On the left, you can enjoy compound teas blending Eastern and Western flavors; on the right, indulge in a “Strawberry Garden” that looks like a work of art.

Text & Photos byDaKou (Big Mouth)

Believe it or not, despite having visited Taipei’s Zhongxiao East Road, Section 4, Lane 216 so many times, I had never discovered such a unique little shop that uses childhood-style flatbread instead of bread—welcome to “EMPEROR LOVE Emperor’s Love Bistro”! With its white and green exterior that’s quite European in style, yet featuring an old-fashioned classic wooden door, stepping inside feels like entering a miniature era where East meets West. The air is filled with the delicate fragrance of tea, offering you a fresh sensory experience for your eyes, nose, and taste buds alike. Now in early spring—the peak season for strawberries—Emperor’s Love has transformed traditional flatbread into French-style pastries and “gold bricks,” crafting them into a series of luxurious limited-edition strawberry desserts that are definitely worth trying. Now let’s take a closer look at the creative treats at “EMPEROR LOVE Emperor’s Love Bistro”!

[Restaurant Info]
EMPEROR LOVE Emperor’s Love Bistro (Taipei Zhongxiao Branch)
Address: No. 19, Lane 33, Lane 216, Section 4, Zhongxiao East Road, Xinyi District, Taipei City (About a 10-minute walk from Exit 3 of Zhongxiao Dunhua MRT Station)
Tel: 02-27111856
Business Hours: 11:00–22:00 (Last order at 21:00)
Website:http://www.emperorlove.com.tw/
FB Fan Page:https://www.facebook.com/emperorloveteabistro

Emperor’s Love Bistro is located in Lane 33 of Lane 216, Section 4, Zhongxiao East Road, Taipei. Despite having explored Lane 216 many times for food, it’s surprising how late I was to discover such a uniquely distinctive little bistro here.

The moment you step inside, you’ll be enveloped by a warm and calming atmosphere. What makes this place so special? The answer is clear—it offers all-day light meals, afternoon tea, lunch, dinner, and premium tea experiences. Push open that antique wooden door, and you’ll feel as though you’ve entered a time tunnel into an East-meets-West urban wonderland.

Upon entering, you’ll immediately sense the cozy environment, both visually and atmospherically, making you feel completely at ease.

The first floor may be infused with strong Eastern tones, but it cleverly incorporates numerous European-style elements. Paired with the warm sunlight streaming through the windows, the overall ambiance becomes even brighter and more comfortable.

There are also some surprisingly hidden corners here. The space doesn’t need to be large to still offer a refined and enjoyable dining experience. The blend of Chinese ambiance with Western-style tables and chairs, whether in color or patterns, creates an oddly harmonious vibe. The lively potted plants on the tables make everyone look more vibrant.

As you go downstairs, there are areas with soft lighting, utilizing natural lighting, shadows, and different spatial layouts to create versatile and atmospheric corners. The red birdcage is especially the finishing touch, evoking a deep impression of classic Eastern red.

This place is designed with a large area inspired by a tea lounge, and another more private section. Whether you choose the lively downstairs area or the more characteristic upstairs spot, whether it’s during a bustling lunchtime, a modern evening meal, or a quiet afternoon tea break, you’ll feel a uniquely peaceful charm. The extensive use of green and European purple tones, paired with storytelling Eastern elements, makes the space even more diverse and delightful.

The tea selection here is equally impressive. The light and fragrant loose leaf teas made with tender buds and leaves not only feature local ingredients but have also passed GS pesticide residue tests—you can drink them with peace of mind from the very first brew. In addition to traditional local teas, there are also compound teas based on Eastern tea bases mixed with imported German herbs, which are especially popular with women and office workers. Alongside tea gift boxes, the teaware itself is quite unique, with each piece having its own story. You can not only enjoy the warmth of the tea aroma but also feel the smoothness of the teapot and cups.

Guests can also choose their favorite teaware here to match the teas they select.

