Snow White Coffee Bar

Tyler S

Small, quaint, and delicious. There isn’t much seating so won’t see the obligatory nerd on a computer or some douche with their AirPods in talking way too loud about a deal he ain’t going to close. They have a tiny patio on the side that will probably seat 4-8 people but that’s what make is so cute.

Cristobal Leal

Cute little coffee shop with outdoor seating. Wife got the Chai and it was fire. Service was also great — very friendly and warm.

Jessica Mitchell

The owner is nice and chatty and makes a mean cappuccino. They’ve got a couple tables outside too so you can linger a moment and don’t have to chug your drink and then put your mask on immediately which is nice!

Great coffee! You can tell the guys who work there have a friendly rapport with their customers. Very dog friendly. Best coffee in the area. I’ll be back every time im in town. Pastries are great too. I’ve had the bacon scone and the muffin and both were fresh and well done. I love the 89 but I drink it too fast so I usually get an iced latte. Or both.

The cute mural on the outside caught my eye, didn't expect much of the place and just ordered my regular cappuccino. It was the best cappuccino I have ever had. So good I went right back in and ordered a second one, and I'll be considering buying their beans in the future. Easily the best coffee on Piedmont Ave.

Their mocha was a 10/10! Just the perfect amount of sweetness, I’m usually hesitant about ordering Mochas because of how sweet they are. Friendly service as well.

i’m one of the annoying chatty regulars with a dog!! snow white is the reason i have friends and a relationship with my neighborhood. people hate to see folks find a third space and build relationships lol. the worst part of swbc is the people who approach my dog without asking me first, and i’m always grateful for the way the staff assert that you gotta act right around pups if you wanna hang at the shop. it’s the only dog friendly coffee shop in the neighborhood, so if you’re not dog friendly, you can go get crappy coffee at timeless lol.

Snow White Coffee is my favorite on the street, and you’ve got options. I don’t want to waste time reviewing why I don’t go to the other shops. But at Snow White there’s kind baristas, they make a great drink, the place is clean, and prices compare to the competing shops. There is not a lot of seating, but I’m usually a coffee to go person anyway.

Snow White Coffee has quickly become my go-to spot for a top-quality coffee experience. Every time I walk by or step into the shop, I'm greeted by the irresistible aroma of freshly brewed coffee, instantly lifting my spirits. The coffee here is truly exceptional. Unlike other places where coffee can leave my stomach feeling uneasy, Snow White Coffee always makes me feel energized and positive. Each cup is crafted to perfection, offering a rich and satisfying taste that stands out. I highly recommend Snow White Coffee to anyone seeking a delightful and reliable coffee experience. Whether you're a casual drinker or a coffee aficionado, you're sure to love this place as much as I do!

I'm not from the area but am frequently in town for work, and I always try to make a stop here when I'm back in Oakland. I don't have the refined palette of a true coffee connoisseur as I don't have it everyday, but this place makes me truly appreciate the no frills authenticity of a high quality cup of coffee. The service can't be beat and it feels darn good to see a local business adored by so many.

Nico Milligan

The cute mural on the outside caught my eye, didn't expect much of the place and just ordered my regular cappuccino. It was the best cappuccino I have ever had. So good I went right back in and ordered a second one, and I'll be considering buying their beans in the future. Easily the best coffee on Piedmont Ave.

Cec

Snow White Coffee is my favorite on the street, and you’ve got options. I don’t want to waste time reviewing why I don’t go to the other shops. But at Snow White there’s kind baristas, they make a great drink, the place is clean, and prices compare to the competing shops. There is not a lot of seating, but I’m usually a coffee to go person anyway.

Dan Roberts

Major success story for overcoming issues in your life. I have nothing but respect for you there. I have been aware with you on your involvement with Survivor. I would like to this opportunity to show forgiveness for the antics and how you put Matthew Von Ertfelda down. There is no judgment here. I now know Survivor is only a tv show and the producers were the main culprits who pushed this feud triggered by a negative environment where it was hard to take care of yourselves. Have you in my prayers where you would be prudent on what you say about Matthew. I don’t want you suffer bad karma like what happened to Rob Cesternino in the All Stars season. All the best.

Eli Eisen

Great spot to get some coffee! Very friendly owner who is down to talk about the weather, coffee or dogs all day! Not much seating, only a little outdoor spot.

Frederick D. Fortier

Great coffee, awesome location. But atmosphere/clientèle is too hipster (like hardcore hipster) for me. Full stars because it’s not fair to penalize this great coffee place for it.

