Snow White Coffee — Restaurant in Oakland

Nice coffee and tasty pastries – what more do you want? (4/5 green stars) There’s something very attractive about the signage on Snow White, and the contrast with the old sign from the eponymous launderette that previously occupied the site. I’m at the same time excited and nervous about having used the word eponymous in a sentence for the first time. (Nervous because I’m not sure that it’s exactly the right usage.) Well, that about wraps up my review. Oh, wait, there’s more. The latte was made with the Oscuro Nuevo blend, of which The Roast Co. says: “It's everything those of us who prefer light-roasted coffee wish dark roasts were.” I’m still struggling to understand that – I think I need more coffee. In any case, both the latte and the muffin that went with it were very good. A walnut-apple muffin from the Starter Bakery, I believe. I like the picnic table in the little space beside the café – when you sit there almost everyone who walks by pauses to see what’s happening. Nothing to see here, folks - just two people sharing a latte and muffin – move along!

I’m giving them 4/5 “green stars” for social and environmental impact, based on these reasons: • Milk used for (regular) lattes is Humboldt Creamery organic milk. Humboldt is ramping up its business after the previous CEO messed them up and they had to be sold to Foster Farms (/Crystal Creamery). Humboldt is a business worth supporting, I think, as long as they don’t sell out and give up on their ethics.

• Coffee is roasted in Oakland by the Roast Co. They are a bit vague on their sourcing policies: “RoastCo pays special attention to the conditions under which they are grown and processed.” They do refer to one of their single-origin coffees, Finca Vista Hermosa, as a model for many shade grown and organic plantations. On the Oscuro Nuevo Blend sold at Snow White there’s no info available on sustainability or trade. Would be good to know more. Packaging for coffee beans is not compostable.

• Starter Bakery say that their “flours and grains are non-GMO and/or organic; the only fats we use are butter, non-GMO canola oil and organic olive oil; we never use shortening. Premier local food companies like Clover, Guittard, TCHO, Central Milling and select farms supply us...”

• So there’s a trend: Snow White is supporting three local businesses – two new and growing and a third that’s getting going again after a setback. Other details like the compostable straws indicate that it’s a business that cares about the little things that matter.

Interested in writing green star reviews? If so, contact me!...

So beyond disappointed in my experience it’s comical.

When I walk in it’s one person working and is clearly in the middle of orders.

The person working the coffee bar snaps at me “what can I do for you” as I wait a far distant from the register to read the menu.

As they are the only person working, I wasn’t expecting an immediate acknowledgment outside of the possible “hi, be with you shortly thanks for waiting”.

I truly wish I had left after that.

Instead of getting to read the menu, I see a chai latte and ask for one iced. I’m met with a quick, sharp, and frankly, condescending return of “we can’t ice it bc it’s actually REAL CHAI, so it has to steep.” I order my chai hot which is fine.

The entire interaction felt unwelcoming and quite rude. When someone else was waiting to order, they nicely asked how the baristas morning was and the response was a flat “busy”

I’ve worked in the area for a couple years and I’m glad I’ve never come into a shift early to try it. The vibe is inhospitable and it seems like he’d rather not have guests at all than be somewhat busy.

I truly don’t believe a wait should be an issue, but I don’t want to wait in a small coffee bar and listen to a pretentious 50+yo barista talk about why people don’t really understand rage against the machine after he just acted like a teenager lashing out bc he doesn’t want to be at work today.

As im sure this person is very likely the owner. Just a tip, to add to my 15%, life is much worse outside of your piedmont bubble. Don’t put your bad day on the people that patronize your business.

Chai was mid. Not worth...

I have patronized Snow White Coffee for years. The business offers great parties and chia tea. However, my experience was terrible this morning. Upon entering the business, I witnessed the employee socializing with 2 friends at the entrance of the counter where the pastries (covered) and coffee lids (left open) available for customers to cover their drink. The employee’s friends were enjoying a pastry while their dog was jumping up and down on the counter next to the coffee cup lids and pastries. Upon expressing my concerns about hygiene practices of an animal jumping on the counter, the employee was rude, ignored my concern, and stated “If you want to address your concern, you can speak to my manager, do you still want to order” I ordered, yet after thinking about the interaction, I decided to just leave. I have had nothing but a great experience over the years, but the business is declining to...