I'm staying in Piedmont for the week and Snow White was the first place my friend took me to get coffee. It's a small cafe with a very open layout & laid-back atmosphere. I ordered an iced mocha with almond milk and she got the Oakland chill, a shaken cold brew. Both drinks were solid, but nothing special. read more

Snow White Coffee - Iced almond mocha & the Oakland chill - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Oakland, California

Excellent coffee in a beautiful and charming small shop. Friendly service, though no shortage of opinions about the right way to enjoy your coffee! Actually our conversation about the coffee options was really welcome and fun to get a sense of what was unique about this place. The cold brew nitro was delicious and so creamy. And iced latte was also a hit with my teen. Check it out, very unique and fully satisfying for your caffeine needs. read more

Coffee tastes great, but man, the bald dude working behind the counter was RUDE. Seemed like he would rather be chatting to some other dude about sports rather than interacting with a new customer. Literally, talked through me to the guy behind me. I, as a brown woman, did not feel welcome at all. The ambiance is made for white dudes and feels hostile to everyone else. I'm just gonna come out and say it after looking at the reviews. The people who run and work at this place are racist and sexist. Completely hostile vibe. I've been here twice now and certainly won't be coming back. Only white patrons and I can see why :) read more

A little hole in the wall coffee shop but totally worth it. Great place. Excellent coffee. High quality. Great attitude.

At one point, this was my favorite spot on Piedmont Ave for a latte. However, I took an out of town family member here who asked for skim milk and a Splenda. Both of the folks working there laughed and mocked this request. It did not create a good experience and I haven't been back since. read more

I love the simplicity of this place. Straight forward in and out. I had the 89' the cup size is pretty small but it was sooo worth it. Also got the keto coffee which in my opinion it was bitter but an acquired taste not nasty. My sister did not think it was bitter at all but also she does drink black coffee and loved it. The shop also sells local artist items. read more

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Great location, Parking is challenge depending on time of the day although the wait is worth it. Nice little coffee house that serves up a great Flat latte. The barista was super cool. Nice option for coffee. read more

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Definitely has that kitschy, Oakland vibe where they treat everyone like a neighbor/friend. Dairy milk options: whole or nonfat, nothing in between. Good spot to meet up with a friend on a nice day -- they only have outdoor seating. read more

Coffee is good but guy that owns/runs the place is rude and unpleasant to interact with

I didn't read their Yelp page before trying this place out. I came here to write a review and interestingly, the 1-star reviews already here is what I came to say almost verbatim. The worker there at the time that I was served was unwelcoming, quite short with me (in a way that felt very condescending), and seemed like I was bothering him just by being there. I can't help but wonder if he would have interacted with me differently if I were a white male. I'm used to be spoken down upon as a small, Asian-presenting woman, but this is the first time that I vowed not to patronize a business again due to the service. I left the business feedback via the survey that comes with the Square email receipt. They were surprisingly receptive to my feedback and even issued a refund. That was unexpected and generous of them. The coffee was good (I only popped in because I prefer to support small business over Blue Bottle or Peet's) enough that ordinarily I would return to try another drink off of their menu, but my first impression of the business left such a poor aftertaste in my mouth that I'm wary of returning only to have that relive that experience. Perhaps that worker was having a very bad day... or a series of bad days, judging by the other 1star reviews (though I have no way to know if our reviews are referring to same worker). In any case, I hope my review is helpful for someone, be it a future customer, the worker, or the business itself. read more

I was looking for a coffee shop and came across Snow White coffee. I was immediately attracted by their colorfully painted exterior and cute outdoor seating. When I walked in, I noticed that there were no chairs inside, so maybe it was a standing only section inside? Anywhoo, I ordered their Oakland chill which was cold brew coffee with simple syrup and half and half that is mixed in a martini shaker. Absolutely delicious! Pros: -great coffee! -free WiFi Cons: -they had ran out of food when I got there -no indoor seating -outdoor seating is cute, but tables are on a slight incline which was interesting. -street parking So if the weather is good, outdoor seating is a rather nice. Today it was pretty chilly, so I didn't stay here long. Not ideal for studying but a great place to meet up with friends or come by with a dog since there is outdoor seating. read more

