Izpressos | Global Latte Rankings

Thicc

Glossy

Microfoamy

Unctuous

Mouthfeel

Correlation Coefficient

Global Latte Rankings

A good latte can quietly upgrade your day. Izpressos applies needless technical rigor to help you find a good cup.

Explore the methodology

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An Accidental Ode to Texture

I started taking photos of latte cups in 2023 as a way to manage stress; something simple and mindless I could focus on for a few minutes. I was mostly interested in cup branding and logos. It wasn't meant to be shared. Over time, the gallery grew, as did my interest in trying out cafes, as far as Kimball, Nebraska, and collecting pertinent data.

Lattes deserve to be appreciated, like whisky I reckon. I don't focus on bean pedigree, or tasting notes; the promised hints of mulberry, stewed pear, honeysuckle, or whatever else the copywriters want you to 'discover' after reading the label first. To me, coffee tastes like coffee, which is why I drink it. If I wanted to taste stewed pear, I'd stew a pear.

My principal interest is latte composition: how well the espresso and dairy integrate and whether they come together as a single, cohesive drink. It is likely that the quality of this fusion is predicated partly on the bean.

I have learnt much through this endeavour. Mostly that I like lattes, and that they are expensive.

Cafe target list

Cafes

Average score out of 10

Cafes With a Raw Score of 9.0+

Latte Outlays Since August 2023

Average Price

Most Expensive Latte City

Latte Composition

There are four components that make up a latte: Foam Texture, Milk Texture, Taste, and Temperature. Each component is assigned a weight on a scale of 0-100% to express its relative importance. Higher weights indicate greater influence on the final result. The espresso itself is not scored separately because it's not experienced in isolation. Its quality is reflected through taste and in how well it integrates with the milk and foam to form a cohesive drink. The espresso functions as the structural core of the latte, even without a standalone score.

Foam Texture

hive

35%

Foam texture is determined by bubble size and surface character. Its appearance ranges from glossy and uniform, to visibly aerated and frothy.

Milk Texture

heat

25%

This is about the body and density of the milk, and how well it bonds with the espresso and foam. Milk texture can range from watery and thin, to dense and velvety.

Taste

lips

25%

This is where the espresso shot is allowed to speak for itself. I'm not auditing tasting notes but balance and flavor. Some espresso shots are bitter and domineering; others get bullied by the milk and retreate cowardly behind its sweetness. Taste also cannot be fully separated from foam texture, milk texture, and temperature, all of which impact flavor.

Temperature

device_thermostat

15%

Instead of celsius or fahrenheit, temperature is measured in time. Optimal temperature is achieved when two conditions are met: the latte should be drinkable immediately at the time of service, and a 10oz cup should take about 5-7 minutes to consume. The score reflects how much the drink deviates from these two conditions.

Rating Scale

The latte is evaluated across each factor using a 0-10 scale. The score bands below describe what performance looks like at different levels. Higher scores indicate stronger quality, balance, and execution. Since Temperature is measured in time, I use two practical indicators. Time to First Sip (TFS) is simply how long I have to wait before taking a first sip. Drinking Window (DW) indicates how long the latte remains in its ideal temperature range. Similarly, for Raw Score, I also estimate how far I am willing to travel to get the latte (Max Travel Radius, or MTR).

Foam Texture hive

0< Score ≤5

Frothy not glossy
Audible foam collapse

5< Score ≤7

Microfoamy
Minimal gloss

7< Score ≤9

Mostly smooth microfoam
High gloss

9< Score <10

Ultra fine microfoam
Superior gloss

Score = 10

Unimprovable bubble engineering

Milk Texture heat

0< Score ≤5

Thin and watery mouthfeel
No espresso-foam integration

5< Score ≤7

Denser mouthfeel
Partial espresso-foam integration

7< Score ≤9

Rich mouthfeel
High espresso-foam integration

9< Score <10

Luxurious mouthfeel
Full espresso-foam integration

Score = 10

Like drinking espresso-flavoured silk

Taste lips

0< Score ≤5

Absent

5< Score ≤7

Present
Limited depth

7< Score ≤9

Distinct
Multidimensional

9< Score <10

Expressive
Refined and Complex

Score = 10

Assertive

Temperature device_thermostat

0< Score ≤5

TFS 5min+

DW 2-12min

5< Score ≤7

TFS 1-5min

DW 4-9min

7< Score ≤9

TFS 1min

DW 5-8min

9< Score <10

TFS 0min

DW 5-7min

Score = 10

TFS 0min

DW 6min

Raw Score functions

0< Score ≤5

Mediocre

MTR 500m

5< Score ≤7

Functional

MTR 1km

7< Score ≤9

Gratifying

MTR 2km

9< Score <10

Restorative

MTR 2km

Score = 10

Transcendent

MTR 5km

Formula

The framework below explains how the scores for the individual components are combined, how expectations are incorporated, and how the raw score for each latte is determined.

