Espresso drinks
Ristretto
A ristretto is a shorter, more concentrated espresso made with less water. It tastes sweeter, heavier and less bitter than a normal shot.
- Ratio About 1 part coffee to 1 to 1.5 parts liquid espresso by weight
- Serve 15 to 25 ml, hot, in a small cup
- Grind Fine
Written by the KAIVO team, Mumbai. Last updated 4 November 2026. Cite as: KAIVO, "Ristretto", kaivo.in/pages/drink-ristretto
Ristretto means restricted in Italian. It uses the same amount of coffee as a normal espresso but about half the water, so the shot stops early. The first part of an espresso carries more sweetness and body, and the later part carries more bitterness, so a ristretto tastes syrupy, sweet and intense. Many cafes use it as the base for a flat white.
How it is made
- 01
Dose about 18 g of fresh, finely ground coffee.
- 02
Tamp evenly and start the shot.
- 03
Stop the shot early, at about 18 to 27 g of liquid in the cup.
- 04
Aim for about 15 to 20 seconds, or a little longer if you grind finer.
- 05
Serve at once, as it cools quickly.
Brew it with Espresso machine
A KAIVO blend for this
The Roar
The Roar is a dark roast with bitter chocolate, dark caramel and oak notes and very low acidity, so a short shot stays rich and syrupy rather than sharp.
Dark roast, tasting of bitter chocolate, dark caramel, oak.
See The RoarQuestions
What is the difference between a ristretto and an espresso?
Both use the same dose of coffee. A ristretto uses about half the water, so it is smaller, sweeter and thicker, with less bitterness.
Does a ristretto have less caffeine?
Slightly less is extracted into the cup, because less water passes through the coffee. The difference is small.