Availability of Coffee

What is the availability of coffee like in Taiwan? Taoyuan county in particular. Is there freeze dried coffee? Fresh beans? Canned coffee? I’m just curious what is available so that I may adjust my expectations accordingly.

Yep they got coffee in Taiwan. They got tea too.

How far into the county are we talking about? :roflmao: Just kidding. far enough and they’ll be growing it.

Seriously, man, if there is something you do not have to worry about, is the availability of good coffee in Taiwan. That said, freeze dried, back away heretic! :no-no: :raspberry:

Thank you all very much for your swift responses.

A Icon, me gusta Mafalda tambien :slight_smile:

they even grow their own coffee in Taiwan.

[quote=“dale.hanson”]Thank you all very much for your swift responses.

A Icon, me gusta Mafalda tambien :slight_smile:[/quote]

Just had two cups:

But don’t expect too much from it. The two varieties I’ve tried were not very good to be honest.

The OP’s question was a fair one about 15 years ago. Good coffee WAS hard to come by back then, and it was pretty expensive too. If you’re going off old information as your reason for asking this, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the availability of the stuff now.

Yeah, I remember living in Tainan back then, and on trips to Taipei, I’d have to go all the way across the city to one of the new-and-few Starbucks to get coffee beans for friends in Tainan.

Amazing how much that’s changed. For all my whinging about how I can’t get such-and-such a foodstuff, or reliably find whatever groceries I want to cook dinner, things have definitely gotten better.

Mind you, the salty snack junk food situation still sucks. (Health-wise, this is undoubtedly a good thing.)

Taipei now has a reputation as one of the great coffee cities, certainly in Asia, and it can hold its own with the world. Scores of really high quality gourmet places. Places like Haaya will even show you where they source their beans. But a cup there is NT$180 to start.

7-Eleven is decent enough for a fix but you have chains like CAMA that sell fresh brewed (and fresh roasted as they roast right in the shop) for NT$40. They look like little south american trading posts.

Coffee is everywhere and lots of places that take it serious.

[quote=“Mucha Man”]Taipei now has a reputation as one of the great coffee cities, certainly in Asia, and it can hold its own with the world. Scores of really high quality gourmet places. Places like Haaya will even show you where they source their beans. But a cup there is NT$180 to start.

7-Eleven is decent enough for a fix but you have chains like CAMA that sell fresh brewed (and fresh roasted as they roast right in the shop) for NT$40. They look like little south American trading posts.

Coffee is everywhere and lots of places that take it serious.[/quote]

Oh Dear!. I will try and carefully hide my Nescafe in the shopping basket at Costco and hang my head in shame at the Checkout. :blush:
Have considered buying a good Coffee machine,but have no idea between them,regarding quality.

Just use a French press or filter. All you need then is to buy good beans and a grinder (which are less than NT1000).

Home espresso machines are not very good unless you are willing to spend thousands (of US$).

I am impressed with coffee culture here. Availability should not be a problem, though I can’t say I know anything outside of the big city.

Taiwan has among the strongest coffee culture of all Asian nations. It’s not just Taipei either. Taichung has scores of coffee supply companies which produce coffee, source coffee, roast coffee, make coffee equipment and best of all are the numerous coffeshops dotted around. My favourite coffeeshop is simply called ‘Italian Espresso’ and it basically consists of a dude , a grinder and two espresso mahines. You got to love that.

Anyway…they also grow coffee in Gukeng under a bountiful shade of betelnut trees.

Which has given me an idea…betelnut…coffee. Betelnut coffee, the latest hot product for flip flop wearing blue van drivers worldwide!

I have a friend who runs a coffee shop… called Aroma coffee shop at ximending near Exit 1 on the MRT station…

10 years from now , the thread will be

“WCIF authentic Tea” - This country is becoming as much a coffee-nation then any other Western oriented one out there.

PS.Plenty of advise on coffee / grinders / roasting in the Food Forum Thread :notworthy:

If you stay in hotels in Taiwan and like to have coffee in the room, bring your own. The packets in the room are nearly always the pre-mix type with sugar and creamer.

[quote=“ceevee369”]10 years from now , the thread will be

“WCIF authentic Tea” - This country is becoming as much a coffee-nation then any other Western oriented one out there.

PS.Plenty of advise on coffee / grinders / roasting in the Food Forum Thread :notworthy:[/quote]
I may consider ditching the Nescafe and buying this. It’s a worry that there are no prices listed :ponder:

http://www.gaggia.com/e/machines.automatic.RI9702_01.overview.html

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Is that the Christian place? Nice joint. Good fair trade coffee and delicious desserts.

[quote=“shiadoa”][quote=“Muzha Man”]Taipei now has a reputation as one of the great coffee cities, certainly in Asia, and it can hold its own with the world. Scores of really high quality gourmet places. Places like Haaya will even show you where they source their beans. But a cup there is NT$180 to start.

7-Eleven is decent enough for a fix but you have chains like CAMA that sell fresh brewed (and fresh roasted as they roast right in the shop) for NT$40. They look like little south American trading posts.

Coffee is everywhere and lots of places that take it serious.[/quote]

Oh Dear!. I will try and carefully hide my Nescafe in the shopping basket at Costco and hang my head in shame at the Checkout. :blush:
Have considered buying a good Coffee machine,but have no idea between them,regarding quality.[/quote]

It is not the machine, back in the ol country we use socks. It is the quality of the beans, the roasting, the careful storage, the water at the right temperature.

Yea, although I’m not really a coffee fan… I do like their sandwich and fruit soda though…