【Eat Gourmet】Slow Food in the Flow of Time hi, RYOU CAF?

Text by TRAVELER Luxe Magazine's Hong Zhenlu | Compiled and reported by the Scenic Family Travel Life Network Editorial Team

hi, RYOU CAF, tucked away in the alleys of Shida District, “hi, RYOU” means “to love!” in Mongolian. True to its name, it’s a brunch spot that cherishes the Earth and pursues a sustainable lifestyle. Founders Adi and Mingfeng, after going through their own periods of uncertainty, decided to use this café as a channel to express and pursue their dreams. Now, over ten partners work together here.

A graduate in Economics, Adi developed a passion for service industry work during her university days working in a café. But back then, she couldn’t persuade her parents—or even herself—and spent a year exploring other fields to find her path. It wasn’t until later, when she helped a friend set up a shop, that she realized she could create an environment and culture she loved through her own store.

Before opening the café, Adi and Mingfeng—who has been interested in gardening since childhood and deeply values the land—searched for small-scale farmers to collaborate with by visiting markets, searching online, and personally meeting them. They hoped to approach things from a perspective close to the earth. Growing up in Taipei’s urban environment, it was only after connecting with the land that she discovered how generous it is, producing many plants farmers hadn’t intentionally cultivated, which led her to understand that the relationship between people and the land isn’t merely one of giving and taking—this generosity also influences all the small farmers.

Most of the ingredients used in the café come from small farms, some organic and some with production traceability. Occasionally, seasonal produce given by small farmers becomes a limited-time offering at the café, such as roselle vinegar tea, red quinoa pudding, and sugarcane latte. In addition, the dining environment reflects the owners’ philosophy—it retains the long leather sofa against the wall and the central brick wall from the previous American-style burger shop. Other furniture consists of second-hand items found on the street or at furniture recycling centers. The space is also filled with lush potted plants and dried flower arrangements, tended and designed by Mingfeng, who graduated with a degree in horticulture.