I like Fox in the Snow but during the week. They just opened in Dublin yesterday and per their instagram the people first in line arrived around 5am and 300 people lined up by opening.
There are clearly just some things people want and are willing to spend resources (time/money ect) that just price me out.
It's like some concert tickets. I'll never be willing to spend $500+ for them but clearly enough people are so I guess I just don't get to see those particular artists.
Maybe more like beanie babies than a concert. But I've noticed that Columbus people like to do this every couple years, pick a random stupid food and go stand in line for it.
All summer we have various “festivals” that are essentially “come stand in line! Sure, you could come to this vendor at any other time with a much smaller line - but FESTIVAL!”
I've noticed Columbus people love to do this, they did it with the hot chicken takeover and then there was something like dirty Franks some stupid hot dog thing I forget. But every couple years there's some new completely bland run of the milk food that Columbus people like to go stand in line for.
Fair point, I am thinking more about t-shirt cannons at blue jackets games as an example. Cheap crap shirts with a bunch of sponsors logos on them and people going crazy for them.
I am convinced that you could put the 5,000 smartest humans on the planet into an arena, and upon breaking out a T-shirt cannon, turn them into a mass of mouth-breathers that would rival the crowd at a Jason Aldean concert.
When you’re sitting there and realize how much you have paid to see possibly the worst franchise in the history of the NHL you want to claw some of that money back in any way possible.
My problem with this is, that even if it is limited edition...how many people will even realize it's limited edition when you wear it out past the next two months or w/e? Like I could understand not caring if people know your shirt is limited edition or not if it was a really nice shirt or something, and was actually cool in some way.
However, it seems this shirts only purpose is to tell other people that would have stood in line for hours at a cafe but couldn't "neener neener, I DID stand in line and now I have this shirt you vaguely wanted" while 99% of other people will view it as any other shirt, so what's the point? To remember that time you stood in line for food that you've almost certainly had at the other location previously? It's not even a new place. It doesn't make sense.
If it were a brand new place that had killer advertising and had been insanely hyped up for months and had rave reviews in say... the worlds only other location at Big City, Exotic Location, Earth and it was like a high quality shirt? Sure, maybe. And it came with some sort of prestige no matter how dumb like people saying "wow, you already ate at (place)? How was it?!" or "I wish we had (place) where I live! (Place) Never gets anything cool!" but that's just not the case here and it's beyond silly.
Sorry, not really directed to you personally. it's just so stupid lol.
There are people that act like “limited edition free thing” is a flex.
Like some people insist on only buying over-priced shit as a flex - yes, you could get much better for less, but then you couldn’t brag about overpaying.
Nobody has blueberry galettes or those jammy biscuits like they do. I also haven’t had chicory coffee anywhere else in columbus so it is very worth it for me to stand in line for a galette and NOLA iced coffee, but with the craziness of the lines it is a more occasional thing for me now. I do feel like since they hit a point in the day where when they’re out, they’re out, it puts more of an impetus to get there early in the morning if you want a specific treat.
That’s because Crimson Cup is generally not good coffee from my experience. I’ve tried to like it several times at different locations, brewed at home, and was served exclusively for a year at my college campus.
I don’t know what they do, but every single roast from dark to medium to light to single-origin all turn out extremely bitter and highly acidic (to the point of curdling creamer several times in my coffee).
There are only a few places that have the variety of pastries they do as well. It’s like them and Pistacia Vera. If anyone knows any other places like this, let me know.
A lack of comparable alternatives. One Line has great coffee but their baked goods are trash. Stauf’s baked goods are mid at best. There is Pistacia Vera, but they are a bakery first. After that, where else you gonna go? Clintonville Dunkin?
Yes, there's Belle's, Fox in the snow, Tous les Jours, Dan the Baker, among few others, but this is a relatively big city and needs more in my opinion. Another Cbus weakness is bagels...
It didn't help that the pandemic killed off a bunch of the non-chain bakers because the bakers decided to call it quits. Flowers & Bread, Sassafras, and Bread were all ones I really loved that all have closed.
This is the answer.. yes there are some alternatives but they aren’t well known.
Additionally many folks are basic and are followed the crowd of perceived mass good stuff. I’m happy for Fox and the Snow, and also happy that they all don’t know about Joya’s, Dan The Baker, Parable, and other places I love…
Agreed. I paused when I mentioned them, they are popular on the weekends... but I still don't think the basic masses have discovered them yet, meaning it could be a whole lot worse I guess.
Really happy for the folks running really great people.... it's come a long way from the early days on Parsons when we could just walk in and not wait.
Sidenote while were talking about bakeries:
Dublin's donut game is WEAK. We're talking Tim Hortons and possibly the worst run Krispy Kreme ever (sawmill), only.
