December 2022

Last updated: 22 August 2025

Flat White vs Latte

So here’s the situation - you step into a third wave speciality coffee shop; you’re not sure exactly why it’s the third wave and not entirely sure how you missed the first two waves, it’s like you’ve been thrown in with no prior knowledge straight into the Prisoner of Azkaban.

There’s trendy menus on the wall with things like where the coffee is from, how it was processed, even the altitude of where the coffee beans are grown & we get it, all you want is a good cup of coffee. So, we’ve broken down the two most popular milk based drinks below to help you out.

A flat white and a latte are two popular types of coffee drinks that are often confused with one another. While they seem rather similar, they have a few key differences that set them apart.

First, let's define what each drink is. A flat white is a type of coffee that originated in either Australia and New Zealand (the actual origin is up for debate and we're not up for stepping into an international conflict). It’s made with a double shot of espresso, steamed milk and topped with a thin layer of velvety micro-foam.

Perhaps the most well known coffee drink is the latte which originated in Italy. Again, it is made with a double shot of espresso and steamed milk, topped with a layer of foamed milk.

So what's the difference?

A Flat White typically has less milk than a latte, which gives it a stronger coffee flavour, the milk in a flat white is also steamed to a slightly lower temperature than a latte and it should be ready to drink immediately, making it a go-to for people wanting their coffee on the move.

A large flat white is definitely a thing in Australia (we've got our resident Aussie has