A machine (1) for dispensing a beverage (84) from a capsule (2) has: an external housing (10, 30, 30′, 40, 50, 60) having an external front face (10), two external spaced-apart lateral side faces (30,30′) that extend rearwards behind the external front face (10) and that face each other; a beverage outlet (11) located on the external front face (10) and above a front area (20) for placing a user-receptacle (3,4) for collecting beverage (84) from the outlet (11); and a capsule handling device (70) that has a first part (71) and a second part (72) that are relatively movable between a capsule transfer position and a capsule extraction position. At least one part (72) of the first and second parts (71,72) is arranged to translate towards and away from at least one of the two external lateral side faces (30,30′) so that the first and second parts (71,72) relatively move between the transfer and the extraction positions.