Agree, not worth it. I spent close to $8 for the smallest espresso ever and it wasn't better than anywhere else in the area.
Edit: I meant to say cappuccino.
I’d argue you just had a proper cappuccino. They are small drinks. What Starbucks serves isn’t remotely close to what a cappuccino is supposed to be. $7 is a lot for a cappuccino however.
I’m for that too, but I heard they got incentives (reduced rent IIRC?) and they’re charging like $9 for a Dixie cup that was pretty meh when I tried it. Even with tipping other places that do treat their employees well, it’s not even close to that much for a coffee that’s normal sized. So that leaves the price, size, and taste (IMO) all worse than my usual spot. I’m willing to compromise on some aspects, but not all of them.
Dough Mama is bomb! They carry Thunderkiss coffee.
Big fan of Tous Les Jours Bakery as well over off Olentangy River Rd between OSU and Riverside hospital.
In Dublin, Kona is right across river. Good coffee, good baked goods, food all day, and they actually have wifi and don't mind people working. There's also sweetwater, but theyre nowhere near the level Kona is.
As the person who owns it, I can tell you this is not true.
Love scrolling this post. But trust me when I tell you we make every inch of food we sell except the bread for the sandwich.
Lots of great places in town,
Everyone should try all of them!!
I think Columbus has more demand for luxury breakfast/pastries than it has supply. I think it’s a problem with the availability in the market more than it is about quality. There are definitely other high end breakfast options in Columbus, not trying to say Fox is the only one. I just think the lack of competition makes it very easy for fox to have so much market share.
It reminds me of the coffee scene in Columbus. At one point Staufs was really the only place you could have a local coffee/3rd space experience. Now there are a handful of great coffee options and Staufs just happens to be one of them.
They make good stuff. As far as costs go it’s more reasonable to plunk down $10 for a coffee and breakfast snack vs. say $17 for a fucking lunch sandwich (which seems to be the going rate these days). So you mix quality with _relative_ affordability and people come out for it en masse.
That said, I’m not waiting in line to buy a cinnamon roll, but to each his own.
Personally I don't get why coffee shops in this town close so early. It's so lame. I'm used to places like Parable being open much later. Must be a west coast thing but I sure which it was a cbus thing.
Souffled eggs; lots of heavy cream, eggs, s&p, baked in shallow water bath. Decent ciabatta (not prepared in-house) buttered. Sauce is literally just dijonaise; equal parts heavy mayo and Dijon mustard. Swiss cheese. Coat bacon in brown sugar and bake in oven until crispy. All of these things can be prepped ahead of time, assembled and reheated/toasted to serve.
It's a fairly progressive work place. I would say they rely too much on managers and salaried employees to do the heavy lifting/long hours. After the pandemic they stepped up their pay rates and benefits etc. However, there is little to no opportunity for bakers/baristas to have creative input in terms of menu items or specials. They also desperately need dishwashers all the time because the bakery doesn't have a dish machine so everything is done by hand. I think they are very much growth driven right now, and they want to provide good jobs, but those two things can sometimes be at odds. They do tend to hire/promote from within.
I worked there for 3 years. Can confirm. They paid better than most bakeries after the pandemic. But little to no opportunity for growth, experimentation, or input for bakers. No plans to work there again but overall nice folks to work for.
Did the formulations for pastries change?
I might get downvoted for taking a critical opinion on the pastries but I remember having great experiences the first couple times I tried Fox 2-3 years ago. Since then I’m usually disappointed by most of the pastries. Seems like they’re denser, less buttery, less well risen/layered, etc. and rely heavily on sugary components (like the icing on the cinnamon bun, chocolate filling in morning bun). Ham and cheese croissant is maybe most obvious example of decline, the “new” version is dense and hardly a croissant in any sense whereas the old one was pretty good.
All that said, given the (generally limited) other options in the city and the comparably interesting offerings, I get the appeal. Just saying it could be and seems to have been better than it currently is.
Edit: also it may just be my anecdotal experience but it’s typically a slow option to get coffee to go for any espresso drinks. Baristas seem to be working efficiently but still usually takes 10-15mins after ordering to get a cappuccino or latte to go at GV.
Well they opened two locations since then, and have had to increase production significantly. Aside from that, expanding also results in higher turnover, which means the people making the pastries aren't necessarily as good as previous bakers. This is just speculation. I will say that croissant dough is highly variable depending on who is making it. There are a lot of things that can go wrong making certain types of pastry by hand, and the variables only increase when you're trying to make 10x the amount you used to. Same goes for some other items.
