Espresso Selection Guide: Finding the Right Blend for Your Café

Espresso-based drinks have become the cornerstone of beverage sales for coffee shops and cafés. Lattes, cappuccinos, cortados, americanos—they dominate sales reports in nearly every café today. But it wasn’t always that way. Historically, coffee sales were led by various roasts and origins of pour-over brewed black coffee. When American baristas began adding milk and syrups to espresso, drinks like the latte and cappuccino quickly rose to prominence.

Because espresso is now a café’s flagship beverage, the specific coffee a shop chooses as its house espresso is a statement—about the shop’s taste, brand identity, target customers, and even its financial priorities. Customers value consistency and will often decide which coffee shop to frequent based on the flavor of the espresso alone. In short, the taste of your coffee often comes down to the espresso, even if your café carries multiple origins or blends.

Most roasteries or coffee shops that roast their own coffee have a “house” espresso—crafted specifically for daily espresso service. A house espresso is designed to be versatile, balanced, and just strong enough to complement milk and flavored syrups. It’s meant to shine day in and day out, rarely changing. Choosing the right espresso for your café is therefore a critical decision—and our espresso selection guide is here to help you make it.

Key Considerations for Choosing Your Espresso

1. Menu Style Matters

Think about the coffee beverages you'll offer.

• Minimal syrups or flavorings: Go for an espresso with distinct notes of its own—something memorable with just a touch of milk.
• Lots of syrups or flavors: Choose a robust, roasty espresso that stands up to sweet and layered drinks while still letting the coffee shine. Shop Dilworth's Syrup & Sauce collection.

2. Know Your Customer Base

Understanding your target audience is essential.

• Younger customers (under 30): Often prefer lighter roasts with fruity or floral notes and higher acidity.
• Older generations: Tend to favor dark, smoky, bold espressos.

3. Personal Preference Counts

You’re selling a product you love. If you don’t enjoy the espresso yourself, it will be harder to recommend it passionately to your customers.

4. Flavor Profile Selection

Decide which flavor notes best reflect your café’s style. Common categories include:

• Chocolate and nuts: Lean towards medium Latin American blends.
• Fruity or citrus notes: Lean towards African origins.

5. Consistency and Versatility

Your house espresso should perform reliably in all formats—straight shots, lattes, cappuccinos, and flavored beverages. Consistency keeps customers happy and encourages repeat visits.

Why This Espresso Selection Guide Matters

While your café menu may feature multiple coffee offerings, your house espresso will always be your best-seller. It’s the drink that defines your café’s taste, influences repeat traffic, and sets expectations for quality. Using this guide and considering menu style, customer preferences, flavor profile, and versatility will help ensure you choose the best espresso for coffee shops like yours.

Dilworth Espresso Blends for Your Café

At Dilworth Coffee, we offer a wide variety of house espressos designed to meet the needs of cafés, restaurants, and coffee shops. Whether you want bold and dark, sweet and layered, or light and versatile, we have a blend that will elevate your espresso program.

Dilworth Espresso

Our flagship espresso blend, bold, sweet, and complex. Brazilian, Indonesian, and Papua New Guinea beans combine for reliable performance and balanced flavor—perfect for lattes, cappuccinos, and americanos.

Roast level: Medium

Tastes like: Bold | Sweet | Complex 

Organic San Remo

Rich dark chocolate and caramel notes define this organic espresso. Classic Italian-style espresso with a thick, mouth-coating shot that blends beautifully across your menu.

Roast level: Dark

Tastes like: Dark Chocolate | Caramel

Midnight Lotus

Smooth, layered espresso with rich chocolate, jammy dried fruit, and plum notes. Perfect for straight shots or milk-based drinks up to 12oz.

Roast level: Medium

Tastes like: Layered Chocolate | Dried Fruit

Dilworth Espresso Decaf

All the boldness and nuttiness of our original espresso, without the caffeine. Thick crema, cocoa-rich base, smooth sweetness—perfect for decaf drinks.

Roast Level: Decaf

Tastes like: Bold | Sweet | Complex

Milano Blend

Classic Italian-style espresso for milk-forward beverages. Rich chocolate flavor that holds up through syrups and milk.

Roast level: Dark

Tastes like: Gourmet | Dark Chocolate

Seda Dulce

Light-medium single-origin espresso with nutty, caramel, and buttery notes. Perfect for milk drinks that require smooth balance.

Roast level: Light-Medium

Tastes like: Nutty | Caramel | Buttery

Foundry Espresso

Full-bodied espresso with Dutch cocoa and roasted nut notes. Versatile for milk drinks or as a dark house blend alternative.

Roast level: Dark

Tastes like: Dutch Cocoa | Roasted Nut | Full-bodied

Ready to Choose Your Café’s House Espresso?

Use this espresso selection guide to identify which blend aligns with your menu, brand, and customer base. Then, reach out to Dilworth Coffee—our experts are here to help you find the best espresso for coffee shops and ensure your café delivers a consistently exceptional experience, cup after cup.