Snake Garnish Coffee Sparks Curiosity and Concern in Hangzhou

A coffee shop in Hangzhou recently introduced two snake-themed drinks for the Year of the Snake, drawing on the local legend of The White Snake. The beverages, White Lady and Bamboo Leaf Green, are garnished with a dried white-banded pit viper. The shop owner says the snake is a medicinal material that can be eaten. Photos show the snake skin's texture clearly, leading to mixed reactions online.

Some customers found the concept inventive, while others said it made their scalp tingle. A few who tried it out of curiosity compared the taste to fried grasshopper. The shop mentioned it may switch to snake-element latte art for those afraid of snakes. The article also notes that doctors have issued related reminders, highlighting both the creativity and the potential concerns around this unusual coffee.

Competition for creativity among independent coffee shops is intensifying. Some rely on stylish décor, some on service and reputation, and others attract attention with unexpected, imaginative ideas. Recently, a coffee shop in Hangzhou drew inspiration from local culture and the legend of The White Snake to launch two snake-themed signature drinks for the Year of the Snake—White Lady and Bamboo Leaf Green—and quickly went viral online because the drinks are garnished with real dried white-banded pit viper. In photos taken by customers, the snake skin’s texture is clearly visible. Some said it made their scalp tingle, while others, after trying it out of curiosity, said it tasted somewhat like fried grasshopper. The shop revealed that, for customers afraid of snakes, it may later switch to snake-element latte art instead. This article will walk you through the creative origins of this snake coffee, customer feedback, and related reminders from doctors.

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In most people’s understanding, competition for independent coffee menus has long reached a fever pitch. Some shops win fans with distinctive décor and eye-catching looks, some secure a place in customers’ hearts with meticulous, thoughtful service and a good reputation, and others win admiration with outstanding quality and creativity beyond imagination.

Recently, a snake coffee that left many people stunned quickly went viral online, and with its powerful visual impact, it attracted many bold consumers to go buy and try it.

Judging from users’ shares on social platforms, a coffee shop in Hangzhou recently drew inspiration from local culture and the legend of The White Snake to create two snake-themed signature drinks for the Year of the Snake—White Lady and Bamboo Leaf Green. After they went on sale, because the shop used real snake in the drinks, they sparked attention and discussion among curious consumers.

In photos posted by customers, both snake coffees have a skewer stuck into the rim of the cup, with a dried white-banded pit viper threaded onto the skewer. Under the light, the patterns on the snake skin are clearly discernible. According to the coffee shop owner, the dried snake used as garnish is made from genuine white-banded pit viper and is a medicinal material that can be eaten.

Undeniably, such an ingenious idea made many onlookers feel it was novel, but some people, upon seeing the real snake with clearly defined textures in the footage, said it made their scalp tingle.

They said that although the dried snake only serves as a garnish in the drink and does not affect the coffee’s flavor, seeing a small snake coiled on the surface of the liquid before drinking is still quite frightening visually. One person commented, “Even as someone who likes keeping snakes, I can’t bring myself to take a sip.” Someone said, “It could scare me so much I’d jump three feet high.” Another said, “It could scare me into a fit.”

However, for bold consumers, the clearly textured dried snake does not scare them out of their wits at all. While marveling that the shop really used substantial ingredients, they were also curious about whether the snake could actually be eaten and what it tasted like. The first batch of tasters reported that the dried snake tasted a bit like fried grasshopper, with a slight aroma of jerky, and no unpleasant smell.

However, perhaps the sensory impact of the dried snake is too strong. Most customers who went to check in and try something new only drank the coffee and took the decorative dried snake away in a doggy bag. The shop believes people may still not quite accept the appearance of the little snake. Some also joked that after finishing the coffee, they would take the dried snake home to make medicinal liquor for their family.

In the eyes of consumers pursuing novelty, the shop’s creation of this snake coffee is quite bold and completely unexpected, and purely in terms of appearance it leaves a deep impression on customers who come to check in.

However, doctors remind that although the dried white-banded pit viper chosen by the shop is a non-toxic traditional Chinese medicinal material, such a tiny amount used this way will not have the effect of dispelling wind-dampness or treating skin diseases. Eating it is not a big problem, but for people with allergic constitutions, trying this cup of snake coffee still requires caution.

The shop also said that considering situations such as customers possibly being frightened by the dried snake, it may no longer place real snake garnish for customers afraid of snakes, or may switch to methods such as snake-element latte art instead.

Image source: Xiaohongshu

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The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.