- Origin: French
- Ratio: 1 brewed coffee : 1 steamed milk
- Availability: Specialty
Café au lait is the French breakfast coffee — equal parts strong brewed coffee and hot milk, traditionally served in a deep, handle-less bowl that you can wrap both hands around. The brewed-coffee base distinguishes it from a latte, which is built on espresso. New Orleans café au lait, in turn, traditionally adds chicory to the brewed coffee.