I’m looking for a good shop that sells reasonably priced quality coffee beans, that is preferably in the south/west of Taipei. I don’t have a big freezer, so I can’t freeze loads of them, and will need to make regular trips. I’d love it to be not too far off my work/daily living path. I know Costco is an option, but I always like to support smaller shops, over multinational corporations, when given the opportunity.
Cheers
Cama is a local franchise that roasts in small batches (hence very fresh) and seems to have an interesting variety of beans. There’s one on the south side of Heping 1/2 way between Dunhua and Fuxing…pricier than Costco of course though.
There’s also another ‘mini-roaster’ with a similar formula by Taipei Main. It’s called Willbeck Cafe and they have another location here on KaiFeng street.
If you want quality, you’re better off going freshly roasted. That means buying it within a day or two of being roasted and using it up within 10-14 days at the latest. Nothing from Costco would meet that criteria–nor Starbucks, for that matter. Try to find some place that will give you at least some information about the region it came from, not just the country. Some places will even tell you which farm it came from and what processing method was used [ie. natural (sometimes called dry-processed), pulped-natural (sometimes called semi-washed or honey process), or washed (sometimes called wet-processed)].
I don’t have any specific recommendations for places in the area you mentioned, but you could always try ordering from Cafe Lulu in Taichung. Lulu is the barista, and her husband does the roasting. She speaks very good English, and she has a number of customers from Taipei who get her to send roasted coffee to them, partly because they like her coffee and partly because it’s cheaper to run a business in Taichung. She’ll grind it for you first if you want, but you should buy your own grinder if you want your coffee to taste better.
On the main street of TAmshui, there is a tiny cafe that has a tiny roaster on premises and bags of fresh unroasted beans. They do their own roasts. They coffee is good and their beans are nicely packed and very professionally done. And not expensive. bout 300nt to 600nt per pound. They have blue mountain which is like 1600/pound but a lot of reasonable ones. Try them out.
Main street of tamshui, the shop is only bout 10 feet by 80 feet long with the roaster right in the front (look hard and you wont miss it).
i forget the name but its like 93c or something (a take off of 85c)
Fong Da in Ximending sells quite a selection of single origin freshly roasted beans. There is a place in TianMu across from Zhongcheng park near Boutique du Velo (same side) that will fresh roast while you wait. Cafe with a signboard out front that should be easy to find, if you walk from Sogo, north side of Zhongcheng, close to Fareastone store. If you reach the Bat Bar you went too far.
OP: one of the key variables here is the kind of roasting style you favour. If you give us more information, we can give more specific suggestions.
Like other posters, I very much like Cama and some of the other small roasters scattered around Taipei–and Fong Da is a classic place in Xinmending to hang around over a nice cup of coffee. But if you are into dark roasts (west coast north american style following the tradition of Peet’s Coffee) then things get trickier as most of the local shops in Taiwan use Japanese style roasting techniques. There’s nothing wrong with this of course but it’s a completely different taste.
One notable exception is Barista Coffee. Yes, it’s a chain. And yes, the rather undignified polyster uniforms worn by the staff suggest a downbeat McDonald’s more than a local version of Peet’s. But their dark roasts are excellent and consistent. And if you’re not satisfied with any aspect of their product, they’ll replace it or refund your money. 
Guy
they are pretty good - I think the house roast is fine but not cheap at 250+NT for a half pound…
[quote=“tommy525”]On the main street of Danshui, there is a tiny cafe that has a tiny roaster on premises and bags of fresh unroasted beans. They do their own roasts. They coffee is good and their beans are nicely packed and very professionally done. And not expensive. bout 300nt to 600nt per pound. They have blue mountain which is like 1600/pound but a lot of reasonable ones. Try them out.
Main street of Danshui, the shop is only bout 10 feet by 80 feet long with the roaster right in the front (look hard and you wont miss it).
i forget the name but its like 93c or something (a take off of 85c)[/quote]
This place is good been there myself. The owner has a nice dog. Dogs make coffee better - fact.
[quote=“Steviebike”][quote=“tommy525”]On the main street of Danshui, there is a tiny cafe that has a tiny roaster on premises and bags of fresh unroasted beans. They do their own roasts. They coffee is good and their beans are nicely packed and very professionally done. And not expensive. bout 300nt to 600nt per pound. They have blue mountain which is like 1600/pound but a lot of reasonable ones. Try them out.
Main street of Danshui, the shop is only bout 10 feet by 80 feet long with the roaster right in the front (look hard and you wont miss it).
i forget the name but its like 93c or something (a take off of 85c)[/quote]
This place is good been there myself. The owner has a nice dog. Dogs make coffee better - fact.[/quote]
yes in fact the huge golden retriever blocking almost the entire entrance was what caught my attention and i went in there because the dog caught my attention.
it may be called 87c i think. something like that, i recall its a take of 85c (which is a nice chain).
Are the beans digested by civets? :lick:
I was in indo recently and this type of coffee even there (where it comes from) is quite expensive. LIke 200nt a cup in the malls.
My problem with that is how do we know for sure its genuine?
Or some “shit” coffee?