Staff will explain the characteristics of various teas in detail, ensuring guests get the most out of their tea experience. Additionally, the brown bottle caps represent the organic Pu’er tea series, blue stands for Taiwanese oolong tea, light blue for compound tea, and red for fruit tea. Here, everyone can find a flavor they love.

These beautiful glass tea canisters are also convenient for guests to take home and continue enjoying their favorite teas.

Each tea canister is carefully labeled, making it easy for customers to pick the tea that suits their taste.

Speaking of desserts, early spring is the perfect time for a sweet treat featuring strawberries. Now is the strawberry season at Emperor’s Love, and they’ve specially introduced four strawberry-themed desserts—each one looks absolutely delicious. Be sure to try one when you visit.

One of the highlights is the Baked Lasagna (NT$240). Served on a baking tray, this generous portion of baked lasagna actually uses traditional flatbread instead of pasta sheets. It’s layered with slow-cooked Italian meat sauce, cheese, and seasonal vegetables—definitely a mouthwatering baked lasagna.

At first glance, this baked lasagna looks no different from a regular one, but you won’t know the secret inside until you try it yourself.

What makes it special isn’t obvious at first, but once you dig in, you’ll discover its hidden delights.

The flatbread used in the lasagna has a firm yet moist texture. The edges near the tray’s rim have a slightly crispy bite. As you savor it, the flavor of the flatbread blends seamlessly with the Italian meat sauce, and the rich, slightly milky cheese enhances the overall aroma. The taste layers are remarkably diverse.

The freshly baked lasagna flatbread has a rich, moist texture, with a slightly crispy edge near the outer rim of the pan. As you savor it, the flavors of the wheaty dough and Italian meat sauce blend harmoniously. The creamy, mildly milky cheese enhances the aroma at just the right moment, creating a wonderfully layered and complex taste experience overall.

The tomato jam, slightly moistened, was perfectly absorbed by the soft flatbread. It had a tender yet slightly chewy texture, paired with the subtle aroma of the bread—this creative dish was truly to our liking!

Another highlight was the "Big Bun Burger" (NT$270), which, as you can imagine, is made using their signature flatbread. Instead of toast, they use the flatbread with a pure beef patty in the middle, topped with dairy cream, fresh vegetables, and cheese—generous portions indeed!

They adopt the cooking method of Western cuisine here. They use high-quality whole wheat flour and natural fermented dough, which, after proper proofing, allows the flavor to fully develop. The toppings are not overly complicated, but each ingredient shines: the dairy cream has a hint of sweetness, paired with the mildly salty cheese and crisp lettuce, which complement each other well. Additionally, the flatbread “crust” feels somewhat like focaccia but has a more fragrant, chewy, and elastic bite, with a faint wheat aroma that makes it feel light and easy on the stomach. The accompanying green coconut egg salad from the Garden Egg Salad is also homemade, featuring the aroma of onion and the sweetness of the egg salad, with boiled broccoli adding a perfect finishing touch!

We were really looking forward to trying the desserts here. There were four options in total: Strawberry Garden, Strawberry Hill, Cloud Cube, and Blackcurrant Sundae. We ordered the first two just to get our hands on the abundance of fresh strawberries piled on top of the desserts. Another one, the Cloud Cube, features a layer of toasted marshmallows on the flatbread, paired with blackcurrant jam and matcha bean curd cheese—it looked absolutely dreamy. We’ll definitely come back to try it next time. First to arrive was the Strawberry Hill (NT$240/vegetarian), which replaces the classic French toast with a traditional flatbread, reimagined as a “French-style flatbread,” served with fresh strawberries, various fruits, vanilla ice cream, and custard—a generous portion indeed!

The concept behind this French-style flatbread is similar to that of French toast. It’s layered, then grilled until golden on one side, flipped, and then grilled on the other side. It has a wonderful aroma, with a slightly chewy texture. Paired with the fresh seasonal strawberries that offer a mild tangy sweetness, it gives off a feeling of happiness. You can also dip the French flatbread into the strawberries, vanilla ice cream, and custard—the cool sensation spreads in your mouth, with a slight sweetness and chewiness, offering a multi-layered texture that feels like a taste of first love!