Snow White Coffee - My Oakland chill ($4.50) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Oakland, California

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I only came here because Gaylords is now closed :( I knew this was a new oakland type beat hip spot and my gut told me it wouldn't be good, but it was this or Peets and I wanted to see what was up with this local business. It's got that new oakland gentrifier minimalist aesthetic that people love so it's really simple inside. Coffee only comes in one size and is reasonably priced. Got a chai latte. Thought it would be good, he had his own (the owner) chai tea leaf and spice mix in a jar. Our coffee was made very quickly so it had no time to steep and absorb the flavors, I got cow milk and my friend got oat. Our drinks tasted watery with the shadow of chai flavor. Also he over filled the cups so they were spilling, and had no sleeves so it was too hot to hold. Definitely would not recommend. I don't think the owner understands his white male privilege because he really said "no one is hiring right now so my only choice was to open a business" which is one of the most tone deaf, entitled privileged white cis hetero male things I have ever heard. Would not recommend based on quality of coffee or vibe overall. His succulents outside are dying too RIP poor plants babies read more

Pre-covid review that was stuck in my drafts. I'm not sure why I went in with high expectations, but this place was kind of disappointing. It's a little place without a whole lot of charisma, the barista wasn't that interested or knowledgeable about coffee, and my drink, a cortado, was not very good. Yeah, they had the koign aman from starter bakery, and that maybe is what brought me in, but those aren't as hard to find as they once were. read more

Great to find a new GEM! Hidden but not hidden. The art on the outside of the shop is do eye catching! If you've never been you have to try this coffee spot! Coffee that's not just coffee, it feels like an experience! ((wink)) This place offers a great vibe! I could tell Mr. OWNER behind the counter put his heart and soul into creating not only a great coffee spot but also one that is inviting and welcoming for newcomers. The regulars there shared how much they loved this place. That says a lot! I ordered the Oakland Chill and it was GREAT! I will definitely revisit this coffee spot on my next trip to the Bay. #smallbusinesssupporter read more

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Stopped here for a quick coffee. Got a decaf latte which tasted great! And appreciated the ambience as well. Highly recommend going here!

A very nice coffee place. It is only partly accessible (1.5 inch step up at the door ) but the food and friendly service go a long way. Nice outdoor seating, too. The coffee (pour over) was quite good. read more

The coffee was great. I had a cappuccino and it was made just the way I like; strong, hot, and with plenty of foam. The service...not so much. The barista/owner was very rude and abrupt with both me and other customers that he serviced. The gentleman behind me was still deciding on his order, and the barista shouted "Dude, what do you want!" Perhaps he was having a rough day, or was overwhelmed by the amount of people who were looking to be serviced, as he was the only worker. But politeness goes a long way in customer service, and can shape an experience. read more

Snow White Coffee - Cappuccino - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Oakland, California

This coffee is really good. I got an Americano and a latte although i got 2 small cups this coffee gave me a kik start to my day the americano was strong but not overwhelming even with out the cream and the latte was not to sweet and not to bitter it was exquisit coffee i will definitely get my cup of coffee here read more

The staff was super friendly in answering my questions about the drinks, so kudos to them! There are also some nice tables to sit at right next to the store in a little alleyway, so that was cozy. As for the drinks, they were really good. I tried the Oakland Chill because it was unique, and it did turn out quite delicious! The coffee was quality, and the syrup added just the right amount of sweetness. Probably not the best idea to get on a cold day, but a good choice nonetheless. My friend got the mocha, and thought the chocolate was rich and creamy. I would certainly stop by again if in the area, but probably won't go super out of my way to come here and get their drinks. read more

Snow White Coffee - Oakland Chill, Mocha - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Oakland, California

Great staff, community atmosphere, good coffee. Best spot to go to on piedmont for a hot drink.

