When it opens in the spring of 2026, Snake Oil Coffee in the Bywater will bring a bit of contemporary cocktail influence to the classic café format. Married co-owners Leslie Cain and Ben Moulton recently told What Now New Orleans that they are renovating the former bakery space at 901 Independence St. to transform it into a small café that blends history with a modern sensibility.
“There’s a lot of historic architectural details that I’m kind of obsessive about keeping around,” Cain said. “So, we’re building a modern, beautiful espresso bar, but you’ll definitely still be able to tell that you’re in an old New Orleans house, which I think is a really compelling combination.”
Moulton is an experienced craft cocktail professional, and he will bring some of that knowledge to drinks at the café. In addition to classic espresso drinks, Snake Oil Coffee will also have espresso tonics and some shaken drinks. The café will also emphasize housemade ingredients, including syrups and cold foams. The food menu is still in development.
While the drink program is more ambitious than most cafes, both Cain and Moulton emphasized that friendly service will be their top priority.
“The quality is gonna be there, but the café will always be approachable, always welcoming,” Cain said. “We want it to be fun. We want people to have a good time, but also have the quality on point behind that.”
“We know we’re gonna serve really good coffee,” Moulton added. “But the main thing is I want people to have a good time and leave feeling better than when they came in.”