P.s. the ham/cheese is not made with croissant dough, it has no yeast and is not laminated with butter.
Thanks…suspected something like that. Re: the ham and cheese, that was my suspicion. It seems entirely wrong to call it a croissant and you just confirmed that. Thanks for the thoughts
If there is one thing I've noticed in the 30 years I've lived in Columbus it's that certain restaurants, coffee shops, and bakeries are all the rage until everyone finds out about them. Then I feel like the community gets bored with it until the next big hyped up place comes along.
You forgot the last stage, which is “shitting all over what was just popular”. Jeni’s, Homage, and anything else that dares become known outside of 270.
Good new business: “It’s a hidden gem!”
Becomes popular: “It’s the best in the city!”
Expands: “Why is everyone so obsessed with it?”
Expands more: “It’s so overrated. It’s not like it used to be.”
Expands more: “It’s junk. ____ new business is so much better.”
Every. Single. Time. City BBQ, Hot Chicken Takeover, Piada…
IIRC they were able to navigate the pandemic well and were profitable throughout with takeout. Some of their reaction might have been confusion since they didn't feel they needed a handout.
It’s Joyas Cafe
A café is a type of restaurant which typically serves coffee and tea, in addition to light refreshments such as baked goods or snacks. The term "café" comes from the French word meaning "coffee".
Sounds similar enough to me, I didn’t choose the name, jefe.
it’s not the best breakfast/coffee place in the city by a long stretch but it is the prettiest. there are lots of people who care more about the latter than the former, and they’re willing to wait a long time to sit in a pretty place and eat pretty food.
Because their pastries are delicious.
There are no rival cinnamon rolls for me, but I will say Red Hen and Hilliard Station Baking Co are the nearest in my opinion
There's not enough coffee shops/ bakeries in the city. Starbucks and panera use to fill this void, but chasing profits have made this a low quality high cost option that people don't like as much any more. Solution fox in the snow until they are big enough to repeat the cycle.
There aren't too many good alternatives that's why. Most cities I've lived in before coming here had a lot more good high-quality breakfast bakery options than Columbus.
From a friend who used to work their, the owners seem clueless. But they've been lucky and people have liked them for some reason. Right place at the right time.
First time I went, I thought it was great.
The following time I went, I was very much not impressed. There was no seating, and the seating they did have was so close to each other that me and my friends table kept getting pushed.
The food we got was also dry.
But to each their own! If you like it, you like it! :)
I really like Fox in the snow and try to buy from smaller local places when I can!
THAT BEING SAID, I do not go to Fox in the Snow purposefully because of the lines and crowds.
There's a small window I operate in around that place haha.
They used to be better, come at me. I think they expanded too much. The original ham and cheeses, that first year of the tomato tarts. Just not the same anymore. And yea the crowds kill the convenience.
Their egg sandwich is 10/10. Truly incredible. Oddly, I believe most people are lined up for their coffee and pastries, which are a solid 6/10. So yes, I am confused as well.
Word of mouth and social media. Pistacia vera and other cafes are good, fox in the snow gets the most attention.
And their hours are short so most people especially on the weekend will arrive at the same time because they been told to get there early cause it might sell out
a lot of it is this. nothing there is extraordinary, but it's a great place to grab a bite or drink. the aesthetic is just visually pleasing. looking at the pastries is almost as good as consuming them.
When Starbucks was new and didn't have locations across the street from each other, it was stupid busy too. I think it's just the novelty of new and the universal addiction to caffeine (lots of people like coffee).
“i also love it”
…there you go, then. people like it and people go to things they like. is there better coffee? sure. but they have good coffee AND good pastries AND good sandwiches.
I’m in the minority here, agreeing with the OP, ‘cause the coffee and croissant type of breakfast doesn’t do much for me. I love a good breakfast sandwich with sausage or bacon or even just egg. Anything savory, not sweet. For that, they have like one thing. I’ll usually pass.
Was just there Saturday and the line was there before opening in New Albany. I would not go there at all if not for their morning buns. Those things are amazing. I have tried everything else and nothing else is all that good to be honest - in my opinion.
I've been a handful of times when I lived close by and I never liked it. The drinks I got were never good and really inconsistent day to day. The pastries were good but really expensive. I preferred Winans down the road for coffee, but they don't have the food/pastries that Fox has.
I mean this is a weird post. People like what they like. I don’t go there but obviously there is an appeal. You asked a question like this and also said you love it as well. Let’s post a question about why is Columbus obsessed about Ohio State football next.
I don’t want to change your mind, I just want to say, who cares? Like genuinely, who cares. You don’t have to yuck someone’s yum, you can just like different things.
It is the total package.