Zaynah Hindi

Hands down my favorite neighborhood coffee shop. There’s a lot of good coffee in Oakland, but this is everything a coffee shop should be — a part of the community, a part of people’s daily routine. Baristas who know your name and know your order. The perfect cup of coffee, zero pretentiousness. Even though I no longer live in the neighborhood, when I want a great cup of coffee, this is where I come.

Jasmine Rippey

I'm not from the area but am frequently in town for work, and I always try to make a stop here when I'm back in Oakland. I don't have the refined palette of a true coffee connoisseur as I don't have it everyday, but this place makes me truly appreciate the no frills authenticity of a high quality cup of coffee. The service can't be beat and it feels darn good to see a local business adored by so many.

Jimmy Huynh

Snow White Coffee has quickly become my go-to spot for a top-quality coffee experience. Every time I walk by or step into the shop, I'm greeted by the irresistible aroma of freshly brewed coffee, instantly lifting my spirits. The coffee here is truly exceptional. Unlike other places where coffee can leave my stomach feeling uneasy, Snow White Coffee always makes me feel energized and positive. Each cup is crafted to perfection, offering a rich and satisfying taste that stands out. I highly recommend Snow White Coffee to anyone seeking a delightful and reliable coffee experience. Whether you're a casual drinker or a coffee aficionado, you're sure to love this place as much as I do!

Amy Muller

Great coffee! You can tell the guys who work there have a friendly rapport with their customers. Very dog friendly. Best coffee in the area. I’ll be back every time im in town. Pastries are great too. I’ve had the bacon scone and the muffin and both were fresh and well done. I love the 89 but I drink it too fast so I usually get an iced latte. Or both.

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! (greenstarsproject)

James K

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! (greenstarsproject)

I want to like this place I really do, it's walking distance and seems to have good coffee. However, the owner is very selective about who he is "friendly" to. I get it, sometimes, people aren't "chatty" and that's fine. But it's another when the owner is "chatty" just to certain people. I think it's more of a class thing then anything else. I've waited patiently as the owner has an engrossing conversation with one of his regulars. Then when it's my turn to order I get a curt "what can I get you" then he proceeds with his conversation "through" me. LOL just talking thru me like I'm not even there. LOL how about some attention paid to the customer? Looks there's A LOT of coffee places on Piedmont ave. No reason to go to a place where you don't exist lol. By the way, it's not just the owner. The other people there also have the same tendencies. Maybe talk to everyone or talk to no one? But having a place were certain people are made to feel welcome and others not...well that seems like a bad idea lol

I tried their mocha is pretty good but not something that i would go again for, unless I'm in the neighborhood, their coffee is good and the mocha has the right amount of chocolate, but it could be better. The Barista was not fully attentive to customers engaing in side conversations. The ambience is nice, i like the place decoration and the small sitting area outside

richard chu

I want to like this place I really do, it's walking distance and seems to have good coffee. However, the owner is very selective about who he is "friendly" to. I get it, sometimes, people aren't "chatty" and that's fine. But it's another when the owner is "chatty" just to certain people. I think it's more of a class thing then anything else. I've waited patiently as the owner has an engrossing conversation with one of his regulars. Then when it's my turn to order I get a curt "what can I get you" then he proceeds with his conversation "through" me. LOL just talking thru me like I'm not even there. LOL how about some attention paid to the customer? Looks there's A LOT of coffee places on Piedmont ave. No reason to go to a place where you don't exist lol. By the way, it's not just the owner. The other people there also have the same tendencies. Maybe talk to everyone or talk to no one? But having a place were certain people are made to feel welcome and others not...well that seems like a bad idea lol

sam

I tried their mocha is pretty good but not something that i would go again for, unless I'm in the neighborhood, their coffee is good and the mocha has the right amount of chocolate, but it could be better. The Barista was not fully attentive to customers engaing in side conversations. The ambience is nice, i like the place decoration and the small sitting area outside

Look - we used to really love this place. The owner was chill and the coffee was really really good. We’d go once a month when we are at an appointment at Kaiser, and have a coffee - with the plus that it was open early. But the last few times, we’ve had issues with people’s untrained and skittish dogs in the cafe - people who seem to be regulars - and the baristas (not the owner) just don’t seem to care. My partner was scratched - less than ideal, we are at the hospital for a reason - and two dogs have been so aggressive towards me that they’ve had to be taken to the other side of the cafe where they sit and growl at me (the only thing I can think of is that I have big hair, I’m okay with friendly dogs). We’ve given the cafe a few chances thinking maybe this was a once off, but since we tend to be there early, and this keeps happening early, we have now given up and are going elsewhere.

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 the attitude.

Akia Graybill

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 the attitude.

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 say the least.

Lanada Reed

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 say the least.