Six Ounces, Non-Negotiable

A cappuccino is a double espresso under steamed milk and a deep cap of microfoam, in a six-ounce cup. The proportions are the point: enough milk to soften the shot into something plush, enough foam that the first sip arrives through a cloud, and a total volume small enough that the espresso is still unmistakably in charge.

How we do it

We steam whole milk to a glossy, paint-like texture and pour it so the foam integrates with the crema rather than floating on top like a raft — the cap should be in the drink, not on it. Six-ounce ceramic cup, pre-warmed, dusted with nothing unless you ask. If you’d like cocoa on top we’ll grate real chocolate, because we have a mocha program and therefore real chocolate.

Why our way is best

The 12- and 16-ounce “cappuccinos” sold everywhere else are lattes wearing a costume — at that volume the espresso-to-milk ratio is mathematically a different drink. Holding the line at six ounces isn’t snobbery; it’s the only size where you get the cappuccino experience: intensity, sweetness, and that velvet landing, finished in eight warm sips. Some proportions were solved a century ago. We see no reason to unsolve them.