Kaohsiung is enjoying a new lease of life with thousands of tourists flocking to the city’s sights each month. But all of those hungry locals and visitors need a good place for a cup of coffee, and luckily for them, the city is full of such places. And hard as it was to compile, given that there are so many fantastic places in Kaohsiung, here’s a list of the city’s best cafés.
Tribbiani Café
Cafe, Taiwanese, $$$
The rather unusually named Tribbiani Café is the first place on our list, and it’s a good one. This lively café has a great coffee menu and some incredible light snacks and desserts. The place is vibrant yet strangely relaxing, as everyone, staff and regular customers included, all seem to be super friendly. There’s also a small terrace at the front if you fancy sitting outside, a rare sight in the city.
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You could easily describe this place as a haven for artists, as it has that bohemian air about it. Sit upstairs on the floor cushions or relax downstairs with the friendly staff and owner. It’s a popular café and with such great coffee and delicious desserts, it’s easy to see why. And if you like cats, then the café’s black is only too happy to keep you company.
Delectable desserts at Parlare | Courtesy of Parlare Coffee
Parlare Coffee is a lively café with a great vibe, where you can sit and enjoy a chat with your friends or the staff. The light meals are delicious, and there’s a nice variety of drinks, both tea and coffee, on the menu. But the one thing that guests comment on the most is the top-class service provided by the staff. They really care about their customers and are glad to help out in any way that they can.
Aroma Caf’e Live is one of the stalwarts of the Kaohsiung coffee scene. They’ve been open for a decade and are still keeping customers happy with their delightfully innovative desserts and cakes. As for the coffee, well, you can’t stay open this long unless you’re serving up the very best. For coffee lovers that like a friendly environment where you can chat with the owners, this is a must-visit café.
Balmy Café has a great menu with all the usual favorites on offer and a nicely varied snack and dessert menu. The most impressive thing about this place, though, is the tasteful décor with dim lighting and incredibly comfy sofas. There’s also a pretty eclectic collection of cups and mugs that’s quite interesting.
Serving up superb coffee and a decent range of cakes and light snacks, Gavagai Café is a quiet café located in a nice neighborhood that’s just a short walk from Love River. The customers at this place are most impressed by the staff and owner who go well above and beyond the call of duty to make sure that you are comfy and enjoying your coffee.
The perfect afternoon snack | Courtesy of Do good coffee & dessert
A wonderful little spot that does a great line in sweet desserts – and the coffee’s pretty good, too. It’s a small cozy little place with friendly staff that like to keep the place as quiet and relaxing as possible. You won’t find anyone yapping into their phone here, making it the perfect spot for an afternoon nap. Well, not really, but you’ll feel so relaxed you just might nod off.
