Coffee and Columbus

Since coming to Ohio State, one of the things I've missed most about Durham -aside from the people in it- is the coffee!  Coffee shops are hands-down my favorite place to study, chat with friends, and of course get my caffeine fix. My personal favorite is Bean Traders- if you're a Durhamite and you haven't checked it out, stop reading right now and go get a cup of coffee. Trust me, its phenomenal.

Typical BT date with the best friend. Missin' these days more than ever!

Around campus, options are limited. Starbucks doesn't come close to the taste or experience of locally brewed, locally owned coffee shops. There's only so much Starbucks you can drink without going into diabetic shock from the amount of sugar even in a grande. Besides, Starbucks is always unreasonably crowded with sorority girls and wanna-be hipsters. Campus coffee (if you can call it that) is similarly packed with sugar, and the service is even slower. My glimmer of hope, a little 'coffee bar' just of campus, turned out to be relocating. So began my search for the best local coffee in Columbus.

Coffee is a great opportunity for an Instagram post. I frequently scroll by pictures of latte art, selfies in coffee shops, and the especially offensive red Starbucks holiday cups. Fittingly, when I was trying to think of anywhere I had heard of to get local coffee in Columbus, I recalled an place I had seen in an Instagram post- Fox in the Snow Cafe.

I dragged Klaudia (that's the roomie for those of you who don't know) out with me on a particularly beautiful day. A sixty degree day in Ohio in January is more than enough reason to venture out. We took the bus and walked a short ways to Fox in the Snow, which is located a few blocks east of High Street in the Short North.

Their back patio features their totally Insta-worthy logo. So cute!

Fox in the Snow was simply adorable. The interior is lit by an entire wall of windows, and an old garage door turned window in the back gives a view of an outdoor courtyard. The shop is small, but has plenty of seating, mostly in the form of wood tables. It was bright, clean, and beautifully decorated. Klaudia gives Fox in the Snow 5/5 foxes for ambiance.

But...the coffee was meh. The mocha I ordered looked beautiful, but tasted nothing at all like chocolate. Perhaps I just ordered the wrong thing, but I wasn't impressed. Certainly it was no Bean Traders. True to the Klaudia Bucher rating system, this coffee receives 3/5 foxes.

Here's a picture of my beautiful, yet highly disappointing mocha

On the other hand, we ordered a doughnut. And it was FANTASTIC. Probably one of the single best things I have ever eaten at a coffee shop, and absolutely the best doughnut I have ever had. It was close to the size of my hand, and glazed perfectly so it wasn't too sweet or soggy. They had a variety of other pastries too, and they all looked delicious. 6/5 foxes from Klaudia.

Overall, Fox in the Snow was cute. They didn't have WiFi, so its not the ideal study spot, but its a great place to chat with a friend. Their employees were beyond kind. The prices were a little expensive (3.50 for coffee, 4 for giant doughnut), but it was worth the trip. Maybe next time I'll have better luck ordering their coffee. Overall, Klaude and Erin give 4/5 foxes.

But good news- although Fox in the Snow didn't meet the criteria for the best coffee in Columbus, I may be right on track. Introducing the Columbus Coffee Experience! The city of Columbus features eight of its best coffee shops for residents to try out. Visit four and try their coffee, and you can get a free t-shirt from the city of Columbus. Klaudia and I went to one today (post coming soon!) and we're planning on hitting up at least three more, if not all eight! I'm so excited to explore Columbus and try the best coffee it has to offer.

For now however, campus coffee will have to do.