On Wednesday, Oct. 16, I visited the local café “Cordella’s.” Located at 116 June Street in Worcester, Cordella’s is a small shop with delicious treats and freshly brewed coffee by passionate baristas. Co-owners Andy Jimison, Jess Rao, Ellie Ellis, and Alecia Bishop collaborate to create a positive and eclectically artistic environment.
Upon arrival, I was met with several booths, a record player, an art installment by local artist Brad Rodgers (@paint_semetary on Instagram) at the time, and a barista genuinely passionate about their craft. The artists change every two weeks and spotlight someone new every time. When looking around, I noticed a small pastry display case full of scones and pastries atop a larger display case full of coffee-making equipment to purchase for your home. The register is small, as is the shop itself, but they pack it full of fun and exciting articles. Whether it be clothing or stickers, they have some goodies for you to look at on their rack of merchandise by the display cases.
I ordered a lemon poppy seed scone with an oat milk cortado. For anyone who might be unsure of what these are, a scone is a dense, sweet, triangular pastry that’s on the drier side. This one had lemon icing on it, and it was zesty and flavorful. A cortado is a small espresso drink made of equal parts espresso and steamed milk, traditionally served in a 4 oz glass. When I ordered and told Alecia that I was a Worcester State University student, she told me that they are one of the only places off campus that accept Common Funds (the funds you load into your card for laundry or the bookstore) from the University’s OneCard. I hadn’t heard anyone talk about this, so it was surprising and exciting to hear!
As I started walking around, I noticed the flyers. Cordella’s not only promotes events, but they also host them, including a monthly event, “Record Club Brunch,” where attendees are expected to bring a record that corresponds to the theme of the meeting. On Nov. 3, they tried a new event called the “Brewing Methods Class.” With a $40 cover fee, people learned about home brewing methods for their favorite coffees, took home a bag of Cordella’s coffee beans, and received 10% off all of the home brewing tools in the display case. Above the flyers, the shop showcases all of the roasts they sell. They partner with Dean’s Beans to come up with their own “Cordella’s” brand flavors, one example being the “Mothman’s Midnight Brew,” which is a medium-dark roast with dark chocolate and nutty notes, alongside a graham cracker flavoring.
Cordella’s is a small café, but it packs a lot of punch. Everywhere you look there is another thing that catches your eye.
