Kiwi Coffee Culture

To say it upfront, they do damn good coffee everywhere here...

Over the last two decades coffee has become increasingly popular in New Zealand with cafés all over the country. Kiwi coffee connoisseurs are selective in their choice and go a long way to their favourite coffee place.

New Zealand is also renowned on the world's coffee scene for having pioneered the "flat white" (some debate here). A true (Kiwi) flat white has to have the same quantity of coffee as other beverages on the coffee menu (generally 30ml) but is less milky because it is served in a smaller cup (175ml). The consistency of the milk compared to a latte is another point of difference – flat white has textured rather than frothy milk.

Further, Wellington's coffee and café culture is today part of its identity as a city. This culture began in the 1930s with the arrival of the milk bar, followed closely by coffee houses in the 1950s. After a period of decline in the 1960s and 70s, the city's coffee culture has grown immensely in the last 20 years. More about Wellington’s coffee culture history here.

Appendix - New Zealand coffee terms:

1. Espresso / short black - basis for all coffee styles, espresso is full-flavoured, fragrant, with a velvety body and lingering after-taste; single serving in a demi-tasse (small cup)
2. Macchiato - a single or double espresso shot, just stained with frothed milk
3. Long black - single serving of espresso, with the same amount of hot water added; served in large cup filled to just under the top, or sometimes with the water provided separately
4. Flat white - one third espresso, two thirds steamed milk with a touch of swirled froth
5. Cappuccino - regular espresso with equal parts steamed milk and foam, sprinkled with chocolate or cinnamon
6. Caffe latte - regular espresso, topped with hot milk and little or no froth
7. Mochaccino - one third each of espresso, steamed milk, cocoa
8. Ristretto - (‘restricted’) is 15-20ml of espresso, the essence of coffee
9. Piccolo latte - miniature latte made with ristretto and 70ml of steamed milk; delicate flavoursome drink
10. Affogato - espresso served over ice-cream
11. Espresso Romano - espresso served with a twist of lemon
12. Latte macchiato - steamed milk with espresso on the side
13. Espresso con panna - espresso topped with a dash of whipped cream
14. Cortado - Spanish version of the piccolo served in a 60ml demitasse cup
15. Fluffy - for kids, a demi-tasse filled with foamed milk, sprinkled with chocolate and served with marshmallow on the side and a small chocolate fish.

Add to this the selection of vessel - cup, mug, bowl, glass; type of milk - full cream, regular, semi-skimmed, skimmed or skinny, soy; and number of shots, and you start to build a picture of the menu board in most New Zealand cafés. 
(Source: newzealand.com)