What is espresso?
Espresso is a small, concentrated coffee served in a demitasse — the base that nearly every other drink on this list is built from. Because there's so little liquid, the flavor arrives all at once: dense, aromatic, with a layer of golden foam called crema sitting on top. A single serving is only an ounce or two, so it's the quickest coffee you can drink and the most direct way to taste what a coffee actually tastes like.
Order it when you want coffee without milk getting in the way, or when you want something short between the morning and the afternoon. Everything else on the menu is espresso plus one more thing: water, milk, foam, caramel or chocolate.
What is an Americano?
An Americano is espresso with hot water added, which makes a longer, lighter-bodied cup you can drink slowly like filter coffee. The strength is up to the ratio, but the character stays espresso-like — rounder and less sharp than straight espresso, and noticeably more coffee-forward than a milk drink.
It's the one to ask for if you want a full-size black coffee that lasts through a conversation or a morning of reading. If you'd rather compare it side by side with the milk drinks, we go deeper on our latte vs cappuccino vs Americano page.
Cappuccino or latte — what's the difference?
The difference is the proportion of foam to milk: a cappuccino carries a thick cap of airy foam over a smaller amount of milk, while a latte is mostly smooth, warm milk with only a thin layer on top.
- Cappuccino — smaller, foamier, and the espresso flavor stays clearly present. Our cappuccino is one of the drinks Google reviewers mention most.
- Latte — larger, milkier, gentler. The coffee is still there, but softer and sweeter-tasting from the milk alone.
A simple rule: if you want to taste the coffee, order the cappuccino. If you want the coffee to taste comforting, order the latte. You can see both, with photos, on our espresso drinks page.
What is a macchiato?
Traditionally, "macchiato" means "marked" — an espresso marked with just a touch of milk. In American coffee shops, the name usually points to the layered version most people know, and ours is the Caramel Macchiato: espresso, milk and caramel, which lands sweeter and more dessert-like than a plain latte.
It's the drink to choose when you want coffee and something sweet in the same cup. If you'd rather separate the two, pair a cappuccino with a slice of cake instead — we put some suggestions together in our coffee and cake pairings guide.
What is a mocha?
A mocha is an espresso-and-milk drink with chocolate added, which puts it somewhere between a latte and hot chocolate. The chocolate rounds off the coffee's edges, so a mocha reads as rich and smooth rather than bright or bitter.
On our menu it comes cold, as an Iced Mocha — a good answer to a South Florida afternoon when you still want something that tastes like a treat. We also pour an Iced Matcha Latte if you're after something green and grassy instead of chocolatey.
Iced latte or iced coffee — which should you order?
Choose an Iced Latte if you want espresso with cold milk, and Iced Coffee if you want your coffee cold and unmilked. The iced latte is creamier and softer; the iced coffee is leaner, more refreshing and tastes more plainly of coffee.
Both hold up well on a warm day, and if you want to go even lighter, we also pour Fresh Lemonade, Peach Lemonade, Lime & Mint Lemonade, Mandarin Lemonade and Iced Tea Premium. There's more on the cold side of the menu on our iced coffee page.
Where can you try these drinks in Pompano Beach?
All of them are on the menu at New Level Coffee & Bakery, 698 East McNab Road, Pompano Beach, FL 33060 — open every day from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM, weekends included, for dine-in or takeout. Our phone number is +1 786-606-1786 if you need to reach us.
We're in north Pompano Beach on McNab Road, about five minutes from Lighthouse Point and an easy stop from Deerfield Beach or Fort Lauderdale. Cakes made in-house daily — Honey Cake, Napoleon, Pistachio & Raspberry and more — go with any of these drinks.
"I stopped there just to grab a quick coffee, and now I honestly have a hard time drinking coffee anywhere else! The flavor is smooth, rich, and never burnt." — Nataliia, Google review
Browse the full coffee lineup before you come in.