Frystown feels about as far away as any location in Berks County. The village, located in the western tip of the county, is one of the smallest in the county with only about 400 residents.
It doesn’t feel like the kind of place that needs a coffee shop, but that’s where I found The White Magnolia Coffee Co.
White Magnolia started as a mobile coffee trailer based in Myerstown, Lebanon County. In June of this year, the business took over the former Baked Sweet coffee shop and bakery on Frystown Road.
The coffee shop was certainly doing great business while I was there. It was the day before Thanksgiving, a day off for many, which likely added to the crowd. With no spaces on the main lot, I followed the signs for additional parking to a secondary lot behind the building. The dining room wasn’t filled to the brim, but there weren’t many open tables. And I had two groups ahead of me in line to order breakfast.
The dining room felt spacious for a coffee shop with between 8-10 tables plus two counters with tall stool seats. I didn’t notice until I was ready to leave that there’s a second dining room in the back with more low tables and one high table with a live-edge wooden top.
At the front of the room, large windows on either side of the door let in the natural sunlight. Next to one window, guests could sit on a pair of wicker chairs with a small table in between. At the other window, a brown couch with tan cushions sat next to a toy kitchen where kids could play.
Throughout the room, the white-on-white motif brightens the space, even on an overcast day. Behind the order counter, a white menu board is affixed to the white wall. On a side wall, a triptych of white canvas with black floral print offers words of wisdom: “The whole world is a series of miracles, but we are so used to them that we call them ordinary things.”
Not wanting to take seating away from the larger parties, I grabbed a chair at the counter next to the barista stand where I watched a constant flow of drinks being mixed, steamed, and poured as I waited.
That included my own cinnabun chai. It was one of the featured specials for November, and I just couldn’t resist. It was sweet with cinnamon and sugar, definitely a bit of an indulgence. Because of how busy it was, it took about 20 minutes from the time I arrived until my drink was at the table, but it was absolutely worth the wait.
I had barely taken my first sip when my food arrived. I had ordered the farmhouse breakfast, a bowl featuring home fries, scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, cheddar cheese, sauteed peppers, and sauteed onions topped with garlic aioli and chives.
The presentation was gorgeous as the white bowl came out on a small black tray with a little side cup of fruit (strawberries, grapes, and blueberries). It looked delicious, and the first bite did not disappoint. It was a hearty dish with flavorful elements – the potatoes were seasoned and the sausage and bacon added savory notes. But the aioli was what really made the dish. I love garlic, and you probably have to if you’re going to love this dish as much as me because the aioli was definitely garlicky. But I thought it turned a very good dish into an excellent one.
And even though it was busy, I didn’t feel rushed as there were always seats available. So I lingered for a while, working from my perch at the bar while I savored my meal.
It was a little pricey at $25 for the drink and the bowl, but I didn’t feel cheated. The bowl was $16 and the drink was $8 (it was $2 more than a regular chai) plus tax. I would gladly pay that again for a quality meal like I had.
Frystown may be a bit of a hike, but I would gladly make that drive again for another farmhouse breakfast.
BCE Rating
Food: Excellent
Ambiance: Very Good
Service: Good
Price: $$
White Magnolia Coffee Co.
429 Frystown Road
Myerstown, PA 17067
