// TAIPEI // ZHONGSHAN //
fika fika
a scandi-inspired coffee haven tucked in quiet local taipei
Taipei has no shortage of cafés, each more photogenic than the next. But coffee shops in Taiwan usually mean a loud chatty crowd eating up full not-particularly-eastern-or-western (不中不西）set meals and desserts throughout the afternoon at places with time limits and minimum drink orders. Don’t get me wrong, Fika Fika also gets pretty crowded in the afternoon, and also has a minimum order of 1 drink per person, but they actually open in the morning and if you get here in the morning, it’s a lovely, tranquil experience.
As you can probably guess from the name, Fika Fika draws inspiration from Nordic coffee breaks. The cafe’s interior is simple, with wood furnishings and clean white walls. Ample windows fill the space with light, and couches, small tables, shared tables and bar seating offer a variety of options for any kind of fika arrangement.
Fika Fika has been around for quite some time now (since 2013), and built up a solid reputation among local coffee drinkers and international visitors alike looking for a solid brew in the morning hours. It’s tucked in a quiet residential neighborhood, insulated from the buzz of the main streets, just a couple alleys away. Their roasts are award-winning, and their drinks (esp paired with a dessert sitting side by side on a wooden tray) make for a pretty picture in a pretty space.
the details
| Address | No. 33號, Yitong Street, Zhongshan District, Taipei City |
| Website | https://www.fikafikacafe.com/ |
| Hours | 08:00 – 21:00 Tuesday – Sunday, 10:30 – 21:00 Mondays |
| Price | $$ – standard Taipei cafe prices, with drinks at around 130-300NT ($4-10) |
| Aesthetic | Scandinavian simplicity, with great diffused light and view of the trees outside |
good to know
Go here for: a weekday coffee and breakfast
Order this: one of their specialty roasts if you’re a coffee snob, or one of their specialty drinks if you’re just here to partake in the caffeine + sweets aspect of fika
Amount of time to spend: when it’s not the weekend, a couple leisurely hours would be nice. During peak weekend hours, probably less.
When to come: mornings are generally better (since Taiwanese people tend to go to coffee shops in the afternoons), particularly on weekdays when it’s slower
Getting here: the closest MRT station is Songjiang Nanjing (green and yellow lines), use exit 5 and walk down Yitong street for about 2 minutes until you reach the little park. Fika Fika will be on the left side of the park.
Other things to note:
- They do serve food too, with a small selection of “all day breakfast” sets (croissant sandwich, paninis – nothing special). You can order a la carte or with a drink (up to 130NT, but you can just pay the difference on top of that if you get a higher priced drink).
- Their pourovers and specialty coffees rotate on a daily basis, but are written on the menu.
- They have a 1 drink minimum per person, and implement a 2 hour time limit on weekends.
- They offer free wifi, but it’s not the strongest. There also aren’t outlets, so probably not the best for long work sessions.
Last visited: April 2019
Last updated: May 2020
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