Can You Order A Starbucks-Style Flat White At Other Coffee Shops?

Starbucks provides an easy caffeine fix. But for true coffee aficionados, the popular chain's take on plenty of its drinks is enough for some baristas in other coffee shops to secretly dread your coffee orders. When it comes to flat whites, though, it's a little hard to gauge where everyone stands. It's a drink that can be interpreted in many different ways depending on the cafe, so you can still find Starbucks-style flat whites in other coffee shops. The cafe giant uses ristretto shots, whereas other coffee shops sometimes utilize espresso shots (this is the more classic format of the drink). Ultimately, it depends on the cafe and what it thinks is best. Based on the notes from the beans, baristas might even choose one over the other. When in doubt, you can always ask the barista how they whip up a basic flat white. 

Alternatively, if you want to ask for a typical Starbucks-style flat white in other coffee shops, you might be able to ask for one by knowing what to order. For instance, a short, eight-milliliter cup from Starbucks comes with two ristretto shots, ensuring a full-bodied sip. Steamed whole milk is added for a smooth, creamy finish, which is why flat whites are also known for their thin microfoam on top. The perfect milk foam is important for flawless latte art, making flat white the perfect base for a little magic in a cup. But what is ristretto, really? Aside from being a type of espresso, ristretto stands out in its own sweet way. 

Ristretto is another form of espresso. But due to its concentrated pull, the flavors are more robust, resulting in a bolder flat white. It's basically achieved by utilizing the same amount of coffee grounds as the typical espresso, but with half the water content. Compared to standard espresso, ristretto typically contains 15 milliliters and is usually drunk on its own, but some add it to lattes, cappuccinos, and of course, flat whites. In places that use an espresso shot for flat whites, a double shot of 60 milliliters is usually poured into the cup.

Surprisingly, ristretto is also sweeter because of the shorter time it takes to pull, which results in a thicker finish and a sweeter note. As such, it's also commonly used in sweet treats like tiramisu. When it comes to Starbucks drinks, it's the go-to for cortados and flat whites, but you can easily ask for a ristretto swap every time you order. 

Ristretto and steamed whole milk combined, which boosts the drink's sweetness, create a more velvety flat white. The coffee and milk combination of flat whites sounds reminiscent of lattes, but flat whites and lattes have a stark difference. In flat whites, the deep taste of espresso wins — especially when ristretto, a bolder counterpart, is used — while the opposite is the case for lattes, which are on the milkier side.