Lokal Coffee & Co. has officially opened its doors at 103 Miln Street! Lokal Coffee is owned by Jorge Arriola, who started his culinary career as a chef at top restaurants around the world. Though Jorge loved being a chef, working 16 hour days became mentally and physically exhausting and he decided to make the pivot to opening a coffee shop. He wanted his coffee shop to provide customers with a welcoming, laid back, and unpretentious space where they could enjoy coffee and food. The first Lokal Coffee opened in Iselin in 2019, and in a few years Jorge felt ready to open a second location.

Jorge was drawn to Cranford and its reputation for being welcoming to small businesses. “Lokal Coffee is a place where people shouldn’t feel rushed,” said Jorge. “It’s a place to meet and gather while enjoying breakfast, brunch, or lunch with one of our specialty coffee drinks.”

Jorge’s mission is to bring specialty coffee to the suburbs. His family is from Costa Rica, and he also visits coffee farms throughout Latin America a few times a year to check the quality of the beans and develop relationships with the farmers. “All of our coffee is fair trade and it’s a specialty, small batch product. We obtain the beans and then roast them at a roasting facility. We’re there for the whole process, from farm to cup.”

Jorge learned about coffee by reading extensively about it, meeting with farmers, and through a fair amount of trial and error. He’s happy to educate consumers about what makes Lokal’s coffee stand apart, and also operates the business as a learning environment for his staff. “I want our employees to care as much about our product as I do,” said Jorge. “I look for people who want to learn and also aspire to do more, which includes opening their own business down the line.”

Lokal Coffee offers an extensive menu of breakfast, brunch, and lunch options. If customers are in the mood for breakfast they can choose from omelets, pancakes, waffles, french toast, and smoothies. If they’re looking for lunch, Lokal Coffee serves a large variety of sandwiches, including avocado toast, grilled cheese, tuna, and their most popular, turkey club, as well as salads, soups, and more. When it comes to drinks, Lokal Coffee is known for its lattes, which come in flavors like Brown Sugar, Caramel, Raspberry Mocha, and Tate’s Cookie (a customer favorite).

Lokal Coffee is open 7 days a week from 7AM-4PM. For more information, you can follow them on social media or just stop in and see the space for yourself. Welcome to town Jorge and the Lokal Coffee crew. Thank you for choosing Cranford!