Susu Guesthouse // 晃晃二手書店

A hybrid hostel, bookstore and coffeeshop, Susu Guesthouse is a cute spot located in a cozy neighborhood without any other similar options. Many cats stroll lazily through the Guesthouse and the small kitchen up front produces decent espresso drinks and pastries on par with the rest of the city’s cafes but maybe slightly cheaper? There are occasionally film showings or meetings there and the cafe aspect is but one part of the guesthouse which is different from other spots. But it lends a nice vibe to Susu, as you’re never sure what you might find when there. Service is friendly and spots are limited but sufficient. Would recommend!

(950台東縣台東市漢陽南路139-1號 // No. 139-1, Hanyang South Road, Taitung City, Taitung County, 950)

[Open daily – 2pm-10pm; closed on Tuesdays]

Food Book Cafe Bookstore // 食冊Cafe書店

This bookstore coffee shop is my current favorite coffee spot in Taitung City. Located off Kaifeng Road on a street surprisingly packed with cafes, 食冊Cafe書店 is labled as a “coffee shop and co-working space,” which makes a big difference. Unlike some of the other coffeshops in the city that open at 2pm and are more geared towards stylish social gatherings rather than reading and working, 食冊Cafe書店 offers a space catered to those who want to do exactly those things. It has an attractive interior with ample natural light and pleasant background music. Nearly every inch is covered with either coffee equipment or books but in a neat, orderly fashion. The owner is friendly and asks that all customers either buy a drink or a book. Drinks are moderately priced, all ranging from 100NTD for a black coffee to 140 for the fancier latte. Cappucinos and lattes are 110-120NTD and were quite good. There’s a long central table with lamps, water and tissues, which just demonstrates the intended use of the space. There’s also a smaller ledge by the window overlooking a small pond and fountain but its better suited for reading rather than laptop work. I can’t think of any downsides to this cafe. It opens at 10am and I feel comfortable staying for a long time. It has good music, good coffee and a friendly owner. Big fan.

(No. 265, Luoyang Street, Taitung City, Taitung County, 950）

[Open Wednesday – Sunday 10am-10pm]

Cafe Rebecca

A cute spot two blocks off Zhonghua Road, Cafe Rebecca has an easy-to-miss storefront with a small sign with its name to mark the location. There’s a patio out front but looked to primarily be for smoking customers. The space inside is well-lit with multiple comfortable tables and chairs and friendly workers. Equally suited for an extended conversation with a friend or a quiet study session, Cafe Rebecca is a great spot to spend an afternoon, as it (like most cafes here) opens around 1:30pm rather than early in the morning. The coffee was priced around the same level as other high-end coffee spots with an Americano (80 NTD) as the cheapest espresso drink and most of the lattes around 130 NTD. Latte was good and worth it. If you’re hungry, they have a moderate selection of food, with waffles being their specialty. Wi-fi given upon request and works well!

(No. 33, Lane 376, Section 1, Zhonghua Road, Taitung City, Taitung County, 950)

[Open daily (except Wednesday) – 1:30pm – 10pm]

 

 

Deep Coffee 

A great spot near Fengrong that’s easily missed when riding down the street on a scooter, Deep Coffee is a stylish spot with a quiet and calm vibe and a friendly owner. While the coffee provides the cafe’s namesake, it’s hard to top the pastries and dessert. For 70-90 NTD, you can get a dense slice of chocolate cake, creme brulee or a wide array of other sweet treats. Coffee is more expensive (espresso drinks go from 100 NTD-150NTD) but it’s a place you can hang out for a while (and the alcoholic drink menu is extensive so you can go there for a nice drink). Wifi given upon request but less of a work spot than other cafes.

(No. 1號, Lane 24, Fengrong Road, Taitung City, Taitung County, 950)

[Open daily, 3pm-12am]

 

Cheela 小屋

A cafe located down the street from Crown and in an another easy-to-miss storefront (do they do it on purpose?!), Cheela 小屋 oozes style and class and prices reflect it. While it’s a beautiful space, the atmosphere is more subdued and quiet. You must be quiet and it’s not the place to go to be social with a group of friends. The service is top-notch, as the worker offers you a bag for your bag (yeah) and immediately proffers the Wifi code before he even hands you a menu. The coffee options were extensive with origins from all over the word and the black coffee was served in a stylish handle-less cup with a lid (see picture). I came back later and ordered a mini latte for 100 NTD (but it seemed normal size to me) and both were good! I’d recommend the latte for the best bang for your buck for coffee. And once again, the pastries and dessert stole the show from the coffee. We ordered an amazing cinnamon roll for 50 NTD (only offered on Sundays and it was excellent. Chocolate banana bread with ice cream for 90 NTD was also quite good and frankly, I’d prefer to get this over coffee any non-caffeine deprived day. Good spot to work quietly or to go for a nice drink after work.

(No. 395-1號, Xinsheng Road, Taitung City, Taitung County, 950)

[Open daily (except Wednesday), 2pm-12am]

Solo Studio

Solo Studio lives up to the name – it literally has one seat. Amazing. Located on a busy street corner at the intersection of Zhongzheng and Zhonghua Roads, this incredibly small space is also incredibly cute. As you walk in, the owner greets you immediately and offers you the single seat. In sunny weather, the tables outside would be a great spot (and provide 3-4 more spots!) but alas, I’ve only stopped in during a rainy Saturaday afternoon. The coffee menu is diverse, with origin choices hailing from South America to Ethiopia but I chose a Taitung origin because it was the first place I’ve seen with a Taiwan coffee offered and I wanted to keep it local. It was delicious and served in an aesthetic thin mug with a small cookie. Additionally, they have a creative menu of grilled cheese with options ranging from a traditionally delicious tomato pesto grilled cheese to an offering with peanut butter (that’s what I chose – can’t pass up peanut butter). This is less a space to hang out and do work and more a space to enjoy a good cup of coffee quietly or if it’s a nice day, hang outside at the table. You can also grab coffee to go and walk to the nearby beach park.

(No. 228, Zhongzheng Road, Taitung City, Taitung County, 950)

[Open daily – 10am-1pm, 3pm – 7pm]

85 Degrees C Bakery Cafe

A chain bakery cafe with locations from Taiwan to Los Angeles, this spot delivers solid coffee and a wide variety of baked treats and cakes. You order your drink or food at the counter on the street, then take the stairs to the cozy second-floor seating area. There’s free Wi-Fi (it was spotty for me when I worked there) and it’s not as cute as other cafes in the area but it’s affordable and open before 1:30pm, which is a rarity otherwise. Americano was strong though and provided me with my necessary dose of caffeine so I was pleased. Would recommend if it’s earlier in the day but if given the choice between here and any of the other cafes, I’d prefer to support the local ones like Cafe Rebecca or Deep Coffee.

(No. 401號, Section 1, Zhonghua Road, Taitung City, Taitung County, 950)

[Open daily, 7:30am – 11:30pm]

Crown Coffee (金矿咖啡)

Crown Coffee, similar to 85 Degrees, feels like a more sterile chain (unsure if there are others) with a wide selection of drinks and baked goods and a nice seating area but less character than the local coffee shops. The latte was good and there’s plenty of seating upstairs with free Wi-Fi (also had trouble connecting to this). Plus it’s open at 8am so again, open before 1:30pm. If given the choice between here and the local spots, I’d choose the others but the coffee here is more affordable and the space is accomodating for bigger groups and socializing. Would recommend in the same breath as 85 Degrees.

(No. 465, Xinsheng Road, Taitung City, Taitung County, 950)

[Open daily, 8am-10pm]