Every summer has its own drink craze. There was the Spritz craze, then the Espresso Martini, followed by matcha and green juices. Summer 2026, however, seems to have found its star in a combination that, at least on paper, might make coffee purists turn up their noses: espresso and orange. It’s everywhere on social media. In independent coffee shops, it’s appearing more and more often on menus, while on Instagram and TikTok, thousands of creators are making it by slowly pouring espresso over ice, fresh orange juice, and a slice of citrus. The result is surprisingly elegant: fresh, aromatic, slightly bitter, and naturally sweet. But above all, it signals a shift in the way we drink coffee.
What seems like a novelty today actually has much deeper roots. It’s called Mazagran and is considered one of the first iced coffees in history. Originating in the first half of the 19th century in the Algerian city of Mazagran during the French colonial period, it was prepared by mixing sweetened coffee, cold water, and citrus juice. A drink designed to beat the heat, it has, over time, crossed continents and cultures, evolving along the way. In Brazil, for example, the combination of espresso and orange juice became popular as early as the 1950s with the “café com suco de laranja.” In the United States, however, it was the new generation of specialty coffee that rediscovered this combination, experimenting with coffee varieties featuring citrus notes and lighter roasts, which naturally complement the acidity of the orange.
Today, Mazagran is back in the spotlight at a time when coffee is no longer just a quick break or a daily ritual, but an experience. The culture of specialty coffee has taught us to recognize aromas, scents, and nuances, just as we do in the world of wine. And so, adding an ingredient doesn’t necessarily mean “masking” the coffee’s flavor, but rather enhancing certain characteristics. In fact, orange doesn’t make the coffee sweeter; on the contrary, it amplifies its complexity. The essential oils in the zest, the freshness of the juice, and the natural acidity of citrus fruits bring out the floral, fruity, and chocolatey notes of the espresso, creating an unexpected balance. It’s a drink that surprises precisely because it breaks with established habits without betraying the identity of coffee.
There’s another reason for its success: it perfectly captures the essence of the modern summer. It’s simple, bright, and photogenic; it has the color of a sunset, the clinking of ice in a glass, and a slice of orange floating on the surface. It’s the kind of drink that seems made to be shared on social media, but that also works just as well away from the screen. In a landscape dominated by non-alcoholic cocktails, functional beverages, and reinterpretations of the great classics, orange coffee manages to carve out a space all its own. It’s not a dessert, it’s not a soft drink, and it’s not even just a simple iced coffee. It’s something in between that satisfies the desire for something familiar yet new, capable of transforming an everyday gesture into a little summer ritual.
It may never replace the espresso sipped at the bar counter in a matter of seconds—that quintessentially Italian ritual that defies every passing trend. But the Mazagran reminds us that even the most time-honored traditions can be reinterpreted without losing their authenticity. And that, sometimes, all it takes is a slice of orange to completely change the way we view one of the world’s most beloved drinks. Because every summer has its own flavor, and this year it tastes of coffee, ice, and citrus.
[📷 Instagram: elpanotmx]
