Cuban Coffee

Cuban coffee is not a single drink. It is a family of four small, sweet, espumita-topped espresso drinks built on the same sugar-whipped technique: the cafecito (the 1.5 oz pure shot), the colada (the 3-4 oz shareable version), the cortadito (the milk-cut version), and Cuban café con leche (the breakfast milk version). All four are everyday drinks in Cuba, Miami, Tampa, Ybor City, and Cuban-American communities across the United States and Latin America. All four share the same Spanish-American medium-dark espresso roast, the same sugar-and-coffee espumita foam, and the same 60-to-90-second preparation rhythm. ...

Cafecito — also called café cubano or simply Cuban coffee — is one of the most beloved espresso drinks in the Caribbean and Latin diaspora. It is a small, sweet shot of strong espresso topped with a glossy tan foam called espumita, made by whipping the first drops of brew with sugar. One sip and you understand why it powers Miami mornings, family dinners, and entire neighborhoods. This guide covers the authentic moka pot method (how it is actually made in Cuban kitchens), the espresso machine method, the espumita technique step by step, and every variation you will see on a Cuban coffee menu — colada, cortadito, café con leche cubano, and more. ...