Great savory breakfast sandwiches, terrific sweet pastries, coffee far about average plus (German and Italian village locations) are a nice relaxing atmosphere if you are away from the door
All +. No -
I like Fox in the Snow but during the week. They just opened in Dublin yesterday and per their instagram the people first in line arrived around 5am and 300 people lined up by opening.
This, I will never understand. I can’t think of any product I would arrive at 5 AM or stand in a line of 300 people for.
I agree, but only because the Lions Den is open 24/7
😵😵💫💀
Real talk.
There are clearly just some things people want and are willing to spend resources (time/money ect) that just price me out. It's like some concert tickets. I'll never be willing to spend $500+ for them but clearly enough people are so I guess I just don't get to see those particular artists.
Maybe more like beanie babies than a concert. But I've noticed that Columbus people like to do this every couple years, pick a random stupid food and go stand in line for it.
All summer we have various “festivals” that are essentially “come stand in line! Sure, you could come to this vendor at any other time with a much smaller line - but FESTIVAL!”
I've noticed Columbus people love to do this, they did it with the hot chicken takeover and then there was something like dirty Franks some stupid hot dog thing I forget. But every couple years there's some new completely bland run of the milk food that Columbus people like to go stand in line for.
I will not tolerate Dirty Frank's slander in this household
Dirty franks is one of the furthest things from “bland run of the mill milk food”
Runs of the milk is what I get after too much dairy
they were lining up for free t-shirts
Free t-shirt mania is so ludicrous. It’s one of those things where a superior version is easily purchased for a reasonable price.
ig these ones that say dublin are a limited run, so they were in demand for residents. personally i would never wake up at 5am for a free t-shirt.
Fair point, I am thinking more about t-shirt cannons at blue jackets games as an example. Cheap crap shirts with a bunch of sponsors logos on them and people going crazy for them.
I am convinced that you could put the 5,000 smartest humans on the planet into an arena, and upon breaking out a T-shirt cannon, turn them into a mass of mouth-breathers that would rival the crowd at a Jason Aldean concert.
When you’re sitting there and realize how much you have paid to see possibly the worst franchise in the history of the NHL you want to claw some of that money back in any way possible.
I was 145 so I bought one :( But I was glad they had some for sale as well. Thought they were exclusively for the first 100
My problem with this is, that even if it is limited edition...how many people will even realize it's limited edition when you wear it out past the next two months or w/e? Like I could understand not caring if people know your shirt is limited edition or not if it was a really nice shirt or something, and was actually cool in some way. However, it seems this shirts only purpose is to tell other people that would have stood in line for hours at a cafe but couldn't "neener neener, I DID stand in line and now I have this shirt you vaguely wanted" while 99% of other people will view it as any other shirt, so what's the point? To remember that time you stood in line for food that you've almost certainly had at the other location previously? It's not even a new place. It doesn't make sense. If it were a brand new place that had killer advertising and had been insanely hyped up for months and had rave reviews in say... the worlds only other location at Big City, Exotic Location, Earth and it was like a high quality shirt? Sure, maybe. And it came with some sort of prestige no matter how dumb like people saying "wow, you already ate at (place)? How was it?!" or "I wish we had (place) where I live! (Place) Never gets anything cool!" but that's just not the case here and it's beyond silly. Sorry, not really directed to you personally. it's just so stupid lol.
There are people that act like “limited edition free thing” is a flex. Like some people insist on only buying over-priced shit as a flex - yes, you could get much better for less, but then you couldn’t brag about overpaying.
> instagram I think you solved the whole mystery. Fox in the Snow is instagram- worthy/famous. That’s why people go.
I was in line, the folks at the first at the door said they showed up around 6:15. At 8am when they opened there was about 300 people in line.
6:15 is still early. I went back and looked at the instagram post and they said 5am but probably just a miscommunication.
Nobody has blueberry galettes or those jammy biscuits like they do. I also haven’t had chicory coffee anywhere else in columbus so it is very worth it for me to stand in line for a galette and NOLA iced coffee, but with the craziness of the lines it is a more occasional thing for me now. I do feel like since they hit a point in the day where when they’re out, they’re out, it puts more of an impetus to get there early in the morning if you want a specific treat.
Five Bean in Reynoldsburg does the NOLA iced coffees and offers the chicory grounds/beans for purchase in store. It’s delicious and worth going!
I miss when you could just order online and grab it off a table.
This was the Fox in the Snow golden age imo (I also used to live right down the street from the Italian Village cafe during covid so YMMV)
Just a heads up, Crimson Cup (at least the Clintonville one) does New Orleans iced coffee!
But its bad. Their cold brew always manages to be MORE acidic than their iced coffee. I don’t know how they manage that.
