What’s a good coffee shop?
In my book, it’s great coffee, fast service and a friendly atmosphere to escape to. I’m usually there for around an hour, so a friendly, appealing atmosphere is essential.
As you walk in Coffee Stopover, the first thing you notice is that the kitchen doubles as the seating area for customers. Coffee is prepared on one side of a long heavy table while customers perch on bar stools along the other. While the lattes and cappuccinos of the take-out crowd are brewed and frothed along the back wall, each customer’s expresso is prepared, brewed and hand dripped right in front of them – and this is the reason most customers come here.
The combination of aromas, bubbling steam, and clanging instruments, all the while set against the back drop of organized chaos as the staff prepare the orders, is an overtly fascinating experience and worth the 10 to 15 minute wait you can expect. If you’re here for a quick coffee, then you’re in the wrong place as the staff take their coffee-making very seriously.
The Coffee
Coffee Stopover offers five strengths of coffee using the finest Ethiopian Robusta and Arabica beans. Although busy, the staff take the time to introduce every new customer to each strength, and coffee type, patiently explaining the difference and offering recommendations. The menu is clearly divided into coffee, tea and coffee-tea combos offering espresso, cold brew, hand pour, and AeroPress including a rather adventurous coffee-tea soda drink. The coffee itself is expertly prepared and tastes as good as the one promised by your server.
All coffee beans are roasted in house, and there are many international flavors for sale.
Although the downstairs area may seem cramped, there’s a dining area upstairs with tables to sit at and spread out a bit. Coffee Stopover has the usual assortment of cakes, and biscuits making a good place to come to chat, though weekends and mealtimes see a lot of foot traffic.
The final word: While coffee Shops in Taichung are ten a penny, Coffee Stopover offers an authentic coffee-drinking experience to enrich any true coffee-lover’s taste buds.
Details
No. 24, Lane 24, Minquan Road, West District, Taichung City, 403
403台中市西區民權路217巷24號
Tel: (04) 2305 5388
Website: https://www.facebook.com/coffeestopover/
Getting There
Take bus 302 from the bus stop just outside of McDonalds on Taichung Boulevard in front of the train station. Travel up Taiwan Boulevard to Jia Dong Jiao () outside of Global Village School and cross the road onto Lane 304 Minquan Road and follow it to Coffee Stopover.