What Is a Lungo Coffee?
A lungo is an espresso made with more water — typically double the amount used for a standard shot.
Where a regular espresso uses around 30ml of water, a lungo uses 50–60ml. The extraction runs longer, which is where the name comes from. Lungo simply means "long" in Italian.
The result is a larger cup — around 60ml — with a slightly different flavour profile. Less concentrated than espresso. More textured than a long black. A drink with its own character.
It's not a watered-down espresso. That's an important distinction. A lungo is extracted differently — the water moves through the coffee grounds for a longer time, drawing out different compounds along the way.
Lungo vs Espresso: What Sets Them Apart
The difference is in the extraction, not just the volume.
A standard espresso extracts quickly — around 25–30 seconds. The result is a dense, syrupy shot with concentrated flavour and a thick crema. It's designed for intensity.
A lungo extracts over 40–60 seconds. The longer contact between water and grounds pulls out more solubles — including some that don't appear in a standard shot. This gives the lungo its characteristic bitterness, but also more complexity.
| Drink | Water | Extraction time | Volume | Flavour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Espresso | ~30ml | 25–30 sec | ~30ml | Intense, sweet, syrupy |
| Lungo | ~60ml | 40–60 sec | ~60ml | Complex, slightly bitter, aromatic |
| Long Black | ~180ml | 25–30 sec | ~210ml | Clean, bright, full-bodied |
| Americano | ~150ml added after | 25–30 sec | ~180ml | Diluted, flat, mild |
Think of the lungo as the middle ground. More presence than a long black. More nuance than a straight espresso.
Lungo vs Long Black: The Australian Distinction
This is where things get interesting — especially if you're in Australia.
The long black is an Australian and New Zealand invention. Born in the early days of Melbourne's specialty coffee scene, it's made by pulling a double espresso over hot water. The espresso sits on top, crema intact. The water stays below.
The lungo is Italian. It's a single espresso machine function — you run more water through the same dose. No separate steps. No layering.
The practical difference: a long black is bigger and brighter. The lungo is smaller and more concentrated. Both share that essential quality — they let the coffee speak for itself.
In Melbourne cafés, the long black dominates. But among people who take their espresso seriously, the lungo holds a quiet prestige. It's a more demanding drink to make well.
How a Lungo Is Made
Making a great lungo requires a few adjustments from your standard espresso routine.
The dose
Start with your usual espresso dose — 18–20g for a double. The dose doesn't change. What changes is how much water you pull through it.
The grind
Here's where most people go wrong. For a lungo, you need a slightly coarser grind than espresso. This slows the extraction rate to match the longer pull time, preventing over-extraction and bitterness.
A grind that works for a 30-second espresso will be too fine for a 50-second lungo. The water will struggle through, and the flavour will suffer.
The extraction
Pull until you reach 50–60ml in the cup. Watch the stream — it should run steady and golden, not pale and thin. When it starts to blonde out, stop.
The cup
A lungo belongs in a small ceramic cup. Not a glass. Not a tall vessel. Something that keeps the heat and lets you hold it with both hands, if you want to.
What Does a Lungo Taste Like?
A well-made lungo is aromatic, slightly bitter, and surprisingly complex.
You'll taste things that don't show up in a short espresso — floral notes, mild citrus, a gentle earthiness. The extended extraction creates a different flavour map of the same bean.
There's also more caffeine in a lungo than in an espresso. The longer extraction pulls out more caffeine from the grounds. It's not dramatically higher, but it's measurable.
Some roasts suit the lungo better than others. Medium roasts — with their balance of sweetness and acidity — tend to shine. Very dark roasts can become harsh over a long extraction. Very light roasts can taste underdeveloped.
The Lungo in Italian Coffee Culture
In Italy, the lungo is an everyday drink. Not a specialty item. Not something you order to impress anyone.
In a Roman bar, you might see someone at the counter, standing, drinking a lungo before heading to work. No ceremony. Just coffee.
That directness is part of what makes Italian coffee culture compelling. There's a reason Milan and Naples have produced some of the world's most respected coffee traditions — it's not complexity for its own sake. It's clarity of purpose.
The lungo fits that philosophy. It's a drink for people who know what they want.
The Lungo in Melbourne's Café Scene
Melbourne changed how the world thinks about coffee. The laneway cafés of Fitzroy and Collingwood in the early 2000s developed a coffee culture built on precision, quality, and restraint.
The lungo found a natural home there. Melbourne's café culture has always valued the drink that doesn't overexplain itself — the one that rewards attention.
Today, you'll find the lungo on menus across Melbourne's independent cafés — often without much fanfare. Sometimes just listed as "lungo," sitting quietly below the flat whites and oat lattes. For those who know, it's often the best drink on the board.
Lungo on a Capsule Machine: What You Should Know
Nespresso and other capsule systems have made the lungo a household name. Most Nespresso machines have a dedicated lungo setting, which uses more water than the espresso setting.
A capsule lungo is a reasonable approximation — convenient, consistent, and more accessible than pulling a shot on a professional machine.
The difference from a café lungo? The capsule system uses a pre-portioned sealed pod, so there's no grind adjustment. The lungo mode simply runs more water through the same capsule.
For everyday use at home, it works. If you want to understand what a lungo really is, try one at a café that takes it seriously.
How to Order a Lungo
In Australia: most cafés will know what you're asking for. Some will make it as a long black instead — just clarify if you want the true lungo experience (pulled long through the machine, not espresso over water).
In Italy: just say "un lungo" at the bar. You'll be handed something small, dark, and correct.
In speciality coffee shops globally: the lungo is increasingly common on menus. If you don't see it, ask. A good barista will usually be happy to pull one.
Why the Lungo Matters Now
Coffee culture is slowing down. Not everywhere — but in the places where it matters, there's a shift toward intention over speed.
The lungo fits that shift perfectly. It's a drink that takes a few extra seconds to make, and rewards a few extra minutes to drink. It's not designed for the commute. It's designed for the pause before the day begins.
There's a growing category of people who want fewer things, but better. Who choose objects and rituals that have meaning. Who drink coffee because they love coffee — not to get through to lunch.
The lungo is for them.
The Name Behind LUNGO®
LUNGO® takes its name from this drink — and from everything it represents.
The lungo is where coffee culture begins. It's Italian, precise, and unhurried. It values material and process over shortcuts. It's a drink that doesn't announce itself, but rewards those who pay attention.
LUNGO® was built on the same principles. Starting with apparel made from recycled coffee grounds — transforming waste from the cafés that inspired the brand into materials designed to last.
A single busy café generates almost 9 tonnes of coffee waste per year. LUNGO® works to give that material a second life.
It starts with a cup. It doesn't end there.
Interested in what comes next? LUNGO® launches July 2026. Join the list at thelungo.com.