From quirky bags and handicrafts to Yoshitomo Nara — a eclectic fusion-style café

Text & Photos /Pingzi

In Fùjǐn Street, the urban backyard garden of Taipei, cafés have recently sprung up like mushrooms, attracting many culture and creativity enthusiasts. On this day, Pingzi wanted to share the newly opened de’A Café, a hybrid-style café that sells miscellaneous goods, bags, coffee, desserts, and afternoon tea. It’s a cozy spot to sit back and relax while also browsing through designer products that broaden your horizons.

The de’A Café, with its mix-and-match style elements, exudes a unique sense of design right from its façade.

Even before stepping inside, the hand-drawn blackboard menu at the entrance hints at its distinctive character — Pingzi couldn’t wait to go in and explore.

The name “de’A Café” has a special meaning. Pronounced as “dēi ā” in Taiwanese (Hokkien), it means “bag,” making it instantly clear and cleverly named. The logo is designed as a hand-drawn illustration inspired by this unique naming concept.

The style of de’A Café is also diverse and eclectic, creating a homely atmosphere. The interior is decorated with classic lighting and furniture, such as crossover lamps co-designed with Diesel and the Italian lighting brand FOSCARINI. There are also punk rock metal elements inspired by pop music culture, adding a creative touch of mixed styles to de’A Café.

The de’A Café is divided into two sections, each accessible through separate entrances, adding a playful twist. One side features a long, narrow space primarily dedicated to showcasing bags, miscellaneous goods, and small items. The wide array of bags and handicrafts are all personally selected by the owner based on her preferences — unique, one-of-a-kind handmade pieces, though the prices are slightly higher.

Many of the distinctive bags come from lesser-known domestic brands, but those who often browse European or American magazines may recognize these labels. These bags are sourced by the owner through negotiations with overseas suppliers.

The owner is also a fan of Yoshitomo Nara’s works, with her little creations scattered throughout the café. Through these small items, you can get a glimpse of the owner’s unique taste.

Just looking at these little items is so captivating. As a designer, Pingzi loves exploring shops like this — they’re truly intriguing.

The other section functions as a café, dessert bar, and afternoon tea spot, creating a cozy gathering place for socializing. This area is also divided into front and rear dining zones.

The counter is located right in the center of the café, with people flowing in from both sides. The collage-style wooden counter is creatively designed and adorned with various interesting little items for customers to admire.

Smile every day !

Here’s that coffee machine again — lately, many cafés seem to love this brand.

The front features floor-to-ceiling windows that fill the space with bright natural light, while the rear includes a sofa area and several smaller tables. The back space feels a bit more crowded, though most of the café consists of larger communal seating areas for shared meals.

A full row of window seats offers a pleasant view of passersby — it’s quite relaxing. The laid-back, slow-paced vibe of the Minsheng community creates a very comfortable atmosphere.

The display cabinets are filled with design-focused little items — great cultural creativity.

The rear coffee area.

On this day, Pingzi and her best friend finally had some free time on the weekend. They enjoyed coffee, desserts, and chatted about design and life here — so much fun.

The menu is thoughtfully designed, using wooden panels with simple text layouts and categorized listings for easy reading. The minimum spend is NT$110, and using an electrical outlet costs NT$20 — a pay-for-use policy. Drinks range mainly from NT$120 to NT$220, with no service charge, and takeaway drinks come with a 20% discount.

The first page of the menu focuses on coffee.

The dishes are mostly light meals — pancakes, salads, coffee, and desserts. The aroma of the café’s pancakes wafts through the air, incredibly enticing.

After placing the order, we waited for our meal.

Table setting.

Free Wi-Fi available.

Water glass.

Pingzi ordered a caramel latte for NT$160, and her best friend had a hot latte for NT$150. Almost any coffee order would meet the minimum spend. The coffee was rich and smooth — quite enjoyable, with velvety foam.

The cups and illustrations feature many tofu character designs, which seem to be one of the shop’s distinctive features—perhaps a personal preference of the owner.

That day, I ordered the fruit pancake for 220 NT dollars. It came with a scoop of ice cream on top and was surrounded by fresh fruits (kiwi and apple), making it look quite generous.

The pancakes were hearty, and even though there were only four slices, they were very filling.

If you’re also visiting Fùjǐn Street or the Minsheng community area and want to explore unique grocery or bag stores, you might want to check out de’A Café in Minsheng Community. It has its own charm, allowing you to browse leisurely while enjoying a cup of coffee. Pingzi found the overall atmosphere of the shop very comfortable and recommends everyone to stop by.

Minsheng Community de’A Café
02-2747-7276.
No. 348, Fùjǐn Street, Songshan District, Taipei City.
Business hours: 12:00–20:00.
Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/dea.taiwan .
 

upssmile Pingzi (up’s smile – Upward Smile)!
She is a designer as well as a photographer for Upward Smile Travel, Food, Design & Film.
She loves “travel,” “food,” “design,” and “photography/film.”
Blogger:http://upssmile.com/