What’s the difference between a solo corto and a mitad? How about a sombra and a nube? We’ll help you learn how to get the perfect cup of coffee in Málaga, Spain.
Wally enjoys a coffee at Café Central in Málaga, Spain. For the record, he’s pretty much a mitad kind of guy
Málaga is notable for its numerous cafés where you can enjoy the unhurried ceremony of savoring a cup in a leisurely way. In Spain it’s not unusual to drink several coffees a day (our kind of country!).
Whether you take your coffee black or with milk, when executed perfectly, the outcome yields a cup exacted to your personal taste.
“In 1954, import products, including coffee, were rationed and expensive to obtain. As a result, the owner of Café Central, devised nine different ways to order a customized cup of coffee.”
The legendary Café Central, located in the palm-dotted Plaza de la Constitución, is famous for its unique method for ordering coffee that characterizes Malagueños.
In 1954, import products, including coffee, were rationed and expensive to obtain. As a result, José Prado Crespo, the owner of Café Central, devised a coffee menu adapted to suit the varied tastes of his clientele. That led to nine different ways to order a customized cup of coffee — putting Crespo well ahead of the consistent customer experience one expects from a Starbucks.
From that moment on, the residents of Málaga became accustomed to ordering their coffee exactly the way they wanted.
Inside the café on one of the walls, a tile mosaic created by the famous Málaga ceramic artist Amparo Ruiz de Luna, illustrates the options. The name used for each is based on the ratio of coffee to milk.
If you’re not sure how to order a coffee at Café Central, there’s a helpful picture menu on the back wall
9 Ways to Order Coffee in Málaga
Solo: A short single espresso without milk.
Largo: A double espresso with a little milk.
Semi Largo: 70% coffee, 30% milk.
Solo Corto: 60% coffee, 40% milk
Mitad: Half coffee, half milk.
Entrecorto: 40% coffee, 60% milk
Corto: Just under half a glass, or “short” on coffee
Nube (“cloud”): 25% coffee, 75% milk
Sombra (“shadow”): 20% more coffee than a nube
Enjoy a customized cup of coffee and people-watch at Café Central’s sidewalk seating, situated on the beautiful Plaza de la Constitución in Málaga
The café has outdoor seating where you can relax and sit with the perfect cup of joe and gaze out upon urban life within the historic square. –Duke
