The Coffee Lungo:
A Gentle Giant among Espresso Variations

You love coffee, but an Espresso feels too short for you? Then Coffee Lungo might be just the thing for you. The longer brewing process of the Lungo guarantees an intense flavor and an extended coffee experience. With Nespresso, you can enjoy this perfect coffee effortlessly—at the touch of a button.

Table of Content

1. What is a Lungo and what’s behind the long coffee?
2. Espresso, Lungo, Ristretto, Americano – the classic Italian preparation
3. Lungo preparation: How to best enjoy your Lungo
4. Discover the variety of Lungo coffee capsules from Nespresso
5. Frequently asked questions about Lungo

What is a Lungo and what’s behind the long coffee?

Lungo, Italian for "long," is essentially an extended espresso. While an espresso typically involves pressing around 25-40 ml of water through the coffee grounds, ORIGINAL machines offer the classic Lungo with 110 ml of water. Meanwhile, the VERTUO machine prepares the Gran Lungo with 150 ml, delivering an even more generous coffee experience. Like the Ristretto and the Americano, the Lungo is one of the espresso-based coffee specialties. This increased amount of water influences the flavor, resulting in a milder yet still aromatic coffee experience.

Espresso, Lungo, Ristretto, Americano - The Classic Italian Preparation

Ristretto: The opposite of Lungo, it’s a very short espresso (traditionally around 15–20 ml) with an intense flavor and concentrated aroma. A Ristretto has the shortest brewing time among all the coffee specialties mentioned here.

Espresso: The classic coffee, concentrated and intense in flavor, with a characteristic crema. It serves as the foundation for many other coffee specialties. A traditional espresso requires significantly less water (around 25–30 ml) and a shorter brewing time compared to a Lungo.

Americano: This is an espresso extended with hot water. This variation originated when American soldiers in Italy found espresso too strong and too small for their tastes. Italian baristas adapted by serving espresso with additional hot water. Unlike the Lungo, water is added after brewing, making the flavor similar to a milder espresso. The amount of water varies depending on individual taste.

Lungo Preparation: How to Best Enjoy Your Lungo

While the classic Italian preparation involves simply extending the water flow time through an espresso, Nespresso has optimized the Lungo brewing process.

The Lungo preparation uses a larger amount of water with the same amount of coffee grounds, maintaining the same grind and roast. At Nespresso, the coffee quantity, roast, grind, and water amount are perfectly coordinated. The Nespresso machine precisely controls the water amount to ensure a consistently perfect result.

ORIGINAL machines offer the classic Lungo with 110 ml, while VERTUO machines prepare the Gran Lungo with 150 ml for an especially generous coffee experience.

Tip: To bring out the full aroma of your Lungo and create a special moment of indulgence, pre-warm your cup (simply fill it with hot water until the coffee is ready). Additionally, use fresh water in your coffee machine for your Lungo.

Enjoy your Lungo in the elegant Nespresso Lungo cups, specially designed for optimal aroma enhancement. For example, savor your Lungo in the Nespresso VERTUO Gran Lungo cup set or the LOOP Lungo cups.

Which beans are suitable for your Lungo?

There’s no universal type of coffee bean for a Lungo. Whether Arabica or Robusta beans are best suited depends entirely on your personal preferences. Whether you prefer strong, decaffeinated, mild, floral, or spicy flavors—Nespresso offers a Lungo option for every coffee taste.

Discover the Variety of Lungo Coffee Capsules from Nespresso

Embark on an aromatic journey around the globe with Nespresso. Discover the uniqueness of various traditional and emerging coffee cultures through the unparalleled taste of World Explorations coffees.

Stockholm Lungo: Intensely roasted Arabica beans give this Lungo pronounced roast aromas.

Vienna Lungo: Classic coffee enjoyment with a slight sweetness awaits you with this Arabica Lungo. Vienna Lungo is also available in a decaffeinated version.

Cape Town Lungo: Displays lively spicy and aromatic woody notes with high intensity, derived from its robust Robusta beans.

Tokyo Lungo: Combines aromatic floral notes, refined roast aromas, and a hint of fruity flavor for a balanced and complex profile.

Buenos Aires Lungo: A balanced blend with nutty cereal notes, abundant sweetness, and distinctive popcorn notes.

Shanghai Lungo: A fruity blend with aromatic notes reminiscent of orange, peach, and red fruits. Berry notes and delicate acidity contribute to the blend’s smoothness.

Master Origin Costa Rica: Start your day with this Arabica Gran Lungo and its pleasant malty sweetness. The entire Master Origin range can be enjoyed as both Lungo and Espresso.

Fortado: This VERTUO coffee owes its intensity and full body primarily to Robusta. Additionally, Robusta gives Fortado a dense coffee crema. The distinctive cocoa and oakwood notes that characterize this coffee come from the Colombian Arabica in the blend. Fortado is also available in a decaffeinated version.

Master Origin Ethiopia: A naturally floral coffee that gains fruitiness and complexity through its distinctive drying method, revealing ripe blueberry notes and a hint of musk.

Arondio: A mild coffee with a rounded, gentle cereal note. Its delicate acidity and deep, subtle intensity give this large black coffee an approachable character.

Inizio: This soft, juicy blend of East African Arabicas with rich roasted cereal and wild floral notes creates a relaxing Sunday feeling.