Yunlin Wooden Old House Café – Slightly Tart and Bitter Tong Neng Shui Coffee

Text and photos by /Sean

One day, a notification popped up on my feed: "XXXX just liked Mr. Lobby Coffee Project" (not that I like being mysterious, I just genuinely forgot who liked it—thanks, XXXX!)

In the age of big data, personal privacy is a highly valuable commodity, and we’re all quite willing to have it sold off in exchange for free services. So here’s the deal: "Come on, let’s take advantage of each other." You show me targeted ads in the sidebar, and I’ll use Facebook’s precise user behavior and content analysis to scout new cafés. Let’s call it a win-win and move on.

Based on past experience, I figured this message must be about something good, so I immediately clicked on the fan page. My impression of Mr. Lobby Coffee was old houses, B-boy culture, skateboarding, coffee, and accessories. But what really made me want to check it out was the content on the fan page. I can’t recall exactly which post it was now, but when you’re out and about meeting people, what really matters is... the vibe. The words and energy of someone who’s on your wavelength resonate deeply. Making friends with such people is easy, joyful, and you even pick up a few life lessons books don’t teach.

And so, I went.

Before arriving, I thought it was just... a café with more wooden elements. Turns out, I was way off—the entire place is inside an actual wooden old house.

And man, this old house is ridiculously gorgeous.

The entrance is on the other side.

And man, this old house is ridiculously gorgeous. The entrance is on the other side—this spot that doesn’t look like an entrance? That’s the entrance.

PS: Shoes off at the door. Seriously, don’t wear stinky socks (laughs).

The amazing environment plus golden sunlight made for perfect photo ops. If there’s such a thing as a perfect moment for scouting cafés, this was it. Even now, looking at these photos while writing this, I still feel incredibly lucky to have been there that day.

The indoor space isn’t huge, and there aren’t many seats—just about what I managed to capture in photos.

Snapped an empty shot while other guests were away.

The first half of this was all about how stunning the place is—not because the coffee wasn’t great and I had to fill space with pretty things. It’s just that the environment was so beautiful and I was in such a great mood, I naturally wrote more about it. Now, let’s check out the menu.

Sun-dried Idido beans with rich aroma and a fruity sweet aftertaste.

The piccolo is also made from the same beans, with a slightly stronger coffee scent before the milkiness kicks in.

The owner treated me to the Tong Neng Shui Coffee—slightly tart with a hint of lemon peel bitterness. It’s more intense, but I personally prefer the smooth bubble feel of nitrogen coffee.

But this cup looks absolutely stunning by the window.

Both lemon tarts had crisp crusts with just the right level of acidity.

But the brownie was truly amazing—rich chocolate aroma and a moist texture. It’s a slice of cake that delivers delightful surprises.

I’ve said it many times: "A café should have character." The owner of Mr. Lobby Coffee Project is naturally warm, super friendly, and great at chatting. He’s also very considerate toward kids—when he saw a brother and sister scratching mosquito bites, he immediately pulled out some Burt’s Bees comfrey ointment to apply for them. Instant +20 points in my book.

The space, coffee, and welcoming vibe of Mr. Lobby Coffee Project all won me over. I wholeheartedly recommend it. After this delightful discovery, I’ve decided to start scouting great spots in Douliu too. Maybe not super frequently, but I’ll definitely visit every place on my shortlist. If I find any worth sharing, I’ll write about them. Stay tuned.

Mr. Lobby Coffee ProjectFB

Phone: 0916 168 989
Business Hours: Tues–Sun 11:00–22:00 (Closed Mondays)
Address: No. 18, Yunzhong St., Douliu City, Yunlin County

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