If you’re looking to unwind, work, or just get out of the house for the afternoon, then go no further than some of Taipei’s best cafés. Nestled among the bustling streets, so many cafés have become an essential element of the local food scene. They offer an intriguing experience that encapsulates the essence of this vibrant metropolis, with a broad choice of milk or non-dairy flavors and brewing styles. These delightful cafés offer an intriguing coffee-fueled experience that encapsulates the essence of this exciting city in which I live and love.
Taipei cafés are well-known for their dedication to quality and innovation, from some of the worlds best single-origin coffee, to a lip-smacking espresso, or branching out to that deliciously creamy latte that we all know and love. Each café, from trendy hangouts to intimate hideaways, has its own distinct ambiance and charm. These places cater to all interests, whether you’re a budding barista, caffeine addict, or simply looking for a cozy place to unwind.
Taipei’s cafés proudly feature a selection of single or mixed-origin beans sourced from around the world for those looking for a next level coffee experience. Each cup has a narrative to tell, highlighting the various flavors and features of its origin. In a typical café in the city, you can expect to enjoy the rich notes of Ethiopia, the smoothness of Colombia, or the earthy scents of Indonesia. Not to mention the elusively micro-batch Taiwanese homegrown beans that exist out there!
With all of this talk about caffeine, are you getting more and more excited? You should be! But, bear in mind that caffeine and the effects that it can have on the body may not be for everyone.
A great podcast you should check out is The Huberman Lab podcast, where Andrew Huberman will break down everything caffeine, providing you with all of the information with which to make smart caffeine choices moving forward, whether that is to optimize mental & physical performance, or just to be more conscious about the drinks we are drinking.
Be sure to check out more about The Huberman Lab using this link.
What are some Taipei Top Cafés?
There are many excellent cafés in Taipei, with most located in the Da’An District. Some great ones are All Day Roasting Company, Coffee Law, and Moonshine Coffee Roasters.
What Café is good for single origin coffee in Taipei?
Cafés in Taipei take coffee seriously, but some more than most. You should go to Simple Kaffa if excellent single origin coffee is what you’re looking for, as they have such a wide selection.
What is the best Café in Taipei?
The ‘best’ café is difficult to isolate. Are you looking for coffee? Sandwiches? Pastries? For excellent all-round offerings, you should go to Simple Kaffa, 富錦Fujin Tree Cafe, or All Day Roasting Company.
Taipei, with its vibrant coffee culture, is home to a multitude of amazing cafés that offer diverse flavors, unique atmospheres, and exceptional coffee experiences. In this article, we will look at 9 of the best from around the city. If you see any that didn’t make the list, then leave a comment and I’d be happy to expand the post to include your recommendation.
Table of Contents
Read more about Food and Places to visit in Taipei:
The Ultimate Guide to 15 Amazing Xiao Long Bao Restaurants in Taipei
Taipei street food: 15 of the best food stands you should eat, and where to find them.
Not just Bubble Tea? A quick 101 lesson about other fantastic drinks in Taiwan.
Where Can You Find the Best Taiwanese Breakfast? here are my 2024 top picks!
7 unforgettable Taipei Places to visit in 2024 if you only have 48 hours!
Unlimited Seating Time
ALL DAY ROASTING COMPANY
This place had to go to the top of the list, as I genuinely see it as being one of the best cafes in Taipei. All Day Roasting Company does some delicious coffee, great breakfasts/brunch, and in a really welcoming environment with absolutely no time limit on how long you can stay there! Go for one of their milk creations for your coffee selection, and you’ll be wowed by the latte art that is on display here.
Latte art is a captivating technique that elevates the presentation of a latte by skillfully pouring perfectly steamed milk into espresso, thus creating intricate designs on the surface. From heart shapes to regal swans, these artistic creations add an aesthetic appeal to the creamy surface of the coffee, delighting both the eyes and taste buds. Check out below for some incredible latte art!
In fact, right here in Taipei you can do a latte art class at Jomo Coffee. Use this link to book yours today!
HOLIN COFFEE 歐臨咖啡
Not technically ‘Taipei‘, but I feel like Yonghe is the cousin of Taipei, being a short bridge from either Wanhua, Gongguan, or Wanlong. Here at Holin Coffee you’re going to get delicious coffee, unlimited seating time, and great WIFI to allow you a peaceful space in which to work all day. What is not to love about that trifecta combo?
Holin have quite a lot of single-origin coffee, they do some great latte’s (and obviously the latte art to go with that), and it should definitely go down as a Taipei coffee shop (or a cousin of) of note. My recommendation would be their
Coffee To-Go
Goro Goro Coffee
Goro Goro really have the aesthetics down. Their logo is great, the design throughout the cafe front itself is beautiful, and the most important thing – the coffee – is on point, too. What you’ll get here is a back alley cafe that will surprise you with the high quality drinks they serve up. If you’re fed up with Louisa’s poor quality offering, but absolutely hankering for a Flat White, then Goro Goro is the place to be!
Their Flat White will serve up everything you have been looking for. For my money, the Flat White is the best milk based creation a café has ever made. Shorter, stronger, and waaaay more punchy than the latte, this creation is a sure staple to your morning (or afternoon) routine.