If you love good coffee or espresso, you must check out Snow White coffee. Snow White is a unique hole in the wall with a fantastic drink selection. I started drinking the 89 Oaklands, which is their version of a shaken, and was immediately addicted. The normal version is a little small for me, so I get the double double (quad shots). Lately, I've been getting their Lattes (also quad) and thoroughly enjoy them. The espresso is consistently good and the balance of milk and espresso is perfect. We love Snow White and make at least 1-2 trips a week. Do yourself a favor and get yourself a cup! read more

Odd interaction with barista. He insisted on helping me while he was still with another customer, which felt weird. I asked for clarification of a menu item, which was met with a very abrupt reply. I then asked for a pour over and he said i could have drip. I didn't want a battle, so I agreed to drip. The drip doesn't taste great and I'm not happy with my purchase. I likely won't return. Some will appreciate the attitude and vibe, but I am not the right customer for this place. I enjoy coffee shops where baristas smile and are friendly. read more

Very balanced sweet creamy ice espresso drink. there are succulent for sale as well though they are a bit pricey. read more

Snow White Coffee - 89 - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Oakland, California

Really cool place. Ordered the Oakland chill and it's good, sweet but not too sweet, probably getting that again when I return. Pricing is decent and the staff is polite. I see a few of reviews talking about rude customer service but I didn't experience any of that. The staff actually also recommended a great French pastry place because they were out of pastries. Overall solid place but nothing I would go out of my way to get. read more

Snow White Coffee - Oakland Chill - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Oakland, California

If you are COVID conscious (especially with Omicron) I would not recommend going to the coffee shop. I was planning on grabbing a coffee and enjoying it in this beautiful sunny day but then I saw their employee was mask-less. HOT TIP to the owners: COVID IS AIRBORNE! Just because nobody is in the store does not mean that employees should be removing their mask. You need to re-educate your employees! read more

Snow White Coffee - Coffee shop employee without a mask on. 1/26/22 - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Oakland, California

Whatever with their trendy pretentious coffee shop gimmick. Like there aren't hundreds of these types of shops out here, cliche. Bad snot attitude from barista like you're wasting their time buying from their establishment. Coffee average overall, but even if it were better their worker's customer service skills should make you think twice. You know after first posting the above and than reading the other reviews I can see it's not just me..... yes I think condescension is a perfect way to describe the man's attitude. Turns out I was giving him way more benefit of the doubt and thought maybe it was just his midlife crisis affecting his day, but it turns out according to others as well he very much might just have problem with women. Oh well LOL too bad that's innate to his being he can't change that one for better no matter how hard he tries. Makes me feel kinda sad for him. A lot of better local businesses/coffee shops to frequent and support. read more

We were at kaiser and needed coffee. Did a quick search to find Snow White coffee close by. Name sounds interesting and 4.5 stars on Yelp made this place enticing. We walked over from Kaiser. First thing I noticed was the cool mural outside. I couldn't stop admiring the art that I ended up taking multiple pictures to admire later. Anyway, upon entering, the owner/barista was chatting it up with friends. Within a minute, the friends left and he immediately ask what we wanted. My hubby asked if he could do a cortado and for some reason, without even reading the reviews about this guy's attitude, I felt he was unfriendly and sorta looking at us like we were idiots or something. I didn't like the vibe and said I would wait outside in the cold. The cortado turned out to be really roasty, hot, strong and good. I'd love to try this guy's latte, but I wished I could order through doordash and just run in to grab my drink. By the way, I loved the other Yelp reviews on this guy - people are constantly giving him the benefit of the doubt by saying he is probably having a bad day and such..it cracks me up. read more

Snow White Coffee - The art outside..so cute! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Oakland, California

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Coffee: 5 stars Service if you're a woman: 2 stars Service if you're a man: 5 stars My female roommate and I live in the neighborhood and have consistently been treated to a condescending, unfriendly vibe by the male owner. Whenever we stop by with a guy (we've tested this with 4 friends / boyfriends by now,) the owner is all buddy-buddy with him and ignores us. It's not cool to mock your customer's orders while acting like you're God's gift to the block. Get over yourself and your problem with women. We'll be getting our coffee literally anywhere else. read more

