CRAVINGS
A Coffeeshop for the Community
TERRA COFFEE MOVES INTO YOSEMITE STREET VILLAGE BY NORA HESTON TARTE / D SELECTED PHOTOS BY DAN HOOD
D
uring the pandemic, Terra Coffee quietly relocated to Yosemite Street Village, where their coffee-meets-art business model was a perfect fit. Owners Efrain and Laura Garcia used to pour their homeroasted coffee inside the Mexican Heritage Center, a hobby that turned professional in 2017. “We wanted to offer specialty coffee in our city,” says Laura, adding her and Efrain have long bonded over discovering coffee in different regions. Today they are loving filling community cups with their micro-batch coffee in a range of flavors that include ube, as a nod to Laura’s roots. “Ube has a nutty vanilla flavor with amazing color that makes your drink pop,” she says. The coffee at Terra is always evolving, with new coffee harvests brought in every three to four months and seasonal drinks concocted just as often.
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The beans are roasted, served, and sold in Stockton, where Efrain and Laura live. Plus, unlike larger coffee chains, it’s not just the coffee that is brewed locally—the syrups and much of the food is made from scratch, too. While the baristas are certainly talented when it comes to making a cup of joe, their other skills are on display at the coffee shop, too, decorating the walls. “We not only employ artists but love showcasing their creations,” Laura says. “The connections and support we provide to our community is very important to us.” Serving coffee in Stockton’s oldest business district, tucked inside of a neighborhood, feels homey. “We love the neighborhood community and how involved they are with their business district,” Laura says. “Being located in the Yosemite feels great!”
QUICK FACTS
Must-try drink: Ube White Mocha Little known fact: All of Terra’s coffee is roasted in Stockton What makes it different: Baristas manually time and pull espresso shots Who roasts the coffee: Efrain Where to learn more: @terracoffee209
