Great Coffee with a View of Beimen at Mountain Kids Coffee Roasters

Although there is no shortage of highly-Instagrammable cafes in Taipei, we think we’ve found our new favourite. Mountain Kids Coffee Roasters is a tiny little spot right across from Beimen (AKA North Gate) with a nice menu and a killer view of one of the most iconic landmarks in Taipei.

We’re not kidding when we say Mountain Kids Coffee Roasters (or MKCR) is small, but it’s part of their charm. You can take your drinks to go (order downstairs at the window) or sit inside, although seating is only available upstairs and it’s quite limited.

In addition to being a really nice place, the staff working there was very sweet from the get-go. They gently talked us through the menu and took us upstairs, making sure their limited space was being used wisely. We appreciated this a lot because we’ve often experienced staff turning a blind eye to people hogging space, simply because they don’t want to ask them to move. Not here!

MKCR has a lovely selection of craft beers, coffees, teas, and doughnuts from one of our favourite places, Harrits. They also have a number of little cakes that we didn’t try but looked delicious. We watched enviously as one of the girls sitting next to us picked at it for way longer than we would have managed.

There are only a handful of tables upstairs — one large table for groups, two smaller tables suitable for two people each, and a bench at the back. Make sure to get the bench — that’s where the view is!

We’ll let the picture speak for itself. The window has an unimpeded view of Beimen, which as you can imagine is one of the main draws to this cafe, making it a highly coveted spot. You may have to fight off a few Instagrammers to get your shot, but it’s completely worth it. If you’re lucky enough to be able to sit there (we were) then it’s also a great location for people-watching, as tourists and locals alike prance around for photos outside.

For drinks, we ordered an osthmanthus latte ($160), judging it to be the most unique coffee they had. It was actually really great — sweet but not cloying, the coffee balancing very well with the light floral flavour. Our one gripe would be that we kept getting bits of dried flower in our mouth, but hey, at least it was fresh!

Since it was the weekend and already midday, we also went for one of their bottled craft beers. In retrospect, we would have gone for the Taipei Blonde Ale ($180), if for no other reason than the cool picture of Beimen on the bottle. Still, we definitely enjoyed our American IPA ($180) nonetheless. It was hoppy and packed a nice kick at 5% ABV.

Check out their menu down below:

Overall, we highly recommend a visit to Mountain Kids Coffee Roasters. It’s a nice little spot with kind, efficient staff and a calm atmosphere. With their selection of drinks and desserts, there’s something for everyone on the menu. And best of all, you get one hell of a photo out of it!

What’s the vibe?

Cute, modern, airy little cafe right next to Beimen. Customers were mostly locals relaxing with their friends or catching up on work/studying.

Worth it?

Yes! It wasn’t expensive and the menu offered plenty of choices.

Would you go back?

Absolutely. We enjoyed both the atmosphere and our drinks and thought the staff were really sweet. And that view!

Last updated November 2018