Latte: Milk before or after coffee? When making a latte, I've seen baristas make it:


With espresso shot first and then milk and art on top (served in a normal cup)
Milk first and espresso shot poured on top (served in a long glass with a handle)


Are both of these technically lattes or is the second way something different entirely?
Oh, the famous latte!

Apparently hardly anyone knows that it simply means "milk" in Italian, so technically calling a coffee drink "latte" is pure nonsense.  

So where does the coffee shop staple get his name from?

In Italy, a latte macchiato ("stained milk") is basically an espresso in a glass of hot (steamed) milk, pouring the espresso last leads to the distinct layers.

A caffellatte ("coffee with milk") is an espresso or coffee from a moka, topped with a generous dose of hot milk. No layers in this cup or glass.

So depending on whether your coffee shop makes caffellatte or latte macchiato, you get milk first or coffee first, layers or none.