COFFEE LAW 安和店
Interesting about this spot, is that they have 2 branches – one is take-away only, and the other one you can eat/drink in at. This picture was taken when trying out their toast (it was fine), but I would like to focus more on the take-out-ability of their drinks.
One thing that I really liked about Coffee Law, was that their drinks were delicious. We had a latte and an Americano, and they were both solid. I would say that their beans come in on the more dark-roasted side, so be prepared for quite a deep and rich flavour (not on Starbucks level, don’t worry), but it combines really nicely with their milk-based options.
Specialty Coffee
Ruins Coffee Roasters
Taking beans seriously, is something that I really respect and appreciate from cafés around Taipei, and Ruins is a great place to start. They source the best beans that they can find, roast them up nice and fragrant, then use those beans to make some of the nicest tasting coffee that you’re likely to find in Taipei.
Honestly, you can’t go far wrong with any of their creations. But, for me, their House Blend or their Papua New Guinea using a V60 to pour-over would be what I go for each and every time. The fragrance coming out of their beans here is what makes it so special. It helps, of course, when the design inside is damn cool, too.
富錦樹咖啡 FUJIN TREE CAFE
Fujin Tree is an Instagrammer’s paradise! The aesthetics make it a really special place to go in and chill. But, what is notable as well is their single-origin coffee is right on the money. Each person is required to spend $250 or more here, and they don’t accept reservations, but their coffee + tiramisu are worth going there for, even with these restrictions. They have some incredible Ethiopian beans, and even have some less commonly seen in Taiwan Mexican beans that I will definitely try next time.
鬧蟬烘豆工作室/鬧蟬咖啡Now Chance Coffee
There are two branches of Now Chance, both offering up some amazing single-origin options if that’s what you’re in the market for. Upon walking in and ordering here, you are given a menu on which has all of the different specialty coffee that they have there. You choose the beans that you want, and then you choose the drink that you would like them to create for you. However, if you are not completely sure whether your Colombian beans go right with milk in a latte, or whether your Peruvian beans go well as a stand-alone espresso, I would encourage you to first check with the amazing baristas throughout the store here.
I have had many amazing espressos here, and long may that continue. This is a café that I trust for their roasting, and that is seldom given out praise.
Moonshine Coffee Roasters | 私釀咖啡商行 (敦南旗艦店)
What gives Moonshine the edge, here is the inventive creativeness that they bring to their drinks and food. It’s quite awesome, really. Expect to see things on the menu such as an affogato, summer tonic, sleeping pill (?!), and whisky Americano. These creative drinks give it the edge over the competition by including some alcoholic or virgin cocktails. You should absolutely check out their creamy cold drip for a refreshing hit on a hot day.
Coffee With a View
Simple Kaffa Sola 天空興波
Taipei 101. It doesn’t get much better than that. Simple Kaffa have a couple of branches, with their flagship branch in the center of the city, but the place to go for a view is right here. High up on the 88th floor, you’ll get stunning (if you hit it on a good day and get lucky) views, with some delicious drinks. Anyone who knows about Simple Kaffa knows how good their drinks are, but anyone who doesn’t know, needs to. Their selection of beans and drinks really make it stand out from the crowd.
我們在海邊
If you have a car, scooter, or any means of travel, then you must look at going out to this spot on the coast. The views out to sea are wonderful, the location is secluded enough to not get a flow of tourists coming in, and their menu is surprisingly good, too! You have to book in advance to get a window seat, but it’s not the end of the world if you don’t get one, as the menu itself is delicious enough by itself.
Cafe With Long Opening Hours
翌日咖啡店
From 13:00-01:00, Yokujitsu café is definitely a place to settle in to for the long haul. Sip on a delicious coffee all day long if the mood so strikes you to do so. They keep it simple here, with lots of variations of coffee, tea, and non-caffeinated drinks. There’s only a couple of smaller desserts on the menu, too, so don’t go expecting an afternoon snack to fill you up. Come for the coffee, and enjoy it right into the depths of the night. It definitely goes down as one of the best cafés in Taipei for the night owls out there.
記得我咖啡
Mid-day to 2am, Remember me café is a place to laze around in all day. You can expect to stumble across some live music here, as well being able to enjoy some waffles or cheesecake. What is more, is that Remember me café also serve alcohol. So, smash a coffee mid afternoon, wash it down with a tiramisu or/and some cheesecake, then carry on with some beers into the evening. Life could be worse, right?
The Bottom Line
Which is your favourite from the 9 above? I really like the understated nature of Holin, but I also really enjoy the All Day Roasting Company for what they offer. To pin me down, I will choose All Day Roasting Company. But any of the 9 above are a sure bet for a great caffeine hit at any point throughout the day.
Are there any others that didn’t make the cut, but are noteworthy? Plenty. The 9 above are great examples, but there are many, many more. In fact, one of my favourites that I didn’t feature is OKLao. Their selection of beans is amazing, and their single serving travel coffee is absolutely on-point, too!
Custom Map
We had to create a great map for you to use for when you are out and about and craving that caffeine. Be sure to check out each and every single one of the locations below, but also be sure to leave a comment with anywhere that you feel should be added to the list because it is just THAT good.