YABOO Cafe — Restaurant in Da'an District

The many artforms on display at Yaboo

If one does not know of it, this place will not be found. Looking more like a hole in a wall, than a well-frequented hangout spot, hidden away in one of the many side streets, this café is far more than just that. The prices are not to be scoffed at – 170TWD for a 香蕉可可 may sound daunting at first, but the buyer quickly realizes they are not just paying for liquid half-bitter chocolate melting on their tongue, but instead have just entered an art exhibition and workspace of the highest quality.

One of the first visible artforms are the many tattoos on the arms of every waiter here. It is not only one of them that maybe has one or too – no, every single one in service has many different symbols scattered across their skin which they don´t at all mind telling stories about.

Their blackness compliments perfectly the colorful vibe being created by the many colorful hairdos of customers coming here to do illustrations, write poetry, do some programing or even edit videos and photos. And to add to all of this, there is a cat gracefully waltzing around the room, serving as a beacon of inspiration, as well as moment of pause for those who stop in their artful tracks to gently stroke the smooth fur of this gentle beast.

At the risk of sounding cliché, I want to make the statement that if people watching is an art, then this is one of the best possible studios one can...

Had a fantastic experience tonight. I strolled in with no expectations and was blown away. The staff was very welcoming and guided to a seat. Despite my broken mandarin I was able to order a hand drip coffee. I watched as the barista carefully made the pour over and tasted it before approving the carafe to be sent over to me. The Ethiopia G1 was delicious and the notes were just as described fruity, vibrant, and juicy. I wanted to try a cup of the house blend beans as well but apparently that is for espresso only. Perhaps the barista took pity on me because gave me a cup of something on the house. Unfortunately I was too late to order an espresso because earlier I saw him methodically take off the hopper and store the beans and clean out the espresso grinder. 10/10 experience, even more so being at 11pm. I'll be back tomorrow morning to grab...

Definitely one of the best cafes in Taipei, located in a convenient and relaxing area of Yongkang street. Among all the cafes on Yongkang street, Yaboo really stands out to be the most comfortable cafe. Free spirited but also chic is what I would say about the interior of Yaboo. An art room vibe, you will see pieces of Art work on the ground lying against the wall which I highly suspect they are all from the workers here. On some days, you will see baristas with tattoos and piercings wearing ripped jeans and tank top when it’s 10 degrees outside, whereas on some days, you see college students chatting inside the working area and humming to music. Of course, they are all friendly and nice, offer a cigarette and make some...