Aura Coffee Roasters Opens Downtown, Expanding Cranford’s Growing Coffee Scene

CRANFORD, NJ - Cranford’s coffee scene continues to grow with the recent opening of Aura Coffee Roasters at 109 Walnut Avenue, bringing a focus on small-batch roasting and house-made ingredients to the downtown.Owner Argjend Berisha and his wife, Fjolla, opened the second Aura location after seeing strong support from Cranford customers at their original shop in Linden, which debuted in 2023. Fjolla brings a decade of experience in the coffee industry, while Argjend comes from a restaurant background and was looking for a way to stay in hospitality without the demands of a full-service kitchen. “I taught myself about coffee beans, their origin, roasting them, and how to craft the best cup of coffee possible,” Argjend said.That hands-on approach carries through at the Cranford shop. “We specialize in roasting our own beans just 10 minutes away, so the coffee is going to be very fresh,” he said. Aura sources beans grown in Ethiopia and highlights their flavor profile in its drinks. “The flavor is very floral and also very bright for a medium roast,” Argjend told TAPinto Cranford. “It has a nice balance with all the notes.”Argjend said Cranford stood out as a natural fit for expansion. “Cranford is so vibrant and walkable,” he said. “People are also very knowledgeable about coffee here. I don’t have to really spend too much time educating everyone because people know good coffee.”In addition to traditional espresso drinks, Aura offers seasonal specials along with matcha, tea, and lemonade. One of its most popular menu items is the Iced Honeysuckle Latte, made with house-made honey and vanilla syrups, espresso, and milk. The shop also serves breakfast and lunch sandwiches and bakes its own pastries in-house.