The Unique Charm of Tainan’s Old House Café – Enjoy a Leisurely Afternoon

Text & Photos /Guixiao Sun

Whether you’re walking down Tainan’s Zhengxing Street or studying at your computer... you’ll absolutely, definitely come across this “Zhengxing Café”... It wasn’t until this casual little interlude that it finally made its way into my story and I’m sharing it with all of you today！

I also bought the 【Zhengxing Wen Vol. 2】 here—finally, the stories of Guohua Street and Zhengxing Street have been turned into a booklet so even more people can learn about them！ The space upstairs at Zhengxing Café is a homestay, which is a great choice to stay in！ Step outside and you’re right in the lively and warm Zhengxing Street, while inside the café you’ll find tables and tiles full of old-world charm！ I believe many people will love it.

If you were to pick up a paintbrush to depict Zhengxing Café, the very first impression would be their blue door！ A sky-blue door, along with that “曾” (Zeng) character on the door and wall. Even up to the second floor, the doorframe and windows are the same blue～ Recently they’ve also added a “Zhengxing Cat.” I’ve always felt that the shops on Zhengxing Street are like partners！ They’ve built a wonderful relationship with one another！ From Rainbow Came, Xiaoman Canteen, Taicheng Fruits, Shisan Macarons, and Keli Keli, and recently I even discovered that they all pitched in to buy a ‘magenta tabebuia’ to plant together！ Imagine how beautiful Zhengxing Street will be in a few years when it’s in full bloom during flowering season！

Zhengxing Café, both inside and out, will make you want to keep coming back. It retains much of what an old house might have originally looked like—wooden doors, wooden windows, concrete, and terrazzo, along with day after day of Tainan’s stories posted all over it. Maybe those seemingly unremarkable flyers don’t seem like much, but at this moment, they make the place feel like a house that doesn’t speak but is filled with stories！ Right there in front of you, letting you slowly savor it at your own pace.

As you walk into the building, right at the front is an arts and cultural space！ Here you can see many cultural and creative products～ You might unknowingly get caught up in the atmosphere where everything looks so tempting you just want to buy it all, and you can freely immerse yourself in it！

Passing the semi-open front counter, the space behind is where you can sit down and enjoy a cup of coffee... As you step inside, you’ll definitely fall in love with the red bricks that are shown off so boldly, as if you’ve entered a secret passage... It feels especially cool and comfortable.

There’s lots of wood used here—in the tables, chairs, and the wooden-framed grids on the walls... The combination of wood and red brick walls, along with the partitions created by old window frames, is really likable！ It’s a design that you’ll instantly recognize as the signature style of Zhengxing Café.

Coming to Zhengxing Café early was purely an interlude！ I had thought about going to try pure Job’s tears ~ but since it wasn’t time yet and the weather was hot, I decided to sit down, have a coffee, chat, and read the eagerly awaited “Zhengxing Wen.” Sitting here, time seemed to stand still... Because we didn’t particularly have anything we had to do, it became especially enjoyable to just relax like this！ I really loved that moment of blank time.

Inside the house, light streams in from the roof and shines on the old windows of the partitions... making you unconsciously take a few extra glances. Old houses have this kind of magic—they make you explore their old flavors and imagine all the things that might have happened here in the past.

The books on the shelves are a display of personality. By looking at the books someone collects, you can tell their character, preferences, and the life they aspire to—nothing is hidden, and nothing needs to be said.

Every stage of life has its own way of living. What’s important is how you choose to savor it at that particular stage！

Savor it seriously—when you’re young, stay up late chasing starlight and being wild

Sweat seriously—once you have children, be strong and brave like a big tree

Enjoy the little things in life. A lot of happiness spreads within them—maybe it’s sitting beside your child and laughing together, or maybe it’s quietly admiring a view on your own. All of it is precious！

A cup of latte, a cup of tea, and a dessert... We sat here for over an hour...

Letting the light change, letting time move forward—the tea was especially mellow, the coffee was lovable, and the little treats, as the staff said, were a bit dry because they were roasted the traditional way！ But they tasted great with some jam added～ Reading “Zhengxing Wen,” I especially liked the traditional grandma character on the far right！ Turns out that charm exists at every age and has its own captivating appeal.

I absolutely love just dropping by Tainan whenever I can—it almost feels like I’ve already moved here... Slowly appreciating the beauty of Tainan, its people, things, and moments—not necessarily needing to accomplish any specific goal, and even having some places I often revisit. If a year has twelve months, maybe slowly, I’ll end up coming back here twelve times a year.

Zhengxing Café
No. 43, Section 3, Guohua Street, West Central District, Tainan City
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［Enjoy Life Without Boredom. Guixiao Sun］、FB