IF they do offer that in taiwan it would be pretty rare i would think. And i would think it would be very pricey.
[quote=“tommy525”]yes in fact the huge golden retriever blocking almost the entire entrance was what caught my attention and I went in there because the dog caught my attention.
it may be called 87c I think. something like that, i recall its a take of 85c (which is a nice chain).[/quote]
Took me and the wife a while to remember the name, but it’s called No.83 Coffee, 166 Zhōngzhèng Road, Danshuei District
maps.google.com/maps?q=No+83+cof … CAwQ_AUoAg
[quote=“Steviebike”][quote=“tommy525”]yes in fact the huge golden retriever blocking almost the entire entrance was what caught my attention and I went in there because the dog caught my attention.
it may be called 87c I think. something like that, i recall its a take of 85c (which is a nice chain).[/quote]
Took me and the wife a while to remember the name, but it’s called No.83 Coffee, 166 Zhōngzhèng Road, Danshuei District
maps.google.com/maps?q=No+83+cof … CAwQ_AUoAg[/quote]
haha thanks. I knew I had the number wrong somewhere but it was prettty close to 85c the famous chain, so i had a laugh bout that.
I regret not buying some coffee to take back to the USA with me last i was there. I thought i would drop by the store again but i didnt get a chance.
[quote=“tommy525”]I was in indo recently and this type of coffee even there (where it comes from) is quite expensive. LIke 200nt a cup in the malls.
My problem with that is how do we know for sure its genuine?[/quote]
The only way you can be sure is to get it at the source… the plantations where they make it.
You mean the civet’s ass?
Btw, great thread. Thanks for all the tips guys. Got to make a trip back to Fongda. Love their coffee.
I do prefer a darker roast, but I’m more concerned about location right now, which is why I didn’t mention it earlier. I’m working my jimmies off right now, and with my schedule, I’m not going to be heading up to Danshui twice a month unless there’s also a damn cute server girl with my name on 'er. I work near Banciao, and spend almost all of my time in the S/W of the city. I’d most certainly be willing to sacrifice some flavor for the convenience of a nearby shop.
So far this seems to be the best, location-wise. Not sure which MRT is closest though… when I think of Heping, I think of Guting, but I have a feeling it’s farther north. Whats best?
Cheers
I’ve never had Kopi Luwak, but most people who are seriously into coffee regard it as a gimmick and not as a delicious cup of coffee.
I’ve never had Cama’s brewed coffee because the location near me only offers espresso-based drinks. Unfortunately, their cappuccino tasted burnt–in the traditional Taiwanese style. I’d actually give Barista Coffee a miss, too: burnt and stale like Starbucks. Cama was at least freshly burnt. 
I’d really recommend staying away from the larger franchises. Try to follow up on some of the independent shops. Try a couple to see which style you prefer.
Made a visit to a tiny roaster in jakarta back in 97. He had one small hand cranked roaster but he had become quite adept at roasting coffee. He gave me about 3 pounds of what he said was kopi luwak . But hes not sure if the beans really passed thru the civet cats because the quantities available were quite more then one would imagine. He was of the opinion that they were perhaps just high quality selected beans and at least with the prices for that coffee if one were to get high quality beans , it wouldnt matter if it really came out of a civets digestive tract or didnt.
Kept one pound, gave the other two away to a friend who had a very nice coffee shop in TAipei. She immediately knew the economic value (even if i didnt) and sold a cup for 300nt each. Her regular coffee was at that time around 80nt. So quite a markup and all sold out within the day . She had been to JKT and knew what a treasure (marketable to her that is) it was i gave her. She was sorry she didnt mark it up to 500nt a cup !
Got a few classmates that sell Central American coffee beans online. Anyone interested?
ps.
we also have our own version of civet cat coffee, but I am not interested in trying it.
Since we are talking about coffee, so you mind if we expound upon what makes a great cup of coffee?
Over here , I do really not like STarbucks coffee or its competitors. Everyone over here seems to be into heavy , very robust roasts, what I call thick coffee.
I dont like it.
There is only one shop around these parts which I call the HOBO CAFE , because there used to be this one very old Hobo that would stand outside that store and bum 2 dollars off everyone (that was the price of a cup of cofffee at the joint). Next there i will look at the name of the place.
But somehow they get it right. I have bought their beans and come home and tried to repeat but could not capture the taste/flavor/aroma. Perhaps it is the french sugar that they offer at their place that is making the difference?
FOR u in the berkeley area go to the intersection of college and ashby and move on college towards the campus. A block down there is a 7/11. Diagonally across it is a corner cafe. Thats the place. Great hot chocolates and coffee should you be in area.
Pretty much all the other places iv been havent equaled this place.
As for Taipei, the very very best cups of coffee iv ever had was at UESHIMA cafe on ChongSHanN.Rd. tHEY had decent meals and really just the very best coffee one could have.
It was perfect ! No matter what you ordered. A taste of heaven indeed. Just slightly bitter, not heavy coffee. Very light but flavorful. The flavor was deep but light.
Im sure it was 100pct arabica rather then robusta.
NObody has since equalled them. They have closed down now. No idea where they went.