Walk into any Australian cafe and the menu reads like a secret code. Flat white, magic, piccolo, long black. Half of it was invented here, the rest was renamed here, and none of it is explained on the board. This is the guide we wish someone had handed us.

Flat white

Australia's gift to the world. A double shot of espresso topped with velvety, thinly stretched milk, served in a ceramic cup. The difference from a latte is the milk: less air, so the texture is silky rather than foamy, and the coffee comes through stronger. If you like your coffee to taste like coffee but still want milk, this is the one.

Latte

Same shot, more milk, more foam, usually in a glass. Softer and rounder than a flat white. Good for a slower morning.

Cappuccino

Espresso, milk and a thick cap of foam, finished with chocolate on top in most Australian cafes. The foam holds the heat so it stays warm longer. Traditionalists argue about the chocolate. We don't.

Magic

Melbourne's worst-kept secret, now everywhere. A double ristretto (short, sweet shots) with flat-white milk in a smaller cup, usually around 160ml. The ratio of coffee to milk is higher, so it's stronger and sweeter than a flat white without being harsh. If you've been ordering a "strong flat white", try a magic instead.

Piccolo

A single ristretto shot with a little steamed milk in a small glass, about 90ml. Think of it as a latte that's had a haircut. Big flavour, small commitment, and the right call when you want a second coffee without a second lunch.

Long black

Hot water first, then a double shot poured over the top. Doing it in that order keeps the crema intact. It's how Australians drink black coffee, and it's a much better showcase of a single origin than a milk drink.

Short black, ristretto, long macchiato

A short black is simply an espresso. A ristretto is the same dose of coffee with less water pushed through, so it's shorter, sweeter and more concentrated. A long macchiato is a double shot "stained" with a dollop of milk foam, served in a glass. Order a macchiato in Sydney and Perth and you may get two different drinks; that argument has been running since the nineties.

Batch brew

Filter coffee, brewed in a larger batch and held hot. Lighter body, cleaner flavour, no milk needed. It's the fastest-growing thing on Australian menus for a reason: it's easy to drink, easy to make at home and it shows off single origins better than anything.

So what should you order?

If you're new to specialty coffee, a flat white or a magic will tell you the most about a cafe's coffee. If you want to taste what's in the bag, a long black or batch brew. And if it's after 3pm, a piccolo.

Our Balaka Blend was built for milk drinks; the single origins are the ones to try black.