Raw Score

The Raw Score is calculated as the weighted sum of the four components. The result is a single composite score out of 10 that reflects overall technical performance.

Raw Score = \sum_{i = 1}^{4} w_{i} x_{i}

Expected Score

Certain attributes, such as interior design, branding, and overall aesthetic, shape expectations. A café that signals care and precision may imply a high expected score, while a more utilitarian setting may temper my expectations.

Penalty

The Penalty is the difference between Expected Score and Raw Score. Sometimes, the Penalty is a negative number, the result of a latte exceeding my expectations.

Adjusted Score

The Adjusted Score equals the Raw Score minus the Penalty. A negative Penalty increases the Raw Score, producing a higher Adjusted Score (maximum 10), signalling a café that outperformed expectations. More commonly, the adjustment lowers the result, exposing and penalizing places that rely on aesthetics or branding without delivering equivalent quality. Rankings are based on Raw Scores alone.

Process

I drink my latte without a lid. You should, too. I do not score any component until I have finished the drink. A latte evolves as it is consumed, particularly as the temperature shifts. Early impressions are incomplete and sometimes misleading. At first, I don't stir. The opening sips are about assessing the latte as it was served. I also do not slurp because I'm not a mouth-breathing philistine. About an inch into the cup, I begin stirring to keep the foam integrated with the milk and to pull back what has started to cling to the sides. By the end, there should be no foam left behind.

Limitations

The methodology has clear flaws and limitations, as outlined below.

Single Visits

looks_one

I have visited most cafés only once. The score reflects a single execution, not a long-run average. A different day, a different barista, or minor changes in workflow may have produced a different result. But I don't see a big issue with this.

Palate Conditions

dine_in

Whether I've eaten before a latte can influence taste perception. Residual flavours, sugar, acidity, or even hydration levels may affect how sweetness, bitterness, and texture are experienced. I do not standardize pre-tasting conditions.

Timing

nest_clock_farsight_analog

I aim to consume each latte as soon as possible, but the delay between preparation and first sip can vary. Even short timing differences can affect texture, integration, and overall balance.

Framework Design

function

This scoring framework is mine. It reflects what I value most in a latte and how I believe the core components should be prioritized. Adding or removing variables, or adjusting their relative weights, would produce different overall results. The rankings are consistent within this framework, but not unimpeachable. Almost every café listed is worth visiting.

Hipsters Make Better Lattes

child_hat

The best lattes are found in hipster cafes, mostly in larger towns and cities (population 30,000+), with occasional small-town outliers. The pattern is consistent.

Ethnic Patterns Are Hard to Ignore

group

I can predict the quality of a latte, with a high degree of certainty, based on the age, personality, attire, tattoo quantity, and ethnic background of the barista. This uncomfortable reality has held true across cities, countries, and continents. But it would be gauche to describe.

Mom-and-Pop Cafés Lag Behind

elderly

The quaint, cash-only 'mom and pop' café with rickety chairs, on Main Street in the always 'historic downtown' that's been there for 20 years, will produce a mediocre latte. Go there for lunch, not a latte.

Hot Food, Weak Lattes

lunch_dining

Once the menu expands beyond coffee and baked goods, latte standards contract. It's rare for cafes that sell hot foods, like soup and sandwiches, to deliver a high quality latte.

Price

Lattes are expensive; most hover around $6-7. Beyond about $6, there is not much improvement in the raw score.

Texture Decides

This plot is pretty obvious. Since foam texture is the most important factor in calculating the raw score, the relationship between the two is axiomatic. It is impossible to overcome bad foam.

Still Worth Drinking

This chart looks similar to the last, but unlike Raw Score vs. Foam Texture, the connection between foam texture and taste is a bit looser. A latte can fall short on structure but still taste enjoyable.

Overrated, Under-extracted

I don't choose cafés at random. There is selection bias built into this project. I am drawn to places with a certain aesthetic, branding, even typography. These elements influence my expectations. If it looks slightly pretentious and minimalist, I'm probably walking in. But I think it's reasonable to assume that cafés investing heavily in compelling design, branding, and atmosphere may also have the capital to invest in training and equipment. And the data does show a moderate but meaningful connection between hype and results. But the relationship is weaker than I would have expected. 'Third wave' coffee has produced an epidemic of aesthetic obsessed cafes: minimalist interiors, tiny, sans serif typography, muted palettes, clean branding. Branded tote bags. And while these aesthetic cues initially project high competence and precision, often enough, this impression doesn't survive the first sip.