People actually started making iced lattes before the refrigerator was even invented. From the city of Trieste, Italy, it spread rapidly across continental Europe, and by the beginning of World War I, it was one of Europe’s most popular beverages. What we can say for sure is that it first became popular in 1903, about 50 years before the first macchiato was served.

No one is one hundred percent sure who served the first latte. You can also enjoy one with decaf coffee, or even make a vegan iced macchiato with soy milk. For example, the iced caramel macchiato has become a phenomenon in its own right. Nowadays, there are many types and varieties of iced macchiato. Originally, Starbucks called their iced macchiato a “shaken espresso on ice,” but eventually settled for the term “macchiato,” which is Italian for “marked.” This started to change in the early 2000s, with the explosion of Starbucks across the country. The first iced macchiatos appeared in the 1970s, but were rarely found outside of bespoke neighborhood coffee shots. Since then, people have started making it with a second espresso shot, which has made the macchiato stronger than most espresso-based beverages. The original macchiato was first served in the 1950s, and consisted of a single espresso shot topped off with steamed milk, but not foamed milk. The macchiato, like almost every coffee drink, was first invented in Italy.

Iced latte macchiato