CHRISTIANSBURG, Va. – On Christiansburg’s Main Street stands a church that’s been there since 1908. While it recently spent some time vacant, the Larkin’s changed that a little over a year ago by bringing their “best kept secret” to town.
This started Great Road Coffee. Its name dates back to the 1700s.
“The historical value of Great Road, you know, the migration trail from Philadelphia to Atlanta.”
Mike Larkin, co-owner of Great Road, says he wanted to respect the historical value. Part of that meant leaving the stained glass windows intact.
It’s not just the look that sets this spot apart but the taste and the smell.
Larkin tells us that when coming up with the menu, he told his team, “I don’t want anything that you can get next door.”
The Larkin’s give the kitchen staff creative freedom, and they have run with it. We start with coffee specials like the Nutty Irishman, with Irish Crème and hazelnut to get the morning started.
Chef Robin Upchurch uses the talent she’s had since she was a little girl to spice up the menu, along with what she calls, ‘magic.’
When asked about it, Larkin laughed and said, “She just calls it magic. We’re not quite sure what that is.”
Whatever it is, it’s great!
My personal favorite from our stop at Great Road was the cinnamon caramel apple scone with a maple glaze on top. It’s a sweetness that lingers in your mouth minutes after the final bite.
For lunch, the magic continues with items like, “Chicken bacon ranch wrap, chicken salad wrap, and the avocado toast.”
The chicken bacon ranch wrap had our photographer, Chase, and I repeatedly saying, “Dude!” It was that good! (Thank you, magic!)
More important than the heartwarming coffee or the magic in the food is the mission the Larkin’s set out to fulfill when they moved here more than a decade ago.
Larkin concludes, “If you’re going to live in a community, be part of the community. And if you have anything to offer to improve upon that community, then that’s what you bring.”