Lorca

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Lorca
Location: Stamford, CT
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

If there's a state in which I started off on the wrong foot, it was Connecticut. As one of the first states to grace my youthful eyes, the land debuted as merely a glorified series of congested interstates. No sooner had I entered into Connecticut did I wish to be rid of it on the other side, destined for tourism in Rhode Island, Massachusetts and other points north. Now older and wiser, I have realized how many gems I have missed in the many towns of CT. To make up for lost time, I recently began retracing old road trips but using time-tested logic of seeking local dining establishments instead of truck stops and coffeehouses of repute versus caffeinated drive throughs.


One such retrace was through the town of Stamford, in which I found a gleaming diamond amidst the cute downtown in a coffeehouse and bakery called Lorca. Opened in 2012 as a shop offering quality coffee and great churros, Lorca has carved itself a noticeable niche, now employing a large staff of baristas with impressive taste in coffee.


Arriving late one afternoon, I made my way to Lorca to kill some time before dinner and grab an afternoon beverage or two. Inside the shop is uniquely arrayed, with a canoe suspended from the ceiling and a gorgeous mural which appears to be of Spanish influence. While the shop footprint appears small, there's actually plenty of seating inside and out, especially with the high ceiling making the space feel wide open. Rounding out the shop, the bar itself boasts a clean white-tiled wall, open shelves and a nifty custom neon sign proclaiming the need for coffee and churros.


Speaking of coffee, they use Counter Culture with a rotating guest roaster. The day of my visit, I ordered an espresso of Counter Culture's Hologram and a pourover of an Ethiopian from guest roaster Ceremony. The espresso, pulled short/medium with light brown crema, sang of raisin, blackberries, cream, chocolate nibs, dandelion and a little cookie, proving sweet and bright. The pourover additionally knocked my socks off, with notes of creme brûlée, strawberries, gooseberries, olive oil, birch beer and a touch of collard greens in a light body.


Quite happy with my visit, it warmed my heart even further to hear that Lorca is expanding to a second location. If you happen to be anywhere near Stamford, definitely check out the fine offerings of Lorca.



These wonderful folks made this visit possible in part. Make sure to check them out!