Ristretto shots and steamed whole milk
Starbucks Flat White: Calories, Price, and Caffeine
The Starbucks Flat White, explained with the sizes, prices and caffeine already on our menu, plus how it differs from a latte.
Quick answer. A Starbucks Flat White is ristretto espresso shots with steamed whole milk. The size Starbucks publishes caffeine for is the Tall: 170 calories, 130 mg of caffeine, about $6.87. A Grande hot Flat White is 220 calories and about $7.35. It is a smaller, stronger style of milk drink than a Grande latte, which is listed at 190 calories and 150 mg.
- Size in this answer: Grande
- Calories: 170
- Caffeine: 130 mg
- Average US price: $6.87
Checked October 2026. Prices are average US prices and vary by store.
What Is in a Flat White
The hot drinks menu puts the Flat White on the espresso spectrum, between the Cortado and the Cappuccino. The “what’s in it” line is short on purpose: ristretto shots plus steamed whole milk. Ristretto means the shot is cut short, so it is less bitter than a full-length shot. The menu does not say the drink is sweetened, and it does not publish a sugar number for the Flat White.
That is the useful distinction. A Caffè Latte is described as espresso plus a lot of steamed milk and a light foam cap. A Flat White uses ristretto shots and less foam. A Cortado is a Short drink with three Blonde ristretto shots and steamed whole milk, listed at 90 calories and 230 mg.
Price, Calories and Caffeine
Hot sizes use the 8, 12, 16 and 20 ounce cups. Iced sizes start at Tall and use the larger iced Venti (24 ounces). Only the Tall has a caffeine number on our pages, and that number is 130 mg for both the hot and the iced Tall.
| Drink | Size | Price | Calories | Caffeine |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flat White, hot | Short, 8 oz | $6.70 | 110 | — |
| Flat White, hot | Tall, 12 oz | $6.87 | 170 | 130 mg |
| Flat White, hot | Grande, 16 oz | $7.35 | 220 | — |
| Flat White, hot | Venti, 20 oz | $7.57 | 290 | — |
| Iced Flat White | Tall, 12 oz | $6.80 | 110 | 130 mg |
| Iced Flat White | Grande, 16 oz | $7.57 | 150 | — |
| Iced Flat White | Venti, 24 oz | $7.89 | 220 | — |
Flat White vs Latte
People search “flat white vs latte” because the cups look similar. On this menu they are not the same build, and the published numbers do not match size for size.
| Drink | Size used on the menu | Calories | Caffeine | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flat White | Tall | 170 | 130 mg | $6.87 |
| Caffè Latte | Grande | 190 | 150 mg | $6.48 |
| Cortado | Short | 90 | 230 mg | $5.79 |
| Cappuccino | Grande | 140 | 150 mg | — |
If you want the most caffeine in a small hot cup, the Cortado is the one the menu calls out: 230 mg in a Short. If you want a milky cup with a published middle caffeine number, order the Tall Flat White. The full size list is on the hot drinks menu, and the iced build is on the cold drinks menu.
How to Order
- Name the temperature and the size. “Tall hot Flat White” or “Grande iced Flat White.”
- Leave the syrup off if you want the drink as published. The menu description is shots and milk.
- Ask before you swap the milk. The prices above are for the standard drink. Our pages do not list an oatmilk or almondmilk upcharge for the Flat White.
- Do not order it when you wanted a Caramel Macchiato. That is a sweet Grande drink at 250 calories, 33 g of sugar and about $7.09.
A Home Flat White
This is a home cup in the same style: short shots and thin steamed milk. It will not match Starbucks’ calorie table, because home shots and milk brands differ.
Ingredients
- 2 ristretto shots, pulled short. This shot count is our home recipe, not a figure Starbucks publishes for the Flat White
- 6 to 7 ounces whole milk
- Optional: a warmed 8-ounce cup
Instructions
- Pull the shots. Use a fine espresso grind and stop the shot early so it tastes sweet and concentrated rather than bitter.
- Steam the milk. Stretch whole milk until it is glossy and thin, with no big bubbles. A flat white wants a smooth surface, not a tall foam cap.
- Pour. Pour the milk through the shots and finish with a thin white layer. Do not add syrup. Starbucks’ published description is ristretto shots and steamed whole milk.
Flat White FAQs
What is a flat white at Starbucks?
Starbucks describes the hot Flat White as ristretto shots plus steamed whole milk. A Tall is the size with a published caffeine figure: 170 calories, 130 mg of caffeine, about $6.87.
How is a flat white different from a latte?
On the hot menu, a Tall Flat White is ristretto shots and steamed whole milk (170 calories, 130 mg). A Grande Caffè Latte is espresso with a lot of steamed milk and a light foam cap (190 calories, 150 mg, about $6.48). They are different drinks, not two names for the same cup.
How many calories are in a Starbucks flat white?
Hot: Short 110, Tall 170, Grande 220, Venti 290. Iced: Tall 110, Grande 150, Venti 220. Caffeine is published for the Tall at 130 mg, hot and iced. Other sizes do not have a caffeine number on our menu pages.
Does Starbucks have an iced flat white?
Yes. The iced Flat White is listed at about $6.80 (Tall, 110 calories), $7.57 (Grande, 150 calories) and $7.89 (Venti, 220 calories). The cold drinks page lists the Tall at 130 mg of caffeine.
Is a flat white stronger than a latte?
A Tall Flat White is listed at 130 mg. A Grande latte is listed at 150 mg. The smaller drink with more caffeine on this menu is the Short Cortado, at 230 mg.
Nutrition and menu descriptions are from starbucks.com, checked October 2026. The homemade recipe is our own home version, not an official Starbucks recipe. Prices are average US prices and vary by store. starbukmenu.com is not affiliated with Starbucks Corporation.
