Flat white
- Date
- c. 1985 (disputado) · confidence low
- Place
- Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Credited to
- Baristas of Australia and New Zealand (disputed)
- Field
- Life & health
⚠️ Disputed: the sources disagree.
What it is
A coffee of espresso and silky steamed milk with a fine microfoam and little froth on top, distinguished from the cappuccino by its smooth body. It was created in the Australasian coffee scene of the 1980s and spread to London, New York and the rest of the world.
It is disputed between Sydney (Alan Preston, Moors Espresso Bar, 1985) and Wellington (Fraser McInnes, Café Bibo, 1989); there is no conclusive documentary proof. The place is that of the Australian claim.
What it led to
- a standard espresso drink in anglophone cafés
- spread of Australasian specialty coffee culture
- variants such as the 'piccolo' and flat white in major chains