Fox in the Snow won “Best Coffee” at Ohio State. Credit: Amal Saeed | Assistant Photo Editor
From the industrial yet cozy and warm atmosphere to the decadent display of handmade pastries and well-crafted coffee, Fox in the Snow invites one to sit down and connect.
The cafe doesn’t provide Wi-Fi to its guests, which encourages a restaurant atmosphere rather than an archetypal coffee shop.
The first thing you should know about me is that I am a “fluffy” coffee person: lattes, macchiatos and anything with a flavor shot to add sweetness. I really, truly want to be the kind of person who can take a long swig of dark roast and black coffee without breaking a sweat, but until then, I’ll continue experimenting with different coffee drinks.
That is what is so appealing about Fox in the Snow cafe. As I sat in a sunlit corner of the bustling shop on North Fourth Street with a decorated latte before me, I noticed there was something for everyone. Iced coffee is served in Ball jars, and wide-white coffee cups sport latte art. But no matter the presentation, each cup is full of quality brew.
The shop’s rich coffee is also complemented by its sweet pastries, offering a balance to the breads, danishes and savory egg sandwiches. As someone with a sweet tooth, I usually order a coffee that satisfies this. But when sitting down to breakfast with a sugar-laden cinnamon roll, I appreciate the bitter balance Fox in the Snow’s coffee provides to the entire experience of the coffee shop.
Even though spending time away from your phone and interacting with people is encouraged, the shop usually has many Ohio State students dispersed among the crowd hitting the books the old-fashioned way or creating their own mobile hotspots.
Ohio State students aren’t the only ones who have discovered Fox in the Snow, though; the shop was a mix of locals and college kids, and it was packed. Despite bar, table and community table seating, trying to find somewhere to sit required a sharp eye and quick feet.
The coffee shop has three locations: Italian Village, German Village and New Albany, with the Italian Village location being closest to campus. Because the coffee shop sits a few blocks off campus, it provides a great escape from everyday college life.
Fox in the Snow is a reminder — especially to stressed students — that the little things in life should ground us, and what better way to do that than with some quality grounds in a cup?
