% ARABICA Taipei Elephant Mountain — Restaurant in Xinyi District

I am not much of a coffee drinker, therefore, definitely not qualified as a coffee critique. Occasional tasting of good coffee does unable my palette to know if I am having a bad one. So, I couldn't judge if this small coffee shop, hidden in a slow rising hillside on a narrow street, is serving great coffee. Well, its store name is Arabica, doesn't it tell you something already? One day, I walked into this tiny outlet with my serious coffee drinking friends, and the decor and display inside told me, "Oh yes, we serve great coffee." This coffee shop is located just short of a mile from 象山 subway station. Before reaching the small hillside, there is a very nice neighborhood park along the way. I guess, after strolling along the park on the long stretched sidewalk pavement, then shifting into a high gear for uphill, admiring some mighty grand trees that lined the street, looking through the foliage to gaze at the faraway Taipei 101, is a morning delight. Then, there is this all white coffee shop. It's time to get a cup of coffee, whether it's...

I visited Arabica coffee shop on the first day of a long holiday and was surprised to find that there was no queue at all.

I decided to try the Spanish coffee, which is an espresso-based drink with normal milk and condensed milk. I was very impressed by the taste and quality of the coffee, especially since I rarely have coffee with condensed milk in Taiwan. The croissant I ordered was also very tasty and made for a great pairing with the coffee.

The staff who took my order spoke excellent English and gave me some great recommendations. As for the location, I have no complaints. I think it's just perfect and I'm not sure why others have...

A perfectly situated cafe right at the trailhead of Elephant Mountain. It was a necessary stop after we finished the hike up to the top and it was also nice to take a break from the humidity. The staff were friendly and conversational. There’s no public toilet in this cafe but one directly across on the opposite side of the street. We sat on the bench outside which ended up being a fun place to people watch - tourists, school groups, and locals starting their hike or finishing their hike. All in all a great atmosphere and good coffee (relatively pricey though - I think I paid about 5 chf / 6...