Stepping into a modern coffee shop can sometimes feel like you’ve entered a world you aren’t quite equipped for. The menu stretches across the wall with unfamiliar names, the line moves quickly and suddenly you’re expected to know the difference between a cortado and a cappuccino. It’s enough to make anyone feel a little overwhelmed, but it doesn’t have to be that way.

With a little guidance, ordering coffee can go from intimidating to enjoyable. Local coffee shop owner Kim Fry said it’s simpler than it looks once you understand one key idea: most drinks fall somewhere on a spectrum between coffee-forward and milk-forward. Once you know where your taste falls, the menu starts to make a lot more sense.

Understanding the simple breakdown of how coffee drinks are built is the first step to ordering with confidence. 

From there, it helps to think of the menu less as a long list of unfamiliar names and more as variations on a theme. At the heart of most drinks is espresso — a concentrated shot of coffee that serves as the base. What changes from drink to drink is how much milk, flavoring and sugar or sweetener is added.

On the coffee-forward end of the spectrum are drinks where the espresso takes center stage. These tend to be stronger, richer and more intense in flavor. Moving toward the middle, you’ll find balanced drinks that blend espresso and milk more evenly. On the milk-forward side are the smoother, creamier options, where the coffee flavor is softer and often more approachable for newer coffee drinkers.

Once you start to see drinks this way, the names become less intimidating. Instead of memorizing definitions, you’re simply deciding how bold or how smooth you want your drink to be.

Modern American coffee culture draws heavily from Italy, and the language on the menu in many shops reflects those origins. The word “barista” — the person making your drink — is Italian, as are many of the names you see when you step up to order. Over time though, those traditional definitions have shifted. Large, mainstream coffee chains have put their own spin on classic drinks and somewhere along the way, things have gotten a little blurry.

“Mainstream coffee brands have totally muddied the waters,” said Fry, the owner of Coffee on Raiford in Downtown Selma.

That doesn’t mean anything is wrong — it just means there’s more than one version of the same drink depending on where you go. Most local shops have adapted to those mainstream expectations so customers can order comfortably, even if the drinks aren’t always prepared in the traditional Italian style. And if you’re ever unsure, Fry said, just ask! Baristas, especially in local shops, are happy to walk you through the options and help you land on something you’ll enjoy.

At its core, most of the menu still comes back to a simple idea: how much milk is in the drink.

Nearly all classic coffee shop drinks are built with espresso, steamed milk and foam. From there, it’s just a matter of ratios. A latte is the most milk-forward, typically about three-quarters milk, making it smooth and often slightly sweeter, especially when flavors are added. A cappuccino pulls back slightly, with about two-thirds milk and a thicker layer of foam. Traditionally, it’s not overly sweet — sometimes just a touch of sugar or even a sprinkle of cinnamon on top, and it’s not meant to be stirred together.

Move further along and you’ll find a cortado, which splits things evenly at about 50/50 espresso and milk, giving you a stronger coffee presence while still keeping a creamy texture. A flat white is similar, but with a thinner layer of foam and a slightly more velvety feel.

Then there are a few variations that step outside the milk spectrum. An Americano is simply espresso with hot water added, creating a smoother, more diluted coffee. A red eye adds a shot of espresso to drip coffee for an extra kick, while a café au lait blends drip coffee instead of espresso with steamed milk.

And then there’s the macchiato — one of the most commonly misunderstood drinks on the menu. Traditionally, it’s an espresso “stained” with just a small dollop of foamed milk. In many American shops, however, a macchiato has evolved into something much larger and milk-heavy, closer to a flavored latte. It’s a perfect example of how those original definitions have shifted over time.

Beyond the menu names, there’s another layer to coffee that most customers never see. The type of beans, how they’re roasted, how finely they’re ground and how the coffee is brewed all play a role in the final flavor.

“I can take those same beans and make a drip coffee and the flavor profile would be completely different from the espresso,” Fry said. “The way it’s brewed makes a huge difference on the flavor you’re going to pull from the beans.”

Espresso is the most concentrated form, brewed under pressure for a bold, rich result. Drip coffee is more familiar and balanced, while pour overs and French press methods can highlight more subtle flavors. Cold brew, on the other hand, takes time. Coffee grounds are steeped in cold water for 12 to 24 hours, creating a smoother, less acidic yet still bold taste. Iced coffee is much simpler by comparison, usually just traditional drip coffee that’s been cooled down and poured over ice.

“There’s a lot of chemistry behind the flavors,” Fry said. “Certain flavors don’t work with certain coffees.”

That’s part of what makes each coffee shop a little different. Fry prefers a blend of 75 percent medium roast and 25 percent dark roast for her espresso, but every shop has its own approach, and that’s the part that’s best left up to the experts. From timing and pressure to humidity and machine calibration, there are countless small factors that can affect how a cup turns out.

For customers, though, it doesn’t have to get that complicated.

“It really just depends if you want it more milky or stronger coffee flavor or a balance of both,” Fry said. “Don’t be afraid to try flavors. Try half the syrup first, you can always add more.”

At the end of the day, ordering coffee doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. Once you understand the basics — espresso, milk and how the ratios change from drink to drink — you’re already ahead of the game. The rest is personal preference.

And if you’re ever unsure, just ask. That’s part of what makes local coffee shops special. The people behind the counter care about what they’re serving and are always willing to share what they know.