Music may be the food of love, but coffee is the fuel of life. While you can’t really knock well-brewed coffee, here are 7 espresso drinks every man ought to try in his expanding coffee quest.

Espresso
The building block of all our favorite coffee drinks. Espresso is finely ground coffee with near boiling water forced through at high pressures yielding that oh so delectable nectar of the gods. If you order an espresso at a coffee shop you’ll usually be served a double espresso, or at an artisanal coffee shop a double ristretto. Typically, a single shot of espresso is 30 ml, a double is 60 ml, and a ristretto is the same amount of coffee beans, but with half the amount of water. Espresso as a singular drink is especially European and particularly Italian.

Americano
An americano is the closest thing to brewed coffee that you can get at an espresso bar and it’s actually my personal favorite. It’s essentially a shot of espresso served with a cup of hot water. Similar in caffeine content to brewed coffee (but different in weight and taste), legend has it that the “cafe americano” was coined by World War II American servicemen in Italy who began watering down the espressos served by their Italian compatriots. If you like the taste of espresso but want a little more time to savor it, this is the drink for you.

Latte
If you’re not much of a coffee drinker, this is the place to start. Typically a latte will be a double shot of espresso with 300 ml of steamed milk topped with a bit of microfoam. The steamed milk maintains the essence of the espresso’s taste but softens it with a natural sweetness. This is by far the most approachable drink for newbies, and a fantastic drink to stick to in general.

Cappuccino
For whatever reason, simply hearing the phrase “cappuccino” makes me think of a rushed New York executive who’s about to get a comeuppance in a 90s movie. But pay me no mind. The drink is elegant, European, and often a beloved drink by power players for both its drinkability and its kick. Equal parts espresso, steamed milk, and foamed milk, the cappuccino is tasty, approachable, both sweet and bitter, and not too much of liquid to drink. Which is I think what makes high-strung people order them in droves.

Flat White
The flat white’s origin is claimed by a few, most notably Bar Bodega in Wellington, New Zealand in 1989 as the result of a “failed cappuccino.” Similar in proportions to the latte, the flat white is smaller and served by pouring only steamed microfoam (heated milk with a velvety and creamy consistency) over an espresso. The flat white slowly gained traction in New Zealand and Australia before Starbucks began selling them in their stores in 2010, thus bringing this unique drink to a global audience of consumers.

Macchicato
The caffe macchiato has built momentum in recent years as part of the Third Wave of Coffee (google it). It’s essentially espresso with a dollop of foamed milk on top giving it the tiny spot for which it’s named (“coffee with a tiny stain”). This is rather different from your typical Starbucks Iced Caramel Macchiato, so be sure you know which one you’re looking to order.

Cortado or Gibraltar
A cortado is essentially the same as a flat white but made with warm milk instead of microfoam. The ratio is 1:1 of espresso and warm milk making for a dense but drinkable delight. You may also hear this referred to as a Gibraltar which has been popularized by artisanal San Francisco based coffee shops in which a cortado is served with slightly more warm milk than normal. A Cuban version known as cortado condensad or a bombón is served with condensed milk and has gained popularity as well in recent years.