Ordering
Ordering with confidence
What to say, what to skip
Read the menu first; specialty bars often have a curated, small list. Ask 'what would you recommend today?' — it's the single best line in coffee. Order by drink (flat white, filter, espresso), not by size when sizes aren't offered. If you don't know what to order, say what you usually like ('I drink my coffee black, sweet rather than bitter') and let the barista guide you.
CRAFT NOTE
The barista has tasted what you're about to drink twenty times today. Their recommendation is a gift.