Talented barista takes latte art to the next level with this gold pegasus

An Iranian latte artist who goes by @Mortzabayat on Instagram is here to elevate your morning cup of coffee.

The guy has clearly graduated from the basic leaves and happy faces we’re used to getting from our local baristas. Bears, flamingos and seahorses are just a few of the designs the artist can achieve. He uses the free pouring technique to create unexpected coffee designs.

Watch Mortzabayat demonstrate his artistic process in a video where he tops a coffee with a pegasus.

He pours a mixture of steamed milk and golden sediment from a frothing pitcher into a cup of black coffee. Mortzabayat controls each pour and directs it to create each line. At first, it’s unclear what he’s making. But after a few swirls, a white and golden pegasus emerges. 

The video received over 52,435 views and much adoration. 

“What? That is some art. Brilliant,” one user said

“Nice, my friend, I like it!” another wrote.

“Wonderful coffee. Here in Brazil, the only thing we drink more is water,” a person said

Coffee art became popular around the late 1980s thanks to the rise of coffee shop culture in the U.S. By the 2000s, it made its way to Australia and northern Europe, but today it is championed in Asia. This is in part due to social media — what’s more Instagrammable than a gorgeous latte? — and a global rise in coffee consumption. 

If you enjoyed this story, you might want to read about this ceramic artist that creates hyperrealistic replicas of Asian foods.

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