September 18, 2026 Nicolas Di Stefano

Long Mac Topped Up vs Flat White: Australia's Coffee Order Trends

Order a long mac topped up in Sydney and you'll get a blank stare. Order it in Perth and you'll get exactly what you wanted. Australia can't agree on what to call its own coffee, and that's half the fun of it. Here's what each regional order is, and how they stack up against each other.

Key Takeaways

A long mac topped up is a Perth original: It's a double espresso with milk poured on top, also known as a long macchiato topped up or black topped in some cafes.
Magic coffee belongs to Melbourne: It's a double ristretto under 130ml of steamed milk, and it's stronger than most people expect.
The flat white is Australia's most exported order: It's the version the rest of the world has heard of.

What is a long mac topped up?

A long mac topped up is Perth's answer to the long macchiato. It's a double espresso, topped up with steamed milk rather than the small dollop of foam a standard macchiato gets. Order it as a long macchiato topped up, or ask for it "black topped," and most Perth baristas will know exactly what you mean without blinking.

The espresso comes first, then the milk goes on top rather than being stirred through. That's the entire point of the drink. You get the full hit of the espresso up front, then the milk mellows it out as you work through the cup.

Why does Perth call it something different?

No single answer exists, honestly. Perth's coffee culture grew somewhat separately from the east coast for years, and local cafes simply kept their own naming conventions. It stuck, and now visitors from Sydney or Brisbane order a macchiato and get confused when a full cup of milky coffee turns up instead.

How is a long mac topped up different to a flat white?

They're closer than most menus make them sound, but the ratio is different. A flat white is built on a single shot with a thin, steamed milk pour and a thin layer of microfoam. A long mac topped up runs on a full double shot, so the coffee flavour comes through much stronger even with a similar amount of milk on top.

Nicolas' Verdict: if you want a smoother, more balanced cup, order a flat white. If you want the coffee to taste like coffee, order a long mac topped up.

What about magic coffee? Melbourne's version of the same idea

Melbourne's answer to all of this is the magic coffee, sometimes just called "the magic." It's a double ristretto, roughly 30ml, under about 130ml of steamed milk. It used to be a hipster order limited to a handful of inner-city cafes. Now most Melbourne baristas will make one without a second thought.

Compared to a flat white, a magic coffee is stronger and smaller. Compared to a long mac topped up, it's built on a ristretto rather than a full espresso shot, so the flavour is more concentrated even though the cup is smaller overall.

If you want the full breakdown of what actually goes into a macchiato itself, we've covered that in detail here.

Is a long mac topped up just a long macchiato?

Essentially, yes, with milk added on top rather than left as foam. A short mac topped up follows the same idea on a single shot rather than a double. The naming gets confusing fast because half of Australia uses "macchiato" and the other half uses "mac topped up" for what's largely the same drink family, just with regional variations in milk ratio and cup size.

Regional coffee orders compared

Drink	Region	What's in it	Closest familiar match	Nicolas' Rating
Long mac topped up	Perth	Double espresso, milk on top	Long macchiato	Bold and honest, my pick for a strong morning coffee
Magic coffee	Melbourne	Double ristretto, ~130ml steamed milk	Small flat white	Concentrated and smooth, best when you want less volume
Flat white	Nationwide	Single shot, steamed milk, thin microfoam	Latte, less foam	The safest order anywhere in the country
Long black	Nationwide	Espresso over hot water	Americano, stronger	Straightforward, no milk to argue about
Short macchiato	Nationwide	Single shot, dollop of foam	Traditional macchiato	Classic, small, no surprises

So which one should you order?

If you want a reliable, familiar cup anywhere in the country, order a flat white. If you're in Perth and want something with more punch, ask for a long mac topped up. If you're in Melbourne and want strong coffee in a smaller cup, order the magic. None of these is objectively the best coffee order in Australia, they're just built for slightly different moods.

The Primo Caffe standard

A long mac topped up or a magic coffee both lean on a strong, bold shot as the base, so they're a natural fit for our strong coffee beans. A flat white is more forgiving and works well with our medium roast coffee beans, which are built to balance with milk rather than cut straight through it. Either way, at Primo Caffe you're brewing the same beans behind Australia's regional coffee culture, whatever you call your order.

FAQs about Australian coffee order trends

Is a long mac topped up the same as a long black?

No. A long black is espresso poured over hot water with no milk. A long mac topped up is espresso topped with steamed milk, so the two are built the opposite way around.

Magic coffee vs flat white: which one has more caffeine?

A magic coffee uses a ristretto, which technically pulls slightly less caffeine than a full shot. But because it's served in a much smaller cup with less milk, most people find it hits harder than a flat white.

Can I order a long mac topped up outside Perth?

You can try, but don't expect every barista to recognise the name. You'll have better luck asking for a "long macchiato with milk on top" if you're travelling outside Western Australia.

Which has more milk, a short mac topped up or a long mac topped up?

A long mac topped up uses roughly double the milk of a short mac topped up, since it's built on two shots instead of one. The ratio of milk to coffee stays about the same either way.

Why do different Australian cities have different coffee orders?

Australia's independent cafe culture grew city by city rather than under one national chain, so local naming conventions took hold and never fully merged.

What is the most popular coffee order in Australia?

The flat white remains the most widely recognised Australian order, both at home and overseas, even though regional specialities like the long mac topped up and magic coffee have loyal followings of their own.

Additional Reading

If you're keen to keep reading up on Primo Caffe's range of content on coffee beans at large, find some quick access links below. Happy reading!

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About the Author

Nicolas Di Stefano is a third-generation Master Roaster and Director of Primo Caffe. With decades of family tradition behind him, Nicolas combines time-honoured Italian roasting techniques with a passion for quality, delivering delicious coffee that Australians expect.

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