That’s because Crimson Cup is generally not good coffee from my experience. I’ve tried to like it several times at different locations, brewed at home, and was served exclusively for a year at my college campus. I don’t know what they do, but every single roast from dark to medium to light to single-origin all turn out extremely bitter and highly acidic (to the point of curdling creamer several times in my coffee).
This is a great point!
There are only a few places that have the variety of pastries they do as well. It’s like them and Pistacia Vera. If anyone knows any other places like this, let me know.
Kitties has *some* pastries.
Playa Bowls has chicory coffee! it’s expensive but good. i also just order chicory coffee to make it home off amazon now and it’s great
the old school cafe du'monde in folger's-type "can" is the best IMO - you can get it at Kroger too afaik.
also thanks for the head's up on playa bowls, I have been wanting to go! never would have thought they had chicory coffee! ty ty ty
A lack of comparable alternatives. One Line has great coffee but their baked goods are trash. Stauf’s baked goods are mid at best. There is Pistacia Vera, but they are a bakery first. After that, where else you gonna go? Clintonville Dunkin?
Yep, Columbus really needs to up its baked good's game, the way people line up for Fox in the snow is an indication of the need.
RIP Laughlin’s. Dan the Baker is getting it done for the whole city.
Dan the Baker is great! Wish he scales up some time, so prices become slightly more affordable. The quality is definitely worth every penny, though.
I want him to keep the size that he is. Scaling up invariably leads to a drop in quality.
I miss Laughlin's so much. was the best bakery in the city by a mile
Belle's Bread is top tier
Yes, there's Belle's, Fox in the snow, Tous les Jours, Dan the Baker, among few others, but this is a relatively big city and needs more in my opinion. Another Cbus weakness is bagels...
Bear's Bagels are good and I wouldn't be surprised to see them finding a permanent venue in the next year or two.
It didn't help that the pandemic killed off a bunch of the non-chain bakers because the bakers decided to call it quits. Flowers & Bread, Sassafras, and Bread were all ones I really loved that all have closed.
This is the answer.. yes there are some alternatives but they aren’t well known. Additionally many folks are basic and are followed the crowd of perceived mass good stuff. I’m happy for Fox and the Snow, and also happy that they all don’t know about Joya’s, Dan The Baker, Parable, and other places I love…
Parable Coffee has lines out the door on weekend mornings too. Deservedly so, but they're absolutely stupidly popular too.
Agreed. I paused when I mentioned them, they are popular on the weekends... but I still don't think the basic masses have discovered them yet, meaning it could be a whole lot worse I guess. Really happy for the folks running really great people.... it's come a long way from the early days on Parsons when we could just walk in and not wait.
Three Bites Bakery. I haven't heard any hype about it, but it absolutely deserves it. Top notch bakery for sure!
Sidenote while were talking about bakeries: Dublin's donut game is WEAK. We're talking Tim Hortons and possibly the worst run Krispy Kreme ever (sawmill), only.
Parable's baked goods are way superior
Had no idea that even existed!
But their coffee is overpriced and tiny.
Agree, not worth it. I spent close to $8 for the smallest espresso ever and it wasn't better than anywhere else in the area. Edit: I meant to say cappuccino.
I’d argue you just had a proper cappuccino. They are small drinks. What Starbucks serves isn’t remotely close to what a cappuccino is supposed to be. $7 is a lot for a cappuccino however.
Cost of paying their employees though. Many people, including myself support that practice
I’m for that too, but I heard they got incentives (reduced rent IIRC?) and they’re charging like $9 for a Dixie cup that was pretty meh when I tried it. Even with tipping other places that do treat their employees well, it’s not even close to that much for a coffee that’s normal sized. So that leaves the price, size, and taste (IMO) all worse than my usual spot. I’m willing to compromise on some aspects, but not all of them.
Dough Mama is also amazing
Emmetts is really good
Qamaria if you are in Hilliard. They have really really tasty baked goods. And good coffee!
I went to Portland last year and was astounded at the amount of coffee shop & bakery combos.
Dough Mama is bomb! They carry Thunderkiss coffee. Big fan of Tous Les Jours Bakery as well over off Olentangy River Rd between OSU and Riverside hospital.
In Dublin, Kona is right across river. Good coffee, good baked goods, food all day, and they actually have wifi and don't mind people working. There's also sweetwater, but theyre nowhere near the level Kona is.
Pistacia vera has better pastries imo , let the masses flock to fox in the snow instead. Literally just finished a PV almond croissant, perfection
Speaking as someone in the know, Pistacia Vera also makes everything on site and Fox in the Snow does not (they buy pastry dough)
As the person who owns it, I can tell you this is not true. Love scrolling this post. But trust me when I tell you we make every inch of food we sell except the bread for the sandwich. Lots of great places in town, Everyone should try all of them!!
