The breve sits quietly on our menu at $6.00, one line below the latte, and it might be the most underrated drink we make. Here's what it is.
The Definition
A breve (pronounced BREH-vay, from the Italian for "short") is an espresso drink made with steamed half-and-half instead of regular milk. Same espresso shots as a latte, same steaming technique — but because half-and-half is part cream, the result is noticeably richer, with a dense, velvety foam.
Breve vs. Latte
A latte made with whole milk is smooth and mild. Swap in half-and-half and two things happen: the body gets heavier — closer to drinking a light dessert than a coffee — and it tastes sweeter without any added sugar, because the extra fat carries the milk's natural sweetness and rounds off the espresso's edge. If you usually add sugar to your latte, try a breve without it first.
When to Order One
A breve is the cold-morning drink, the treat-yourself drink, the "I'm skipping dessert but not really" drink. It pairs absurdly well with a sweet crepe — the richness stands up to Nutella better than a regular latte does. It's not the drink for a daily gallon habit, and that's fine. Neither is tiramisu.
Try One Properly Made
We pull ours on locally roasted Terrain Coffee Project espresso at Main St Cafe in Battle Ground — $6.00, and like every espresso drink here it comes with two free flavor syrups if you want them (though a breve needs nothing). Mon–Sat, 9 AM – 6 PM · Closed Sunday, in the cafe or through the drive-thru.
