Coffee map

Espresso

Ristretto

A shorter espresso: concentrated, syrupy and small.

Coffee inRistretto out

Where it came from

Italy

20th century

Ristretto means restricted. It is an Italian espresso variation, not a drink invented by one person: the same coffee dose is stopped early for a shorter, denser cup.

Make it at home

Starting recipe

You'll need

Coffee in
18 g
Ristretto out
20–27 g
  1. 01

    Dose

    Prepare 18 g in the basket as you would for espresso.

  2. 02

    Stop early

    End the extraction at roughly 20 to 27 g in the cup.

  3. 03

    Taste

    Use the taste, not only time, to decide whether to change the grind.

At a café

Ask for a ristretto if you enjoy short, intense shots; it can be too concentrated for some coffees.