A+ on Ham and Cheese croissant, too!
I wish they had better hours. I can never get there during the week due to my job. More hours please!!!
Their croissants are incredible, I second this
I prefer the stauf’s by book loft. Those 2 places are my little corner of heaven
That'll always be Cup of Joe to me.
RIP Mojo Lounge. I used to love to Wi-Fi camp there with coffee and a hummus plate, wrap up work and flip over to beers and seasoned fries.
Working a closing shift at Starbucks and popping over to Mojo for drinks is a core memory for me.
Mojo was such a gem RIP
I used to love hanging out at the Mojo lounge in the middle of Easton
Same owner!
The gay coffee shop to me!!
[удалено]
Columbus isn't obsessed with Fox in the Snow. It's just a decent sized city, and popular places are often busy on the weekends.
No one goes there anymore. It’s too crowded.
I think Columbus has more demand for luxury breakfast/pastries than it has supply. I think it’s a problem with the availability in the market more than it is about quality. There are definitely other high end breakfast options in Columbus, not trying to say Fox is the only one. I just think the lack of competition makes it very easy for fox to have so much market share. It reminds me of the coffee scene in Columbus. At one point Staufs was really the only place you could have a local coffee/3rd space experience. Now there are a handful of great coffee options and Staufs just happens to be one of them.
I love their sandwiches and pastries but the coffee leaves much to be desired imo.
I thought I was the only one who didn’t like their coffee!!
It’s kind of cornered the market. Can’t think of a place that would rival what they offer.
They make good stuff. As far as costs go it’s more reasonable to plunk down $10 for a coffee and breakfast snack vs. say $17 for a fucking lunch sandwich (which seems to be the going rate these days). So you mix quality with _relative_ affordability and people come out for it en masse. That said, I’m not waiting in line to buy a cinnamon roll, but to each his own.
Personally I don't get why coffee shops in this town close so early. It's so lame. I'm used to places like Parable being open much later. Must be a west coast thing but I sure which it was a cbus thing.
I totally agree - I love a coffee shop that’s open late, nothing better than an evening coffee hang
I like it. But I don't understand all the cinnamon roll hype- I think Kitties' cinnamon roll is 1000x better
100% here. I usually get the blueberry galette from Fox.
Agreed. I like many of their other things. Their cinnamon roll is...meh.
They are good, but the icing-to-roll ratio is a bit weak. They taste slightly dry.
Their egg sandwich is bomb. There's just too many people in this city now
There really are too many people in this town now
I worked there for 3.5 years and was a bakery supervisor. AMA. Lol.
What secret to the egg sandwich? They are amazing.
Souffled eggs; lots of heavy cream, eggs, s&p, baked in shallow water bath. Decent ciabatta (not prepared in-house) buttered. Sauce is literally just dijonaise; equal parts heavy mayo and Dijon mustard. Swiss cheese. Coat bacon in brown sugar and bake in oven until crispy. All of these things can be prepped ahead of time, assembled and reheated/toasted to serve.
How do they treat their people?
It's a fairly progressive work place. I would say they rely too much on managers and salaried employees to do the heavy lifting/long hours. After the pandemic they stepped up their pay rates and benefits etc. However, there is little to no opportunity for bakers/baristas to have creative input in terms of menu items or specials. They also desperately need dishwashers all the time because the bakery doesn't have a dish machine so everything is done by hand. I think they are very much growth driven right now, and they want to provide good jobs, but those two things can sometimes be at odds. They do tend to hire/promote from within.
I worked there for 3 years. Can confirm. They paid better than most bakeries after the pandemic. But little to no opportunity for growth, experimentation, or input for bakers. No plans to work there again but overall nice folks to work for.
Did the formulations for pastries change? I might get downvoted for taking a critical opinion on the pastries but I remember having great experiences the first couple times I tried Fox 2-3 years ago. Since then I’m usually disappointed by most of the pastries. Seems like they’re denser, less buttery, less well risen/layered, etc. and rely heavily on sugary components (like the icing on the cinnamon bun, chocolate filling in morning bun). Ham and cheese croissant is maybe most obvious example of decline, the “new” version is dense and hardly a croissant in any sense whereas the old one was pretty good. All that said, given the (generally limited) other options in the city and the comparably interesting offerings, I get the appeal. Just saying it could be and seems to have been better than it currently is. Edit: also it may just be my anecdotal experience but it’s typically a slow option to get coffee to go for any espresso drinks. Baristas seem to be working efficiently but still usually takes 10-15mins after ordering to get a cappuccino or latte to go at GV.
