Clare’s Coffee Review- Footnote Coffee

By: Clare Buchanan

Today I made my way downtown to check out a new coffee shop I’ve been meaning to try- Footnote. Footnote is a little coffee dive-bar, nestled inconspicuously next door to Winston-Salem’s cherished bookshop, Bookmarks! For the longest time, I’ve been eyeing Footnote through the glass doors that separate it from Bookmarks- trying to sense out their vibe, trying to see what sorts of things they get up to. (I am suspicious of so called coffee shops who also operate as breweries at night.)

But, today I walked in and ordered my hot vanilla latte- and was pleasantly surprised.

My journey to Footnote however, was unfortunately not as delightful. My escapade downtown today was definitely on the more eclectic side. I have walked downtown countless times before. On a weekday, it is natural to run into a few characters. However, I was not expecting to see a man wearing what appeared to be only a fur trench coat and some hiking boots? I could imagine he must have been a bit cold, it was cloudy today. 

I also was approached by a man who looked like he walked straight out of Charlie’s Chocolate Factory. He was wearing a newsie cap, a purple knit scarf, corduroy pants, and was carrying a rainbow tie-dyed satchel. He asked to accompany me on my walk and I politely declined. Nope, not this time, buddy! I am a trained expert in the art of deflecting men’s shenanigans. However, I did appreciate his rainbow bag. 

Real talk- there are some unnerving men downtown who loiter and stare and occasionally shout impolite things at others passing by. It’s unfortunate. I would highly recommend that any reader who is new to Winston-Salem take a walking buddy downtown and don’t ever walk there at night. Walking downtown at night-that’s crazy, girl. Don’t do that. 

Despite the eccentric characters I encountered today- it was lovely downtown. I don’t know why anyone would want to move to San Francisco or Chicago or New York when the greatest city in the world is at our disposal here in Winston-Salem. There were lively tourists out and about and I even met a family from Florida who flew up here for Thanksgiving. According to said family, in Florida the leaves don’t change color, they just fall off the trees. That’s so depressing. Poor Florida. 

Well, enough yapping. Let’s get into my full and honest review of Footnote!

FOOTNOTE COFFEE AND COCKTAILS

• Walkability: 1.1 miles from campus. A long and treacherous walk, I will admit. There isn’t really one right way to go- or one way downtown that is devoid of confusing crosswalks and terrible Winston drivers. I will be raw and vulnerable and confess to the readers that I did almost get hit, not once, but twice, by distracted drivers. I was not in the wrong either time- I swear! I am a very aware and conscious walker. Growing up in Los Angeles gave me some street smarts! But dear God, I had to take a moment and catch my breath when an elderly lady with a Wake Forest bumper sticker almost plowed her SUV into my very fragile self while I was crossing the street. EEK!
• Order: Hot vanilla latte with whole milk. (They didn’t have 2% milk. But, I survived.)
• Price: $5.25 (Decent enough.) 4/5 squirrels.
• Taste: I was very pleasantly surprised by the Footnote bean! The taste of this bean was nothing less than exquisite. It was spiced and rich and sweet but strong. Footnote is a coffee bean lover’s apothecary. This was a healing experience after whatever the heck happened to me yesterday at SaySo. The vanilla complimented the heartiness of the bean and I was impressed. I am going to have to give Footnote my second 5/5 rating. 5/5 squirrels!!!!
• Ambiance: I was lucky to get there when I did, because there was limited seating at Footnote. I don’t think Footnote is one of those coffee shops where people mingle over long periods of time- it’s maybe more of a grab and go type situation. But, I did manage to get a seat by the door and an Art-O-Mat! Art-O-Mats are one of Winston-Salem’s delightful little treasures, scattered and hidden about the city like a magpie’s treasure. Art-O-Mats are old cigarette machines that have been converted into local artisan vending machines. For only five dollars, you can get a one of a kind custom print from a local printmaker, or maybe even some custom made jewelry?! Very cool. Very swag. Besides the Art-O-Mat, Footnote had a nice atmosphere. I like that Footnote is hidden from 4th Street, it’s quieter this way. The quietness gave me the opportunity to focus on the beautiful tunes that were being played in the background. Whichever barista was on aux today, thank you. Let me just list out a few of the songs that were played during my hour of leisure at Footnote today:

1. “Not Strong Enough” – Boygenius (Typical.)
2. “Good Luck, Babe.” – Chappell Roan (Right.)
3. “Linger” – The Cranberries (So class.)
4. “Fast Car” – Tracy Chapman (I am a girl who is going to be okay.)

5/5 squirrels.

• Customer Service: I had a pleasant experience ordering my hot vanilla latte with the Footnote barista. I like to have a bit of conversation, a bit of banter if you will, with a coffee shop barista. And this barista was game, very witty, it was a great conversation. 4/5 squirrels.

Happy Thanksgiving to all the readers!!! Here at The Salemite, we are thankful for good cups of coffee, ink stained fingers from reading the paper, and most importantly- all of you. We are more than grateful to share this sacred community with you, reader. ❤

I’ll leave you with a cool bird I saw on my walk: