Good morning coffee-addict! On this page I will introduce you to my own personal favorite little cafes in Taichung City. Some of these places are also great options for breakfast and brunch! There’s quite a few of them, so sit comfortably, grab yourself a coffee, and read on…
Please, make sure to see all those places on my map at the bottom of this page. Enjoy!
Whether in Taiwan, or while traveling abroad, one of the main themes of my life seems to be coffee. I am a shameless, unapologetic caffeine junkie! I’m constantly looking for new cafes wherever I go. My work allows me, or should I say requires me to have a “moving office”. Every day I pack my laptop, hit the road, and I always have the same question on my mind: “Which cafe will it be today?”
Over the years, I’ve discovered many really cool cafes in Taichung. The city definitely has a strong, vibrant cafe culture, where a lot of emphasis is placed not only on interior design, but also on roasting, brewing, and pouring quality.
Long gone are the days where you’d pay 35NT$ for a watery black, or 50$ for a shameful café au lait, which was just a filtered cup with creamer on the side. And luckily, long gone are the days where Starbucks was your only option for a strong Americano or filtered coffee of the day.
Some cafes in Taichung offer the kind of high experience that you might expect in a western city that’s had a long tradition of coffee making and cafe etiquette. The level of dedication to the art of coffee making in Taichung is unmatched anywhere else in Taiwan. My view is that Scott from Mojo had a lot to do with that, but that will be for another article…
So here it is, a list of my favorite cafes in Taichung, in no particular order:
The Factory by MojoCoffee
Since opening its doors in 2003, Mojo has delivered high-quality coffee to our great city. The Factory is their biggest location and it’s conveniently located in the heart of Little Europe, in one of the small alleys off Jing Cheng Road. Scott is the master barista behind this institution and he’s responsible for having trained countless coffee artists that now operate their own cafes throughout Taichung and Taiwan.
No cafe exploration in TC is complete without having visited Factory. The floor-to-ceiling windows create one of the most welcoming, stylish atmosphere. There’s an outdoor seating area, extensive seating inside, and always the best blues playlist echoing throughout this wonderful building. If you have time to visit only one cafe in Taichung during your stay, make it to the Factory!
Address: No. 22號, Jingcheng 6th Street, West District
Phone: 04 2328 9448
Hours: 8:30am-6pm
Hecho Cafe and Restaurant
There is so much going on for Hecho. First, it has what I believe, the coolest terrace in Taichung city. My favorite anyway. Hecho is in a small alley, off Meicun Rd, by the Green Belt, and from the balcony on the 2nd floor, you have a beautiful view over Hotel One, Park Lane mall, and the Calligraphy Greenway.
The balcony is surrounded by plants, there’s always jazz and blues music played at a comfortable volume level, and at night, the place is illuminated with string lights. Definitely one of the nicest places in town to enjoy a cup of coffee, beer, or wine. (Yes, they sell alcohol as well!)
Phone: 04 2326 0423
Solid Bean Roasters
Solid Bean sells outstanding specialty coffee, and some very delicious food. The Caprese salad and croque monsieur are my two favorites on the menu and I could honestly eat that every single day. The beans constantly change and they have more than one kind on offer. I always make sure to tell the barista what I’m in the mood for – which is usually something dark.
Modern light roasts coffee is a popular thing at Solid Bean, but it’s not for everyone (like me), so ask in advance what’s available, to not have a bad surprise. They also have single origin coffee and nitro on tap.
Address: 28, Jingcheng 3rd Street, West District
Phone: 04 2310 2272
Hours: 9am-6pm, closed on Wednesday
Zeller Cafe
Zeller is a must-go cafe for Instagram-addicts. I’m not implying that you should take selfies there, but it seems like everyone does it avidly! Every single time I’ve been to Zeller, there were 網美, “Instagram queens” which were in full photo session as if the place was a studio. I use to find this kind of plastic behavior annoying, but now it’s so common that I filter it out. The actual reason why I often end up going there is because it’s right next to my house. The coffee is super good, the music is fine, the place is beautiful and comfortable. The interior design is obviously the main reason why it’s such an instagram-able spot. For me, it’s a great temporary office. Highly recommended.
Address: 154, Dadun 11th St, Nantun District
Phone: 04 2320 7989
Hours: 9am-7pm
JYT Cafe
JYT is right downstairs from my place, so I spend quite a lot of time there. The indoor area is modern, bright, and it’s got very high ceiling, which opens up the space. The outdoor seating area (not on the sidewalk) is quiet, private, and very zen-like. Perfect spot for your mobile office or catch up on some reading. I’m not a cake guy, neither a tea guy, but I regularly order their cheese cake and milk tea, as they are both really good.
Cubix
Cubix is a great stop for coffee or lunch. It’s in modern Qiqi neighborhood, along Shizheng Road, on the first floor of a tall business tower. Their menu consists of sandwiches, salads, pasta, risotto, seafood, and Taiwanese bento box type set meals. We’ve tried pretty much everything and were never disappointed. I personally recommend anything with seafood. The chef and the cooks know what they are doing! Modern, casual, business, white, open kitchen, are the best words to describe the decor. Perfect latte art is always a sure thing here.
Address: Xitun District, Shizheng Road, 398號豐邑市政都心大樓一樓
Phone: 04 2258 8005
Map
Ivette Cafe
Ivette describes itself as being an Australian style green cafe (whatever that’s supposed to mean). Located in the upscale and modern Qiqi district, just across from super-posh Lin Hotel, this restaurant has become one of my favorite places to have my daily morning dose of caffeine.
The excellent, creative food at Ivette is obviously made with care and fresh ingredients. I always go for the sublime Avocado on Sour Dough Bread and Americano Coffee. It’s not cheap, but the experience is perfect each time. Service is top notch, cleanliness is excellent, the design and music make you not want to ever leave, and the staff know what they’re doing! Check it out.
Address: 120, Chaofu Road, Xitun District
Hours: 8:30am to 5pm
Phone: 04 2254 5411
Come True Coffee
Come True is a nice place to get your caffeine fix if you happen to be in the Green Belt / Art Museum area. It’s right on the edge of Audit Village, so you can expect hordes of local tourists on weekends. It’s not the best to read or work on your laptop, as it really gets crowded and loud. I only go on weekdays when the place is nice and quiet. There’s a nice outdoor seating area that’s surrounded by tall trees. One of the richest lattes available in Taichung.
Address: No. 370, Minsheng Road, West District
Phone: 04 2302 6882
Hours: 10am-9pm
Solar Table
I was not sure if I should include Solar Table here or on my restaurant page. Why? Because the menu is quite big and it could be classified as a restaurant. But I personally come here for the coffee, mostly. My wife, on the other hand, regularly orders a set-meal, and unfortunately for her, I always end up stealing half her food. Solar Table is popular for its brunch, Japanese curry rice, and desserts. Service is excellent and attentive, but sometimes they get overwhelmed. Atmosphere is nice. Cosy ambiance. Can get pretty crowded any day of the week.
Address: No. 697號, Dajin Street, Nantun District
Phone: 04 2320 2302
Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm / Sat, Sun 9am-5:30pm
Pluto Espressoria
The first thing you realize as you walk into Pluto, is that it’s blue! The bold, yet balanced, minimalist design is refreshing, when considering that so many cafes in Taiwan all use the same factory-style concept and materials. I like the fact that Pluto doesn’t cram too many tables on the floor. You get a feeling of privacy at your own table.
You can immerse yourself completely into whatever it is you’re here to do. The open sandwiches on sour dough bread are really yummy, although a bit on the higher-end of the price scale. I usually get the avocado on toast with poached egg – that’s how much of a hipster I’ve become. Lol
Address: 396, Dadun 11th St, Nantun District
Phone: 04 2251 2691
Hours: 7am-6pm
Mezamashikohi Coffee
This Japanese-style cafe is set in a quiet neighborhood, not too far from Taichung City Hall MRT station. There is a library-like wall with books that customers can read for free. Relaxing, comfy place with somewhat healthy dishes. I always order the sous-vide chicken salad. Coffee is a bit weak for me, but still tasty enough that I go back from time to time.
Address: No. 8, Daen St, Xitun District
Phone: +886423102616
Hours: 8:30am – 20:00
Send Smile Cafe
If Cuban-style sandwich + coffee sound like the perfect breakfast to you, then you’ll probably want to check out Send Smile Cafe. You’ll find this warm and colorful brunch place along Huamei Street by the canal downtown. Sitting outside on the sidewalk overlooking the river and trees is a wonderful thing to do any morning, especially when the weather is on the cool side.
As I usually do when I go out to eat, I stick to what I love, and at Sendsmile, it means the Cuban Bolognese Grilled Cheese Sandwich. It comes with scrambled eggs, dark green veggies, and half a tomato. I’m not sure exactly what is in there, but the taste blows my buds away each time! Go for the Bolognese Cuban Combo if you visit.
Address: 412 Huamei Street, West District
Phone: 04-2326-8681
Map
