A cappuccino is an espresso-based drink made with equal parts espresso, steamed milk, and milk foam. It’s usually served in a small cup of around 150 to 180 ml, which keeps the coffee flavor strong and the drink balanced. The foam on top gives it a light, velvety texture.
The name comes from the Capuchin friars, a Catholic religious order known for their brown hooded robes. The Italian word cappuccio means “hood,” and the drink’s color, a rich coffee brown topped with pale foam, was said to resemble the friars’ habits.
Coffee with milk or cream was already popular in Vienna in the 1700s, in a drink called the kapuziner. The modern cappuccino took shape in Italy in the early 1900s, once espresso machines with steam wands made it possible to heat and froth milk properly. It spread widely after World War II and became a staple of cafés around the world.