Foxtail Coffee - Winter Park — Restaurant in Winter Park

It seems like whoever opened this place was thinking "Lets spend a huge amount of money building a cafe space, and uhhh.... I guess we can serve coffee?"

Let me start off by saying that this is the first review I have ever left anywhere on any company, and I am mainly doing this because I care. I care about the coffee community, and the growth of the specialty coffee community/industry. I believe that there needs to be more specialty coffee shops in Orlando that educates peoples perspective on coffee much like the west coast is doing. Even more so when a company has the audacity to claim "specialty coffee shop" and do a disservice to the public. Im sad because they're literally thinking they will get away with treating coffee as simply an afterthought, and I'm even more sad because due to the lack of knowledge on the east coast, Florida in general, about specialty coffee, they will get away with it. Just because you put up a sign saying that you roast and source responsibly doesn't mean anything(most will eat this up). I want to know what guy in suit and tie actually sat down and listened to some pitch and actually threw money into this place blindly, because like I said, if there was one positive about the place it is that the space is a million dollar space. It was really well done, that gets the 1 star; however, the product is lacking some inspiration and some knowledge about the industry. How about some info on the coffee bags such as elevation/process/tasting notes/when it was roasted/etc. How about pre-weighing the pour over coffee beans that way we don't have to sit and watch a nervous guy weigh beans for 4 minutes, and actually make it easier for him. How about bringing the roast level down so that way my coffee isn't toasty/char/tasting the actual brand of the roasting machine in my cup. How about not making a literal 7 minute pour over and letting every coffee walk out your door over extracted/bitter/burnt/charred. How about not serving a latte that is mostly milk because a "specialty coffee shop" is serving 12 or 16oz lattes(can't remember which). I mean i know Im coming off as mean, but its because this is not helping Orlando to build a stronger foundation of what specialty coffee actually is. Hiring just anyone to put water in a kettle and pour into a pour over device and having him close his eyes and hope for the best is not inspiring in any way, and shows lack of training and ownership in my opinion. I'm sorry but this space is nothing but a gorgeous glorified Starbucks. The way I see it is if your allowing every cup of subpar coffee to walk out your door then this comment shouldn't bother you at all, because it doesn't seem like you care about the industry or the continual growth of the industry anyways. This place is a slap in my face, a slap in Orlando's face, and the industry as a whole.

Orlando...

What a wonderful experience I had at foxtail! My gf and I decided to do an impromptu date night and both being coffee addicts we decided this would be the spot. I asked Ally what her choice would be for a hard drink and she recommended the cider for something sweet. She was SPOT on and it was one of the best ciders I've ever had hands down. Then, we both got coffee. I went with a cortadito and she got a cafe con leche. The nice guy explained the difference between cortado and cortadito. Then while sitting there we were discussing the syphon coffee. We didn't know what it was and decided to ask Ally and Mael. It was almost closing time So we didn't want be those people who hold up closing but Mael was so awesome. He insisted it wasn't any trouble and he'd love to make us fancy coffee. He explained the whole process and the nuances of the beans he was using. He and Ally had full conversations with us and were so pleasant to be around. That was some of the best customer service I've ever recieved. That's what makes loyal customers. You won't get that at Starbucks or dunkin donuts. They were incredibly knowledgeable, funny, friendly and accommodating. We'll be back just to see them hopefully. Hopefully the owners appreciate employees who go above and beyond like everyone tonight. Thanks for making our date...

No drive thru, have to park a block away for a $6 eight ounce coffee. At 7am, bagels are not open (cashier said “I don’t know, no one is there indicating to bagel station) so.. what’s the point

Update: Responding to Foxtail on Apr 21, 2025 - Thank you for the offer for a refund + free cups added to my app – but I’ll decline. I do not have your app installed, nor do I have an account. I’m somewhat familiar with your other locations – I see them tucked into various corners of the City Beautiful, although they always seem to be on the wrong side of the road, requiring two left turns and a prayer to get to.

For this visit, I was in that part of town for an early appointment and popped in mainly for a bagel, with coffee as the supporting actor. I was already mildly agitated due to the lack of a drive-thru (yes, that one's on me), and then further thrown by the Cracker Barrel meets Restoration Hardware aesthetic.

I asked for a plain brewed black coffee – something simple – but was met with a "not ready yet." So I ended up with a $4.30 + tax + tip = ~$6 Americano that tasted like burned espresso beans passed through the disappointment of an early morning.

So… Foxtail – you do you. I’ve now learned that a “Foxtail Experience” is not my cup of… coffee. But thanks for...