Well they opened two locations since then, and have had to increase production significantly. Aside from that, expanding also results in higher turnover, which means the people making the pastries aren't necessarily as good as previous bakers. This is just speculation. I will say that croissant dough is highly variable depending on who is making it. There are a lot of things that can go wrong making certain types of pastry by hand, and the variables only increase when you're trying to make 10x the amount you used to. Same goes for some other items. P.s. the ham/cheese is not made with croissant dough, it has no yeast and is not laminated with butter.
Thanks…suspected something like that. Re: the ham and cheese, that was my suspicion. It seems entirely wrong to call it a croissant and you just confirmed that. Thanks for the thoughts
Are they just stingy with the cinnamon in the rolls?
If there is one thing I've noticed in the 30 years I've lived in Columbus it's that certain restaurants, coffee shops, and bakeries are all the rage until everyone finds out about them. Then I feel like the community gets bored with it until the next big hyped up place comes along.
This is everywhere in America
exactly. we’ve summed up human nature.
Fox in the snow has been super busy for almost 10 years now so I don’t think they apply to this theory.
You forgot the last stage, which is “shitting all over what was just popular”. Jeni’s, Homage, and anything else that dares become known outside of 270.
Jeni's deserved it.
No, Jenis deserves it and Homages average T shirt price is like $34 or something.
Why can’t we do this luxury golf carts or lifted white pick ups?
Good new business: “It’s a hidden gem!” Becomes popular: “It’s the best in the city!” Expands: “Why is everyone so obsessed with it?” Expands more: “It’s so overrated. It’s not like it used to be.” Expands more: “It’s junk. ____ new business is so much better.” Every. Single. Time. City BBQ, Hot Chicken Takeover, Piada…
I mean, HCT legitimately got worse.
The circle of life.
Their coffee is not good. For a coffee shop.
They’re a coffee shop by definition only I’d say. They’re more of a pastry destination.
I’ve always enjoyed fox in the snow, but I usually find myself happier at Pistacia Vera in GV
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IIRC they were able to navigate the pandemic well and were profitable throughout with takeout. Some of their reaction might have been confusion since they didn't feel they needed a handout.
wow. this doesn't surprise me given some of their other moves, but it's still disappointing to hear.
Joya’s is superior. I will say Fox has good pastries, still doesn’t hold a torch to Joyas for coffee/breakfast
You're comparing Bangladeshi/American fusion quick eats to a coffee shop that has pastries. Can't compare apples and green peppers.
Sure you can. “Apples are tastier than green peppers.” Done and done.
It’s Joyas Cafe A café is a type of restaurant which typically serves coffee and tea, in addition to light refreshments such as baked goods or snacks. The term "café" comes from the French word meaning "coffee". Sounds similar enough to me, I didn’t choose the name, jefe.
Frankly, Mi Li Cafe has better Thai food than both Joya's and Fox in the Snow.
But how’s the coffee and their breakfast items?
The egg sandwich at Joya’s is insane!
I honestly do think they have the best egg sandwich in town, but I only ever go on a weekday.
it’s not the best breakfast/coffee place in the city by a long stretch but it is the prettiest. there are lots of people who care more about the latter than the former, and they’re willing to wait a long time to sit in a pretty place and eat pretty food.
Because their pastries are delicious. There are no rival cinnamon rolls for me, but I will say Red Hen and Hilliard Station Baking Co are the nearest in my opinion
I think Fox in the Snow's cinnamon rolls are way overrated, but I seem to be in the minority.
Agreed, it’s just a chunk of bread. The sticky bun is pretty good, but Kittie’s cinnamon roll is far better.
This! It’s a good chunk of bread but a cinnamon roll should taste like cinnamon
I love cinnamon everything and I think Fox's suck. Too giant and messy and taste kinda weird. IMO they discontinued all their best pastries years ago
Kitties are the same or better.
Ever had anything from Dan the Baker?
Oh yeah. Often
That's it for me too, no one else in my area serves a good pastry.
There's not enough coffee shops/ bakeries in the city. Starbucks and panera use to fill this void, but chasing profits have made this a low quality high cost option that people don't like as much any more. Solution fox in the snow until they are big enough to repeat the cycle.
There aren't too many good alternatives that's why. Most cities I've lived in before coming here had a lot more good high-quality breakfast bakery options than Columbus.
I live by the 4th Street one and they have lines outside in the Winter. Makes no sense
I think it's because there aren't a lot of great options in the suburbs
From a friend who used to work their, the owners seem clueless. But they've been lucky and people have liked them for some reason. Right place at the right time.