This is the Strawberry Love Latte (NT$180/hot), served in a designer-brand persimmon teapot that looks quite elegant and adorable. The small persimmon on the left, when flipped over, becomes a cute little round cup!

The Strawberry Latte is essentially a strawberry-flavored latte, which has a rich strawberry aroma. It’s refreshing and sweet, with a hint of sourness—it’s really delicious. The strawberry flavor is quite prominent, making you forget you’re drinking coffee. This drink also pairs well with the persimmon teapot, adding a unique charm.

Another option is the big-sip Comfortable Oolong Tea (NT$180/hot), made with German mint leaves, licorice, and Dongding Oolong. Upon the first sip, it feels like a cool breeze brushing past, with a strong mint flavor that gradually fades, leaving behind the sweet aftertaste of the tea, lingering in the throat—truly unforgettable!

There are also these little octopuses that look quite adorable and pleasing!

Next up was the Strawberry Garden (NT$360/vegetarian), which immediately captured everyone’s attention as it arrived at the table. In addition to being surrounded by a full circle of fresh strawberries, there’s also a cascading flow of chocolate and condensed milk that resembles a little waterfall, flowing down onto the French-style golden brick below. The Strawberry Garden uniquely uses a flatbread-made golden brick as the base, paired with fresh strawberries, chocolate ice cream, chocolate sauce, condensed milk, and custard—looking both luxurious and lavish!

Also, the Honey Toast (NT$240), which we had been craving for ages, was a must-have. Everyone, including Kouben, who hadn’t had honey toast in a while, kept saying we had to take photos before digging in. After taking the pictures, Kouben couldn’t resist starting with the fresh strawberries on the side—they were incredibly sweet, truly the most popular fruit of the season. Fellow strawberry lovers, don’t miss out on this one!

The sweet toast here is a bit different from the usual honey toast. Instead of slicing it with a knife, it’s designed as individual golden flatbread bricks, allowing you to enjoy it elegantly without cutting.

The texture of the toast is more elastic than regular honey toast—crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, with a light sugar glaze that enhances its crispiness. Paired with chocolate ice cream, condensed milk, strawberries, and custard, it offers a mild tangy sweetness. The flatbread bricks remain fluffy and elastic, not turning soggy, and the layered textures are truly diverse. Strawberries are truly a versatile ingredient, pairing wonderfully with chocolate, condensed milk, and custard, each combination offering a unique flavor. Eating it feels like being wrapped in pure happiness!

Because it was getting late, we decided to take the rest to go. Their takeaway bags are also quite simple yet classy, which we really liked.

The dining environment at “EMPEROR LOVE 小餐馆” blends Chinese and Western architectural aesthetics, using an interplay of reality and illusion, along with Eastern and Western decorative elements to create an elegant and comfortable atmosphere. There’s a wide variety of food options, including various teas, specialty drinks, pasta, sandwiches, brunch, handmade desserts, handmade pizza, salads, and soups. They’ve innovatively incorporated traditional flatbread into their dishes, creating surprising textures and visuals. For example, the q-grilled lasagna we tried had a soft, moist, and slightly chewy texture, with a savory, sweet, and tangy flavor that paired perfectly with Italian meat sauce and rich cheese. There were also strawberry-season-limited desserts made with traditional flatbread turned into French-style flatbread and flatbread golden bricks—crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, chewy, and multi-textured. The desserts were generously portioned, paired with an abundance of fresh strawberries that offered a mild tangy sweetness, both luxurious and delicious. The serene and elegant dining space at “EMPEROR LOVE 小餐馆,” along with their carefully selected exclusive ingredients, makes it perfect for special celebrations, gatherings with friends, or girls’ nights out. It’s sure to leave you with wonderful memories!

Big-Mouth Teacher’s Travel School!
Spin it around—Big-Mouth and Kouben’s colorful neon lights.