Ristretto or espresso: the science behind a good cup of coffee

This change in approach makes an important difference to the taste profile of the drink. A ristretto, meaning restricted, has a sweeter, richer flavour. An espresso’s more bitter.

The ristretto maintains a sweeter taste thanks to a complex collection of over a thousand compounds that are responsible for the aroma of coffee. These compounds influences mouthfeel (bitterness, sweetness, sourness) which is perceived by the tongue.

The ristretto’s extracted with roughly half the amount of water, meaning the shots are more concentrated with fewer total extracts.

This gives a fuller shot with more body and fewer caffeine compounds, which typically account for the bitterness within an espresso.

Our Flat White’s made with a double ristretto – and you can ask to have any of our espresso-based drinks made with a single or double ristretto. Try it with a Cortado?