About La Cabra
La Cabra is a specialty coffee roaster and bakery founded by Esben Piper in Aarhus, Denmark, now recognized as Denmark's most prominent coffee export beyond Copenhagen's first-wave names. Starting as a single corner cafe, the brand has expanded to multiple Aarhus locations and New York City, with an international wholesale and subscription business built around Nordic light roasts.
About
La Cabra is the Aarhus-born specialty coffee roaster and bakery that has, over the past decade, become Denmark's most recognizable coffee export after Copenhagen's first-wave names. Founded by Esben Piper, the company began as a single corner cafe in Aarhus and has since opened additional locations in Aarhus and New York City, while building a wholesale and subscription business that ships internationally.
La Cabra started in Aarhus and stayed rooted there — the [Graven 20 address](https://lacabra.com) is still the flagship, an unfussy corner room that doubles as the de facto specialty coffee anchor of Denmark's second city. The expansion into New York gave the brand a North American presence without dilution; the same design language, the same light roasts, the same bread.
La Cabra's roast profile sits firmly in the Nordic light-roast camp, with an emphasis on washed Ethiopias, Kenyas, and Colombian microlots. The bakery side of the business — a deliberate part of the concept — gives the cafes a different rhythm than the typical pourover-only specialty bar, and the wholesale program supplies a growing list of European and North American partners.
In the Press
Third-party coverage of La Cabra.
Coffee & Beans Review
La Cabra has been the subject of standalone profiles in [Green Plantation](https://www.greenplantation.com/a/danish-roaster-la-cabra-coffee) and is one of the better-rated specialty destinations on cafe-aggregator sites like [Tripadvisor](https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g189530-d4063181-Reviews-La_Cabra_Coffee-Aarhus_Central_Jutland.html). The body of independent YouTube coffee-review coverage on La Cabra's microlots is substantial — a useful signal of how widely their coffees travel.
The Graven 20 cafe in Aarhus is the original and best entry point — a few minutes from the cathedral, with bread out front and the full filter and espresso lineup behind the bar. The New York City location extends the same model to a U.S. audience. Online orders ship from Denmark.
Coffee at a Glance
- Roaster status
- PR Enriched
- Roasting style
- Light to medium, bright and acidity-forward, Nordic specialty approach
- Best coffee drinks
- Filter coffee, Espresso, Flat white
- Best buying path
- In store
- Online beans
- Check availability
- Specialty transparency
- Limited
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is La Cabra's original café located in Aarhus?+
The original La Cabra café is at Graven 20 in Aarhus' Latin Quarter — a sunny, central street in one of the city's most walkable neighborhoods.
When was La Cabra founded?+
La Cabra opened its first café in 2012 in Aarhus and began roasting its own coffee in 2013, with the original roastery operating from the basement of the Graven café.
What makes La Cabra distinctive among Aarhus coffee roasters?+
La Cabra started as a local café and grew into an internationally recognized roaster with wholesale partners globally and subscribers in more than 60 countries — an unusual trajectory that traces back to one café in the Latin Quarter.
What is La Cabra's roasting style?+
La Cabra roasts bright, light-to-medium coffees that emphasize origin character and acidity. The Graven café describes serving "bright coffees" daily, consistent with a Nordic specialty approach rather than a dark or espresso-forward style.
Can I order La Cabra coffee online or subscribe?+
Yes. La Cabra ships beans globally through their website, with free EU shipping on orders over €60. A monthly subscription ships new coffees each month, and subscribers receive 15% off additional items.
What is the atmosphere like at the Graven café?+
The Graven café is cozy and furnished with Danish Design classics. It sits on a lively, sunny street in the Latin Quarter and draws a mix of local regulars and traveling coffee enthusiasts. Reviews describe it as popular and often crowded.
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