Came in for a second time to get my drink order which is the same everywhere I go "cap with oat milk and 4 shots". The Barista who o assume I'd the owner forgets to put oat milk (I can have dairy), and when I ask him politely if he made it with oat milk, he gets angry, snatches the wrongly made drink without saying anything. Tell me" I didn't say oat milk" in which I repeated my exact order that I actually had made there about a week ago. He now has an attitude and doesn't apologize or say anything, and starts banging the coffee grounds harder than needed because he messed up the drink. Not yo mention, he takes orders without looking you in the eye and while making other drinks, so I'm not surprised he got it wrong. Overall rude extremely rude attitude and entitled acting owner/batista. I left and he tried to yell that he he would re make the drink after he got an attitude. NO THANKS! read more

We love Snow White! We are lucky to be within walking distance to this little gem. The cappuccinos are always pretty good and the workers are always friendly. It's more of a grab-and-go situation, but they do have some limited outdoor seating. The seating is next to a pretty mural and tons of dogs always walk by (added bonus). The real star if the show is their pastries! They are absolutely fantastic and I've never had one I didn't enjoy (I believe they are from Starter Bakery?). Overall, definitely recommend this cute little shop! read more

When I go here, i usually order a mocha latte with almond milk that is always delicious. The barista is always friendly and the mom-and-pop vibe reminds me of the good ol days in nyc before all the the big box stores came in. They also have cute merchandise from coffee mugs to sweaters :). I wish they had a little bit more pastry options, but otherwise I'm a big fan. A must go to . read more

Great mocha. Guy worked solo but very efficient! Very nice minimalist establishment with beautiful succulents outside. Will return to try more items. read more

I started this review in 2019 and never finished, so here goes... The best nitro cold brew I've ever had. To be fair that's a relatively new concept and I've only had about 10. When I reach into my memory...I remember walking up and down Piedmont with a smooth, creamy cold brew. I was already having a fantastic day. I even bought a white thermal...thermos? Y'know, a coffee / water bottle thingy. I still use it every day. And the owner (I think) was a delight. What a cool spot. read more

This is one of my fave new coffee spots. Partly because of the amazing coffee and Strauss soft serve but also because the owner Alex is awesome. I've only been here a handful of times so far but it is clear the Alex knows his coffee and genuinely enjoys his business. I have tried a chai latter and a mocha so far and both were in the top 3 that I've ever had. And to say it again, the Strauss soft serve is worth ordering. Pros: Delicious quality specialty coffee drinks and soft serve Cons: Nada Bottom line: A perfect alternative to big box coffee like Starbucks and Peet's read more

This happens to be my favorite coffee in the Bay Area. It just has the best flavor HANDS DOWN. No bitter notes, just smooth ass coffee & espresso! The owner is straight to the point and makes a great coffee. My go-to is usually iced oat milk latte (no sweeteners) and it's PERFECT! Highly recommend for a bold smooth coffee with NO bitter aftertaste! read more

I don't live in the area but wish I did - it was the BEST ALMOND MOCHA I've had in the Bay Area! After reading some of these reviews I can say my experience here was different on a busy Saturday. I was greeted enthusiastically, small chit chat, and when he had to move a table quickly he kindly addressed the next customer saying he would be with him shortly. read more

Always a good cortado, and I love the mural... but the owner/barista is not so friendly. Friendly is important when it comes to coffee culture. Five stars for the cortado, zero stars for the mood. read more

