thumb|upright=1.2|A cup of espresso served in [[Ventimiglia, Italy]]
thumb|An espresso being pulled from an [[E-61|E61-style espresso machine with a bottomless (naked) portafilter, 2014]]
Espresso (, ) is a concentrated form of coffee produced by forcing hot water under high pressure through finely ground coffee beans. Originating in Italy, espresso has become one of the most popular coffee-brewing methods worldwide. It is characterized by its small serving size, typically 25–30 ml, and its distinctive layers: a dark body topped with a lighter-colored foam called "crema".
Espresso machines use pressure to extract a highly concentrated coffee with a complex flavor profile in a short time, usually 25–30 seconds. The result is a beverage with a higher concentration of suspended and dissolved solids than regular drip coffee, giving espresso its characteristic body and intensity. While espresso contains more caffeine per unit volume than most coffee beverages, its typical serving size results in less caffeine per serving compared to larger drinks such as drip coffee.
Espresso serves as the base for other coffee drinks, including cappuccino, caffè latte, and americano. It can be made with various types of coffee beans and roast levels, allowing for a wide range of flavors and strengths, despite the widespread myth that it is made with dark-roast coffee beans. The quality of an espresso is influenced by factors such as the grind size, water temperature, pressure, and the barista's skill in tamping (packing and leveling) the coffee grounds.
The cultural significance of espresso extends beyond its consumption, playing a central role in coffee shop culture and the third-wave coffee movement, which emphasizes artisanal production and high-quality beans.
Etymology and spelling
thumb|A man pulls an espresso while leaning out of a train in a 1922 advertisement for a "caffé espresso" machine. The imagery references the shared associations of speed and steam, as well as name: in Italy, a class of trains is called "espresso".
Although some English dictionaries translate espresso as 'pressed-out', the word also conveys the sense of 'expressly for you' and 'quickly':
Modern espresso, using hot water under pressure, as pioneered by Gaggia in the 1940s, was originally called crema caffè (), as seen on old Gaggia machines, due to the crema.
English speakers in America and England have sometimes spelled and pronounced espresso as expresso since at least the 1940s. Dictionary.com attributes the origin to ex- being a more common way that words start in English, making pronunciation easier, and several sources speculate an association between the drink and the word "express" may have contributed to its uptake.