Although a mocha is often interpreted differently across the world, it's basically a shot of espresso combined with a chocolate powder or syrup, followed by milk or cream. It is a variant of a latte, in the sense that it is often 1/3 espresso and 2/3 steamed milk, the main difference being that a chocolate flavour is added, which can be light or dark.
Essentially, 'mocha' means a type of coffee that is made from a specific coffee bean originally only grown in Mocha, Yemen. It also means a mixture of coffee and chocolate, or a flavouring that tastes of this.
Mocha is known to taste like a chocolatey coffee. The espresso shot offers an almost bitter taste and the chocolate adds a sweetness to create a velvety smooth, luxurious combination.
It is said that a mocha tastes like a chocolatey coffee. Whilst this is true, a mocha is so much more than that. Where the espresso shot offers an almost bitter taste, the chocolate combination adds a sweetness to create a velvety smooth, luxurious beverage.
For starters, the cappuccino hails from Italy and the mocha originates in Yemen. They’re both espresso-based drinks, but the mocha contains chocolate flavouring and the cappuccino is topped with a milk foam to form a frothy coffee beverage – sometimes with a dusting of chocolate on top too.