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How Much Caffeine Is in Caffè Nero Coffee? Cappuccino, Latte and Espresso
How much caffeine is in Caffè Nero coffee? A regular cappuccino has about 221 mg, an Americano 191 mg, a latte 175 mg, a flat white 105 mg and an espresso 67 mg. Plus NHS limits.
The short answer
- A Caffè Nero espresso has about 67 mg of caffeine.
- A regular cappuccino has about 221 mg, an Americano 191 mg and a latte 175 mg.
- A flat white has about 105 mg, the lowest of Nero's milky coffees.
- Nero's cappuccino has roughly doubled since 2023, when Which? found 110 to 115 mg.
- The NHS advises no more than 200 mg a day in pregnancy. A regular Nero cappuccino is over that on its own.
Caffè Nero used to be one of the gentler coffee chains on the UK high street. In 2023, the consumer group Which? found a Nero cappuccino had 110 to 115 mg of caffeine and an espresso about 45 mg. By August 2026 those figures were 221 mg and 67 mg. If you've been drinking Nero for years and it feels stronger than it used to, it probably is.
Below is how much caffeine is in Caffè Nero coffee, drink by drink, using the figures Nero gave Which? in 2026. Nero doesn't publish caffeine on its menu, so these are the best public numbers. As with any coffee shop, the exact amount in your cup depends on the beans and the barista.
Caffè Nero caffeine by drink
| Drink | Size | Caffeine |
|---|---|---|
| Espresso | 30 ml | 67 mg |
| Cappuccino | Regular, 355 ml | 221 mg |
| Americano | Regular, 355 ml | 191 mg |
| Latte | Regular, 355 ml | 175 mg |
| Flat white | One size, 237 ml | 105 mg |
Two things stand out. First, the cappuccino is the strongest milky drink, with more caffeine than the latte or even the Americano. Second, the flat white is the lightest: about 105 mg in a smaller cup. That's the opposite of Costa, where the flat white (241 mg) is one of the stronger drinks.
Nero didn't give Which? figures for large drinks. Caffeine in espresso drinks rises with the number of shots, not the amount of milk, so a large only has more caffeine if it gets more coffee. If your large gets an extra shot, add roughly 67 mg; that's an estimate, so ask the barista how many shots go in if it matters to you.
Caffè Nero vs Costa, Pret and Starbucks
Nero now sits between Starbucks at the low end and Costa at the high end. Here's the 2026 Which? comparison for regular-sized drinks.
| Chain | Cappuccino | Latte | Americano | Espresso |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caffè Nero (regular) | 221 mg | 175 mg | 191 mg | 67 mg |
| Costa (medium) | 325 mg | 200 mg | 325 mg | 100 mg |
| Greggs (large) | 235 mg | 208 mg | 257 mg | 75 mg |
| Pret | 180 mg | 180 mg | 180 mg | 180 mg |
| Starbucks UK (Tall) | 89 mg | 89 mg | 89 mg | 45 mg |
A regular Nero cappuccino has about two and a half times the caffeine of a Starbucks UK Tall cappuccino, and about two thirds of a Costa medium. Nero's espresso shot is one of the smaller ones, but its cappuccino is built with enough coffee to land in third place for cappuccino caffeine. For how one shot compares with filter coffee in general, see espresso vs drip coffee caffeine.
How Caffè Nero compares to your daily limit
The UK Food Standards Agency follows the European Food Safety Authority: up to 400 mg a day is safe for most healthy adults, and single doses of up to 200 mg. During pregnancy, the NHS, FSA and EFSA all say no more than 200 mg a day.
- Healthy adults (400 mg): a cappuccino and a latte (about 396 mg) is right at the limit. Two cappuccinos (about 442 mg) go over.
- Single dose (200 mg): a regular cappuccino (221 mg) is just over. A latte, Americano or flat white is under.
- Pregnancy (200 mg): a flat white (105 mg) leaves room for a cup of tea. A latte (175 mg) or Americano (191 mg) is most of the day. A regular cappuccino is over.
If you're pregnant or breastfeeding and want a Nero, the flat white or a single espresso is the easiest fit, and decaf is easier still. For the details, see caffeine and pregnancy, and check your own limit with your midwife or GP. For everyone else, how much caffeine is too much covers the daily limits in more depth.
What a Caffè Nero does to your sleep
With a typical 5.5-hour half-life, a regular cappuccino (221 mg) takes about 12 hours to drop under 50 mg, the level most sleep research treats as low enough not to matter. A latte (175 mg) takes about 10 hours, and a flat white (105 mg) about 6 hours. A cappuccino at 1 pm still leaves roughly 65 mg in a typical adult at 11 pm.
Show as a table
| Half-life | 1 h | 3 h | 6 h | 9 h | 12 h | 24 h |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 h | 190 | 137 | 82 | 48 | 29 | 4 |
| 5.5 h | 197 | 156 | 107 | 73 | 50 | 11 |
| 7.5 h | 203 | 171 | 130 | 98 | 75 | 25 |
mg of active caffeine, hours after one 221 mg drink.
So if your Nero habit is an afternoon one, the flat white is the better choice, not just for your daily total but for your sleep. For cutoff times by drink, see when to stop drinking coffee before bed.
Try it with your own drinks
Pick your drinks, when you have them and your bedtime. Drag along the chart to see how much caffeine is in you at any hour.
Frequently asked questions
How much caffeine is in a Caffè Nero cappuccino?
About 221 mg in a regular (355 ml), according to figures Nero gave Which? in 2026. In 2023 it was 110 to 115 mg.
How much caffeine is in a Caffè Nero latte?
About 175 mg in a regular (355 ml).
How much caffeine is in a Caffè Nero flat white?
About 105 mg in a 237 ml cup. It's the lowest-caffeine milky coffee at Nero.
How much caffeine is in a Caffè Nero Americano?
About 191 mg in a regular (355 ml).
How much caffeine is in a Caffè Nero espresso?
About 67 mg in a 30 ml shot, up from about 45 mg in 2023.
How much caffeine is in a large Caffè Nero?
Nero hasn't published large figures. A large only has more caffeine than a regular if it gets an extra shot; if it does, add roughly 67 mg. Ask the barista how many shots go in.
Is Caffè Nero stronger than Costa?
No. A regular Nero cappuccino has about 221 mg, while a Costa medium cappuccino has about 325 mg. Nero is stronger than Starbucks UK, where a Tall cappuccino has about 89 mg.
Can I drink Caffè Nero while pregnant?
The NHS advises no more than 200 mg a day in pregnancy. A Nero flat white (about 105 mg) fits comfortably, a latte (about 175 mg) is most of the day, and a regular cappuccino (about 221 mg) is over. Check with your midwife or GP.
Sources
- Which?. Caffeine levels in high street coffees still vary significantly, August 2026, and press release, 25 August 2026 (Caffè Nero regular = 355 ml; latte value from the article's comparison chart).
- Which?. A little or a latte? Which? finds huge differences in high-street coffee caffeine levels, March 2023 (Nero cappuccino 110–115 mg, espresso 45 mg).
- NHS. Foods to avoid in pregnancy (caffeine: no more than 200 mg a day).
- Food Standards Agency / GOV.UK. Guidance for food business operators on food supplements containing caffeine, 2024 (EFSA safe levels: 400 mg a day, 200 mg single dose, 200 mg in pregnancy).
- EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies. Scientific Opinion on the safety of caffeine. EFSA Journal, 2015.
General wellness information, not medical advice. If you're pregnant, have a heart condition, or take medication that affects caffeine, check your limits with a doctor.