Lorca — Restaurant in Stamford

Mediocre Experience Falls Short of Expectations

I visited this cafe at 9am this morning with high expectations after a friend raved about their coffee. Unfortunately, my experience fell far short of the mark.

The most glaring issue was the staff's indifference. When I arrived with my son, the employees seemed disinterested in taking our order, the guy did not take my son’s order and the lady said to me “I don’t know”with a gesture of 🤷🏻‍♀️ creating an unwelcoming atmosphere. Throughout our visit, not a single smile was offered to us and to any customer to my observation nor any attempt at friendly customer interaction. This level of apathy is particularly disappointing in a service-oriented business.

I ordered a latte and two croissants, which turned out to be mediocre at best. The coffee was unremarkable, and the pastries were nothing special - certainly not good enough to justify the lacklustre service.

The cafe doesn't offer anything so extraordinary that it justifies such a dismissive attitude towards customers. In a market saturated with coffee shops, outstanding service and quality products often set establishments apart, and sadly, both were lacking here very much so.

There are numerous cafes in the area where staff greet customers warmly, engage in pleasant conversation, and genuinely seem to enjoy their work. These places understand that the cafe experience extends beyond just the quality of the coffee and pastries.

In conclusion, the combination of poor customer service and mediocre food and drinks has ensured I won't be returning, my friends were informed also. I'd recommend management focus on improving both their menu offerings and serious staff training, fostering a more customer-centric environment. Until then, I'll be taking my business to cafes that value customer satisfaction and maintain higher standards for their products.

Pros: Convenient location to us

Cons: Inattentive and unengaging staff Unwelcoming atmosphere Lack of customer service Mediocre latte (small) and croissants $16.37 total - quite expensive for the food and service provided Not...

I recently had the pleasure of visiting The Lorca in Stamford, Connecticut, and it was truly a delightful experience. This cozy cafe and bakery quickly became a favorite spot for me during my stay.

The ambiance at The Lorca is warm and inviting. The rustic decor and charming atmosphere create a comfortable setting for enjoying a cup of coffee or indulging in their delectable baked goods. Whether you're looking for a quick breakfast or a relaxing afternoon coffee break, The Lorca provides a cozy and welcoming environment.

The menu at The Lorca offers a wide selection of delicious treats. Their coffee is rich and flavorful, and they offer a variety of brewing methods to cater to different preferences. The bakery items are simply outstanding. From the flaky croissants to the mouthwatering pastries, each bite was a delightful experience. The presentation and freshness of the baked goods were top-notch.

The staff at The Lorca were friendly and helpful. They were always ready to provide recommendations and answer any questions about the menu. The service was efficient, and I never felt rushed, allowing me to savor my coffee and pastry while enjoying the relaxed atmosphere.

The only reason I am giving The Lorca a four-star rating instead of five is the limited seating options. Due to its popularity, finding a seat during peak hours can be challenging, and the limited space can make it feel a bit crowded. However, the staff does their best to accommodate customers, and the quality of the food and service make up for this minor inconvenience.

If you're a coffee lover or have a sweet tooth, I highly recommend visiting The Lorca during your time in Stamford. It's the perfect spot to indulge in a delicious treat and relax in a cozy setting. Just be prepared for the possibility of limited seating during busy times. The Lorca truly captures the essence of a charming neighborhood cafe and delivers an...

Let me start by saying how much I love Lorca. I moved to downtown Stamford in 2017, and fell in love with this awesome little place when I walked by it on my first day in town. The coffee is always top notch (tres leches iced coffee, amirite?), and the food is very good. It’s pricey, but that’s what you get for supporting a local business in the downtown area of a very expensive town. I’d rather spend $1-2 more to support Leyla and her staff than some chain coffeeshop. Service has always been a tad slow, but it’s was always delivered with a smile and friendly word.

That being said - not sure what’s going on with service in the last few months. Most of, if not all, of the usual baristas seem to have turned over, and the ones remaining are not very friendly. It feels as if you are inconveniencing them by being there and ordering. I recently tried to call in an order over the phone, and was told they were too busy to take it down and to place an order online. Ok - whatever, but the way the message was delivered was pretty poor.

The coffee and churros are still awesome, but any time I take away food (usually 1x per week) it’s prepared / packaged sloppily. In particular, the empanadas have gone downhill - crust is being made twice as thick as it used to be so it’s a bit gummy, and the chimmichurri is usually cold as ice. Seems like a weirdly specific thing for me to call out in a review, but I lived for the empanadas as a regular breakfast item I pick up on the way to work so 🤷🏻‍♀️ I’m probably not going to be doing that regularly anymore - they just haven’t been good enough to spend $9 on lately.

Still giving four stars though! This place has always been awesome over the last four years, and I’ll keep returning. There might just be a new manager or team running things now that don’t do things quite to the same standard the owner does. Hopefully this changes - I’m sure it can be...