Fong Da Coffee: Old School Cafe in Ximen
In recent years, the upscale cafe trend has brought countless hip cafes to Taipei. These new establishments are often great for snapping Instagram photos and may or may not deliver on quality. But there’s one coffeehouse that’s been proving itself for longer than almost any other in Taipei.
Fong Da Coffee opened in 1956 and was allegedly the first business to introduce iced coffee to Taiwan. Since then, it’s become one of the most famous traditional cafes on the island. It still uses vintage equipment for roasting and brewing coffee, giving it some serious old school vibes. Located just down the road from Ximen station, it’s a great spot to drop by for strong, cheap coffee.
This cafe is clearly vintage, and it’s a cool place to check out — especially if you’re visiting Taipei!
Step inside and you’ll find a take-away counter for quick ordering.
Fong Da has 2 levels of seating that can get crowded. Don’t come for the ambiance — this place is all about business. The staff is a little older and less warm than you’d find at a flashy new cafe, but can you blame them? They’ve been doing it for decades. Consider the curt service as part of the experience.
Check out the vintage equipment that gives the cafe its traditional charm.
They’ve got a bunch of options for both espresso and syphon coffees, but we just stuck to basics. There’s no need to order anything fancy here.
These F.D. Iced Coffees (NT$85) were STRONG. They had us bouncing after only a few sips. Usually we just drink our coffees black, but this time it was nice to add a bit of sugar; it helped cut through the bitterness.
What’s the vibe?
Old school cafe that opened in 1956 and still uses vintage equipment. Don’t expect a pleasant atmosphere or kind service, but do enjoy the traditional charm.
Worth it?
We only had the recommended Fong Da Iced Coffee (the first in Taiwan!), but it was more than strong enough to warrant the NT$85 we paid. The cafe was cool to check out because of its old school vibes.
Would you go back?
Why not? This is a great spot to pick up a coffee in Ximen, and we’d happily take visitors to Taipei.
Last updated: June 2018
| Fong Da Coffee |
| Chinese Name: 蜂大咖啡 |
| Hours: 8am - 10pm |
| Phone: 2 2331 6110 |
| English Address: No. 42, Chengdu Road, Wanhua District, Taipei City, Taiwan 108 |
| Chinese Address: 萬華區成都路42號 |
