“I’ve noticed, working behind the bar, that the long black is increasing in popularity, and it’s much more prevalent.” Sales of the drink at Kaffeine crept up by 4% from November to mid-January, while black coffee in general is also proving more popular.
Despite its name, a long black is shorter than an americano, but some baristas also swear by adding the espresso second, on top of the hot water.
Along with nearby Flat White (founded by Australians and New Zealanders, and widely credited with first popularising flat whites in the UK), his shop is a key fixture in London’s antipodean coffee scene.
In these fancier coffee spots, everyone’s dependable, unfussy go-to is being eclipsed by a newer import from Australia and New Zealand: the long black.
Like the flat white, the long black originated in Australia or New Zealand, depending on who you ask.