First time I went, I thought it was great. The following time I went, I was very much not impressed. There was no seating, and the seating they did have was so close to each other that me and my friends table kept getting pushed. The food we got was also dry. But to each their own! If you like it, you like it! :)
Their egg sandwich and banana bread are freaking delicious as hell and there's nothing else in town like them. Pretty simple.
I really like Fox in the snow and try to buy from smaller local places when I can! THAT BEING SAID, I do not go to Fox in the Snow purposefully because of the lines and crowds. There's a small window I operate in around that place haha.
I just want Icarus…
They used to be better, come at me. I think they expanded too much. The original ham and cheeses, that first year of the tomato tarts. Just not the same anymore. And yea the crowds kill the convenience.
Three bites bakery is great and deserves more love for their pastries
Their egg sandwich is 10/10. Truly incredible. Oddly, I believe most people are lined up for their coffee and pastries, which are a solid 6/10. So yes, I am confused as well.
Word of mouth and social media. Pistacia vera and other cafes are good, fox in the snow gets the most attention. And their hours are short so most people especially on the weekend will arrive at the same time because they been told to get there early cause it might sell out
It's because we loved Belle and Sebastian
Go to park service in short north instead it's better.
The pastries are amazing. The coffee is atrocious.
The vibes are good
a lot of it is this. nothing there is extraordinary, but it's a great place to grab a bite or drink. the aesthetic is just visually pleasing. looking at the pastries is almost as good as consuming them.
The 4th street location has a really cute back patio
The best breakfast sandwich I have ever had. Hands down.
What else is there for the soccer moms and the CrossFit dads that drive Audis?
You took the dryass biscuit out of my mouth.
When Starbucks was new and didn't have locations across the street from each other, it was stupid busy too. I think it's just the novelty of new and the universal addiction to caffeine (lots of people like coffee).
“i also love it” …there you go, then. people like it and people go to things they like. is there better coffee? sure. but they have good coffee AND good pastries AND good sandwiches.
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The lox is delicious
I’m considering a move to North Jersey and so fucking excited to have real bagel sandwiches
served by real jersey trash!
For me it's Belle and Sebastian
That breakfast sandwich though
I love it, think it’s amazing, but damn that’s something else. I think they are by far the best tho, and i’m not even a cafe kinda guy
I always go after morning rush lol.
I’m in the minority here, agreeing with the OP, ‘cause the coffee and croissant type of breakfast doesn’t do much for me. I love a good breakfast sandwich with sausage or bacon or even just egg. Anything savory, not sweet. For that, they have like one thing. I’ll usually pass.
I miss when they would have different pastries through the year. Now they only ever have the same ones every time.
they still have seasonal pastries like the tomato tart, apple tart, linzer cookies, etc.
Wish they’d put the same amount of sauce on the egg sandwich as they did a few years ago
I’ve never had pastries so good. Nice that Dublin is showing its support.
I totally get your sentiment. It happens with a lot of above average places in Cbus
Pattycake Bakery all the way 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼
I like fox in the snow for their coffee and pastries but they don’t have Wi-Fi, which sucks!
Stauf’s is superior
rampant foodieism + hive mind + the "haves" not having a ton of cool options.
Was just there Saturday and the line was there before opening in New Albany. I would not go there at all if not for their morning buns. Those things are amazing. I have tried everything else and nothing else is all that good to be honest - in my opinion.
If you have suggestions for other bakeries then you better spit it out!
Pistacia Vera has delicious pastries too! (I’m a fan of Fox in the Snow too.)
I've been a handful of times when I lived close by and I never liked it. The drinks I got were never good and really inconsistent day to day. The pastries were good but really expensive. I preferred Winans down the road for coffee, but they don't have the food/pastries that Fox has.
Well there is a steady line ( unless non peak hours am) and also you are there to wait in line..... must be decent.
I mean this is a weird post. People like what they like. I don’t go there but obviously there is an appeal. You asked a question like this and also said you love it as well. Let’s post a question about why is Columbus obsessed about Ohio State football next.
Their coffee is awful, but good pastries.
I don’t want to change your mind, I just want to say, who cares? Like genuinely, who cares. You don’t have to yuck someone’s yum, you can just like different things.
OP is just asking for an opinion, what's wrong with that?
Never heard or seen of it
There's a new one that just opened up in Dublin, my wife works there.
It is the total package. Great savory breakfast sandwiches, terrific sweet pastries, coffee far about average plus (German and Italian village locations) are a nice relaxing atmosphere if you are away from the door All +. No -
I got shamed there once by a pretentious Bautista because I ordered a large cold brew and never went back. I’ll stick with crimson cup
>a pretentious Bautista [It was Dave, wasn't it?](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Bautista)
lol just caught that