There are (probably) thousands of dessert shops around Taipei. And (probably) a significant percentage of them specialize in Japanese desserts ranging from pretty traditional to rather trendy fusion. Jin Jin Ding falls somewhere in the middle of that spectrum. Occupying a historic Japanese government dormitory building (back during Japanese occupation) sandwiched between scrappy old constructions and a sleek modern condo building on a fairly quiet and residential street, Jin Jin Ding is an unexpected sanctuary for all day sweets.
The restored traditional Japanese exterior gives way to a contemporary interior, a curated atmosphere for tea drinking and dessert sharing. Jin Jin Ding specializes in cakes. Cakes that look like jewels exquisitely plated, and beautifully packaged giftable sweets, spanning eastern and western inspired pastry like honey cake, pineapple cake, buttery biscuits, modern geometric mousse cakes and colorful candies. Their dessert flavors (like matcha, sesame, white woodear, strawberry and lychee) pair beautifully with teas (though they also have an extensive menu of coffee and non-caffeinated beverages as well.
the details
| Address | No. 84、86, Jinhua St, Da’an District, Taipei City |
| Website | https://www.jinjind.com/ |
| Hours | 11:00-19:00 every day except monday when they open at 12 instead |
| Price | $$ – most of the menu is 100-200NT, so expect to spend at least 300-400NT per person |
| Aesthetic | traditional Japanese atmosphere juxtaposed with rather stereotypical millennial luxury aesthetics (think: velvet, brass, marble) |
good to know
Go here for: a pretty treat in a pretty and low key space
Order this: any of their signature honey cakes or geometric mousse cakes
Amount of time to spend: 1-2 hours
When to come: weekdays and during the morning or afternoon so you can appreciate the space in daylight
Getting here: not particularly close to MRT stations, but about a 10 min walk from Dongmen (red/orange, use exit 3) and CKS Memorial Hall Station (red/green, use exit 3)
Other things to note: There is a 2 hour dining time limit, and a minimum order of one beverage and one dessert per person.
Last visited: October 2019
Last updated: December 2021
