Anyone who’s ever worked a café counter knows the orders that make you inwardly groan. For Katharina Brun, co‑founder of Gota Coffee in Vienna, it’s “coffee drowned in so many extras you can barely taste the bean.” No judgment here—tastes differ—but for her, coffee itself should always remain the star.
Alina Kirchner, national latte art champion and owner of Biest Coffee in Vorarlberg has a different pet peeve: the espresso macchiato. “It’s neither fish nor fowl—not a proper espresso, but not quite a cappuccino either,” she tells Falstaff. “The milk foam muddies the espresso’s pure flavor, leaving you with something stuck between two worlds.”
Cappuccino Extra Hot? Please Don’t
Even if you’re trying to avoid that silent eye roll, some orders are doomed to elicit one—especially extra hot cappuccino. It’s not the complexity; it’s the science. Heating milk above 65°C alters its protein structure, coarsens the foam, and dulls its natural sweetness, fundamentally changing the flavor profile.
But what orders do make baristas smile? Both agree: a perfectly pulled espresso, a well‑extracted filter coffee, or a distinctive specialty coffee. Beyond the drink itself, they cherish genuine conversation—and guests open to their expertise.
