Great Coffee and Desserts at W&M Workshop
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the huge number of fantastic cafes in Taipei. It seems like almost every neighbourhood has one that is cuter, quirkier, or weirder than the last. Despite this, we weren’t drawn to W&M Workshop because of some gimmicky menu, but because of the way it effortlessly executes everything you need in a cafe: amazing coffee, a relaxed atmosphere, and some seriously sumptuous desserts.
W&M Workshop is a small, Japanese-style cafe that comes heavily recommended, both online and by neighbouring businesses. Located in one of the cooler spots near Zhongshan Elementary School — a maze of small businesses tucked away in a graffitied alley — W&M Workshop caters to a young crowd that seeks a simple but chic cafe experience. Their small, straightforward menu focuses on quality coffee and a modest selection of desserts at extremely reasonable prices.
Our first order was the espresso with milk & chocolate ($180). This would be called a mocha just about anywhere else, but W&M Workshop refers to most of their espresso based drinks as espresso with something to put emphasis on the coffee. We ordered this drink hot, as it was raining, and let us tell you: it did not disappoint. In fact, this was probably just about the best darn mocha we’ve ever had. Honestly, we tend to shy away from mochas because they usually disappoint us in terms of chocolate content (why bother ordering a drink with chocolate when you can barely taste it?) but this was the exception to the rule. The chocolate was creamy and rich, complimenting the strong espresso perfectly so that each component really shone.
One of our very favourite things about W&M Workshop is that despite being a really nice place, their dessert menu is obscenely cheap. Everything you see down below was priced at just $50 each, which is the same price you’d pay for a treat in 7-eleven. And the desserts were good, too. The very best was the tiramisu, which was perfect. The panna cotta was next — it came with specialty coffee drizzled on top, elevating it with added depth of flavour. The complimentary slice of lemon cake that came after was simple but soft and moist. These were all great options to have alongside our coffee, and we enjoyed every one.
The last coffee we chose was the espresso with oat milk ($160), which we also ordered hot. This was another awesome choice where the distinctive, delicious taste of the espresso shone despite the fact that it was mixed with oat milk. This drink was much less creamy than the last, but it was still a very satisfying choice.
Check out their menu:
Overall, we were big fans of W&M Workshop. It was everything we needed on a rainy day — cozy, relaxed, aesthetically pleasing — and both the coffee and desserts were top notch. This isn’t the place to come if you want a big mug full of no-nonsense brewed coffee and a hearty sandwich, but if you’re looking for a lovely place to meet with friends and sip on something small but beautifully crafted, it’s the spot to be. And at $50 a pop, you can most definitely afford to treat yourself to a dessert, too.
What’s the vibe?
Pretty, relaxed Japanese-style cafe serving great quality drinks and desserts. Customers were mostly small groups of friends talking in relatively hushed tones.
Worth it?
Yes! The coffee is around the $150-$200 mark, which is pretty standard for Taipei, and it’s great. And we probably don’t need to tell you that $50 for a dessert is an absolute steal!
Would you go back?
Heck yeah. The really great thing about this place is that it’s right next to Man Cave (and a bunch of other neat restaurants, including a cool Japanese-style sandwich place and some fantastic ramen), which does amazing burgers. You bet we’ll be back for burgers and coffee, sooner rather than later!
Last updated October 2019.
| W&M Workshop |
| Hours: Mon 12PM-6PM Sat & Sun 11AM-5:30PM Closed Tues-Fri |
| English Address: Room 225, 1st Floor, No. 487 Linsen North Road, Zhongshan District, Taipei |
| Chinese Address: 台北市中山區林森北路487號1樓225室 |