Snow White Coffee takes the crown as one of the top coffee shops on Piedmont Ave! As previous Yelpers have mentioned before me have mentioned, this coffee shop's name is a nod to the previous tenants, which adds character and is equally awesome! I mean, even the original sign is still outside! Character folks. From the shop itself to the owner/barista himself, this shop's got it! As you approach the shop their Open/Closed sign reads "Come in, We're Awesome!" or on an unfortunate note if you come after their business hours "Closed, but still Awesome!" These signs add character to this small coffee shop and are so quirky that you should definitely stop by come in for a drink or a savory/sweet pastry! The moment I walked in Alex greeted me and took my order! There were a few customers ahead of me and it was awesome to see because from what I could tell a few were regulars. He really is a people person and definitely warm-hearted (okay, how can I tell - but I felt the vibe, ya dig?). He even made squeaker noises with his "nose" for one of the kids that came along with his parents! So cute. (I reiterate: Character people, CHARACTER!) :-) I ordered a latte and was definitely pleased in the quality of the drink itself! It was smooth and creamy, but still strong to the point where you knew you were going to get a good caffeine boost! Parking can be a bit troubling depending on when you plan to pay Snow White Coffee a visit since Piedmont Ave is a generally busy street, but it's doable. As per the suggestion of fellow Yelper, Catherine S., I opted to park in the side streets where there was some street parking where you can park for up to two hours! Another drawback, though I refuse to dock any stars for this, is that since the shop is so small there isn't a place to really to hangout! There is one table where you can stand if standing is your cup of tea, but this place definitely feels more like a grab-and-go kind of shop. No matter, the quality and character of Snow White Coffee has impressed me. Plus, they have different coffees and drinks I'd come back for next time I'm in the area for a doctor's appointment at Kaiser! So, this unfortunately is not the place you want to go to study or work-from-home from BUT I will say if you plan on staying inside the shop when it's not too busy, you can probably have a good convo with Alex! I wasn't able to as I was sniffly, but from observing his interactions with the other patrons - you can just tell! Smiles, good feels and vibes all 'round! P.S. He has nitro cold brew here. Okay, nitro freaking cold brew!!!!!!! He has also has a drink called the "Oakland Chill" that I haven't tried yet, but definitely seems promising. tl;dr - Snow White Coffee is a winner in the coffee shop game in my book. Definitely pay this coffee shop a visit if you're in the area or if you're a Kaiser employee (because why not, you're literally RIGHT there and this isn't far down Piedmont at all!). This place has character and high quality drinks and customer service. Be the coffee prince or princess you were born to be and stop by! What are you waiting for? --- Thanks again for the awesomeness, Snow White Coffee! Definitely will back for more. Can't wait to try your Nitro Cold Brew and Pour Overs! read more

Snow White Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Oakland, California

Having worked in both coffee and chocolate for years of my life I have been lucky to get to know amazing coffee shop owners around America. My partner Thokozani and I recently discovered Snow White Coffee and left full of incredible coffee and love after a what was a great conversation about life with Owner and Barista Alex Bell. I personally appreciate these coffee shop experiences to the upmost. They transcend coffee and mean so much more! Especially personally knowing the hard work and what it takes to create and then continue to run a wonderful coffee shop day in day out. It's hard good and dyanmic work. With that said I wouldn't doubt to find Alex in full grind mode on a busy Sat in Barista flow state and music in the background. This day we were lucky enough to talk story. When our car battery died, Alex let us charge our jumper until we could get back on the road! If you live in Oakland or are visiting, check this place out, it's fantastic from coffee to aesthetic and a whole lot more! read more

Snow White Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Oakland, California

Espresso was amazing. I got a cappuccino and my friend got a mocha. We also ordered the Kougin-Amann which was equally amazing Personally, I think it's hard to find a smooth espresso in the east bay unless you're in a populated downtown area with minimal parking. I was at the Kaiser and decided to stop be here first. The owner is such a nice gentleman and is honest about his product. I always get a cappuccino extra hot and he had no problem clarifying "do you want it extra hot or extra good?" His product, his recipe, give it to me the extra good way. The mocha also wasn't overpowering chocolate flavor. It had subtle undertones of vanilla which brought out a natural sweetness in the steamed milk. I hope there is another location that opens, maybe in El Cerrito or Richmond. If I'm in the area, I will definitely be back. read more

Snow White Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Oakland, California