Last Updated on September 30, 2021 by John Moretti
The Caffé Latté is one of the most popular coffee drinks in the world. The Caffé Mocha is less popular but is very widely enjoyed by many coffee lovers, especially those with a sweet tooth. If you have encountered these drinks on a menu but have not known the difference, you’re in the right place!
The Mocha is very similar to the Latté. The only real difference is the addition of chocolate in the Mocha. Both drinks are prepared with a double shot of espresso and textured milk with very little foam in a large 10-12oz cup or glass. The Mocha is sometimes served with whipped cream.
Both of these drinks are iconic in their own way, and those who enjoy one are likely to enjoy the other. Let’s take the time to properly compare the Latté and the Mocha to better understand the two drinks and the differences between them.
The Caffé Latté
The Caffé Latté usually referred to as the Latté, is a widely popular espresso-based coffee drink. This drink has gained international popularity, but it was originally an Italian breakfast coffee drink designed to be an easy-drinking early morning coffee.
The Latté is prepared with two shots of espresso and very smooth and silky-textured milk. There is very little milk foam in a Latté, just enough to give the milk a little more texture and for the barista to create Latté art when pouring the milk.
This drink is typically quite large and is usually served in a total volume of around 10 – 12 ounces (295 – 355ml), but there are some variations that are served in sizes up to 16 ounces (473ml).
The Latté features more milk than most other espresso and milk coffee drinks.
The idea behind the Latté is a very smooth, long-lasting coffee drink that has a more mellow coffee flavor than other espresso-based drinks.
The Caffé Mocha
The Caffé Mocha is usually referred to simply as the Mocha.
This drink is unique due to the addition of chocolate into the drink. The Mocha is based on the Latté and is very similar in many ways.
The defining feature of the Mocha is a healthy amount of chocolate powder or chocolate syrup incorporated into the drink that gives the Mocha a very unique flavor and drinking experience.
The Mocha is also a relatively large drink that is served in a 10 – 12 ounce cup. Some coffee shops prefer to use a glass for serving a Mocha rather than a cup, but the size remains the same.
Two shots of strong espresso are used to prepare the Mocha, in addition to 8 – 10 ounces of very smooth textured milk.
The Mocha and the Latté are prepared in the same way except that a Mocha has chocolate syrup or cocoa powder added to the drinking vessel before pulling the espresso.
The addition of chocolate brings two incredible flavors together in one mug. The Mocha is a unique drink, and there is simply nothing else that will satisfy you if you are craving this drink.
How Do These Drinks Compare?
The Latté and the Mocha are very similar, but the extra ingredient in the Mocha creates a vast difference between these two drinks.
The best to directly compare the Mocha and the Latté is to compare the most important characteristics of any coffee drink: taste, intensity, and drinking experience.
Let’s directly compare these characteristics of the Latté and the Mocha.
Mocha Vs. Latté: Taste
The Latté is a strong coffee drink due to the double shot of espresso, but the taste o a Latté is more ilk than you may expect due to the large amount of milk. This is not a very coffee-forward tasting drink, but the strength of the coffee does shine through.
The textured milk offers a sweet flavor to balance the espresso and keep this drink light.
The Mocha tastes far sweeter than the Latté due to the addition of the chocolate. The chocolate flavors mingle well with the espresso and the milk in this drink and do not overpower the overall flavor.
The chocolate is more subtle in a Mocha than you may expect, but it is a prominent flavor that you cannot miss. The taste of a Mocha is highly unique but very satisfying if you enjoy both the flavors of coffee and chocolate.
Mocha Vs. Latté: Intensity
The coffee intensity of both the Latté and the Mocha are the same because they are made with the same double shot of espresso.
However, the Latté tastes more intense than the Mocha because there is no added chocolate to mask the intensity of the drink.
Regarding the strength of the drinks, they are equal, but the Latté tastes more like coffee than the Mocha does.
With that in mind, neither of these drinks are as intense as other double-shot drinks such as a Cappuccino or a Flat White due to the larger size of the Latté and the Mocha.
Mocha Vs. Latté: Drinking Experience
The drinking experience of both the Mocha and the Latté is very satisfying.
Both drinks are made with very smooth, silky, textured milk with very little milk foam.
This creates a very soft mouthfeel when drinking, and the large amount of milk makes the drinks very light and easy to drink.
The addition of the chocolate to the Mocha adds another layer of experience, as the chocolate, milk, and coffee flavors mingle and mix well together to complement one another.
The Final Word
The Mocha and the Latté are both fine espresso-based coffee drinks. These drinks are unique in their own way, but if you enjoy one, you are likely to enjoy the other as well.
The flavor of chocolate in the Mocha is not for everyone, but if you have a sweet tooth, it is the drink for you.
The Latté is an ideal everyday coffee drink, while the Mocha is great for a treat. Both drinks are strong due to the double espresso used to make them, but they are both light and easy to drink due to the high volume of milk in the drinks.
These drinks are very satisfying in the mouth while providing the strong kick of coffee that we all need to get through the day. Take your time to experiment with different recipes for both drinks to find the perfect combinations for your preferences.
