Long-shot espresso, or lungo, is created by adding twice as much water to a typical espresso. As a result, it has a less robust coffee flavor but a more complex flavor profile with bitterer overtones. An Americano, which is an espresso topped with hot water, should not be mistaken with a lungo.

The Lungo, like many of the most well-known espresso beverages, has Italian roots. The word “lungo” (which means “long” in Italian) denotes the beverage’s larger volume than a typical espresso.