Latte Art – The delicate art of making a cup of coffee LOOK as good as it tastes!
Latte art is the creative final step in the creation of a barista prepared cup of coffee. Although I’ve always referred to it as Latte Art, it can quite often be found on other coffee-based beverages, such as your classic cappuccino.
It is created by carefully mixing foam with espresso and creating a pattern or design on the surface of the latte. Alternatively, it can be created by skillfully drawing a pattern on top of the coffee in pure foam.
The two most popular designs in the latte art world are The Rosetta (also referred to as The Fern), and The Heart. Many of these unique coffee creations build on those basic designs as their foundation.
At least as far as I understand.
I have never – in my entire life – tried to create latte art, and I will be very surprised if I ever tackle this particular skill. That is partly because I truly admire the skill and delicate hands that it takes to create some of these marvelous creations. And partly because I enjoy the mystery of how these magnificent coffee creations come to be.
Granted, it doesn’t take much to impress me, given that they are making art out of coffee and foam, but some of the patterns go well above and beyond the usual.
If you’re a coffee lover – like me – you will appreciate it when a cup of coffee looks as good as it tastes.
I have certainly not included EVERY fantastic latte art design ever created, that would take an entire blog all of it’s own. However, here are some of my favorite latte art creations, crafted by master baristas around the world.
Sharp contrast in the fern with some dusting on the side to frame it off.
Most likely a teddy bear paw, but still… super cute!
Monkey See. Monkey Drink. Monkey Gone.
Show your love for fine coffee with hearts. Lots and lots of hearts.
The elegance of the swan and the deliciousness of coffee combined in a single cup.
A simple but lovely design is all you need to make a latte feel really special.
If you love flying, then this is the latte for you! Best served at or near an airport.
That’s a BIG bowl of coffee with a large and beautiful flower on top.
Such a cute little kitten looking up at you from your coffee. I dare you to drink it. (Never mind, that’s an easy dare).
The classic fern design, but with a sharp contrast that makes it really stand out.
Best for use with Irish Coffee.
A delicate little flower on a sea of foam.
Get hopping with an extra shot of espresso!
The classic Banksy painting “Girl With Balloon” becomes a lovely piece of drinkable art.
Those are just a few of the fun examples that I loved. It is certainly not an all-encompassing list, but it should be enough to fuel your creativity and stir your desire for a beautiful cup of coffee.
Looking for More Extraordinary Latte Art?
There are hundred more examples to be found on Pinterest!
Think You Can Do Better?
If you’re an expert at the art of latte creation and have some beautiful designs that you think deserve a place in this hall of fame, contact us and let us know about your creation.
You might find yourself and your artistic latte creation featured in this gallery!