Finally! Competent coffee comes to Stamford! This is a move that is long overdue + I fully expect the area to benefit from the friendly new addition of Turning Point Coffee Roasters.
To be clear, when it comes to GOOD coffee, there are typically two ways to go:
(1) the first is a gallery-style coffee experience, where the establishment essentially CURATES quality coffee options from other worthy roasters;
(2) the second is the fresh-roasted coffee experience, featuring coffee roasted in-house by the same team that serves it.
Stamford is already home to another quality coffee destination (Lorca), well-known to be a worthwhile gallery-style experience; but the area has been utterly lacking in a GOOD-QUALITY roaster experience... until now!
THAT'S where Turning Point steps up to bat - and confidently knocks it right outta the park.
AMBIANCE
Stepping through the front door, you can expect to be greeted by the warm glow of vintage-style Edison bulbs dangling softly from the ceiling like incandescent stars. Chillhop-style music thrums energetically at a volume that makes for enjoyable listening without getting in the way.
The textures of the interior are soft + hint of home. One entire wall is dedicated to a gorgeous display made up of mirrored windows, floating shelves, potted plants, and stacks of books - all set just above the primary seating area which is neatly organized against the backdrop of a long, plush blue bench.
The wall opposite this is brilliantly styled after a minimalist reading nook, featuring mid-century modern chairs you could comfortably spend a whole day in, a cute little coffee table, more floating shelves, popular magazines hung on a ladder rack, and rows of vinyl records.
The bar itself is spacious + packed full of goodies. There is room for at least 5 guests at the main bar alone. The equipment behind the bar is sparkling clean. (You can find another bar-style seating area at the front window if you prefer more light + a view.)
Top to bottom, this coffee shop mirrors my best vision of what a coffee experience SHOULD be. I wouldn't change a THING.
COFFEE + FOOD
Just as one would expect, the coffee experience itself is utterly delicious. The menu is diverse + creative without becoming overwhelming, and the baristas are sure to be even more excited about coffee than you are!
An ultimate tasting experience would include the Pour Over and/or Siphon Pot options - both of which do a spectacular job of highlighting the unique roasting notes + flavor profiles of the different beans.
The pastries that you can find neatly stacked (and covered) on the main bar feature a local baker, who has even created a special macaron just for Turning Point using their own espresso (yum!).
Sitting here in the reading nook, I can see those impressive custom macarons, giant cookies, muffins, croissants, a blueberry cake of some sort (looks SO good!), and more.
Needless to say, no part of the menu disappoints; in fact, QUITE the opposite - I want to taste every last item right away! Haha!
HOSPITALITY
Walking through the front door, I was immediately + warmly greeted by Alexa, who smiled invitingly at me from behind the bar. She was working alongside Josh (Josh positively EXUDES a sincere love for coffee-as-art), who shook my hand + asked my name before excitedly introducing me to Chris, the owner.
Chris took the time to learn about me and even gave me a casual tour of the shop + roasting station, demonstrating a seriousness + competency that has been sorely missed in the area until now, especially in the area of small-batch coffee roasting - although he attributes the interior design ideas to his wife (smart guy!).
CONCLUSION
All in all, I couldn't possibly be more impressed with this shiny new establishment than I already am. Turning Point Coffee Roasters promises to become a well-loved addition to the Stamford coffee scene + has already managed to fill an important void worth addressing.
If you haven't yet been to Turning Point, don't feel badly: they only JUST opened this past Saturday (9/8/18). But when you DO decide to swing by for a visit, plan on staying awhile to enjoy the bright + welcoming atmosphere.
And, as always, if you love the experience as much as I have: consider taking the time to do the Turning Point Team a solid by leaving a review here on Yelp!
NOTE TO THE STAFF
Thank you, Alexa / Josh / Chris, for working so hard to create such a wonderful experience for those of us in-and-around Stamford. I know for sure that I'll be back, and I look forward to sending others your way ASAP! Keep up the outstanding work. See you again very very soon. :) read more