Hidden within the alleys of Taipei’s East District lies a coffee shop that stirs the soul.

Photos & Text by Maru Bear (Mr. Neurotically Unstraight Bear Blog)

Located in the alleys near Zhongxiao Dunhua MRT Station in Taipei’s East District, there is a uniquely styled café tucked away.

Calling it “hidden” is no exaggeration—even I, who had double-checked the map beforehand, was slightly startled by the contrast between the shop sign and the scene that greeted me. But then I took another look and realized I had to squeeze through a small walkway on the right to find the entrance. (And even as I pushed open that heavy wooden door, I kept wondering if I had taken a wrong turn.)

Since the rise of the specialty coffee trend, people have started paying attention to the flavor differences between coffees from various regions, systematically organizing what we know about coffee techniques—such as regional cultivation, post-harvest processing, roasting methods, brewing skills, and tasting approaches—almost turning it into an academic field.

Unlike typical shops that blend beans from different regions to create a balanced flavor profile, Single Origin Espresso & Roast highlights single-origin beans individually, allowing customers to truly experience the diverse flavor characteristics shaped by different terroirs. In short, you could think of Single Origin as a stage where each coffee gets to perform solo.

Yes, at Single Origin, no matter the brewing method, only single-origin coffee beans are served.

The shop offers both espresso and pour-over methods, or you can do as I did and try the so-called “1+1” approach to savor the flavors.

This time, I ordered a naturally processed Yirgacheffe.

Let’s start with the espresso—it had a deep sweetness, with the fruit acidity not overly emphasized. What stood out most was a strong, distinct fruity character. After the third big sip, a hint of chocolatey bitterness and sweetness lingered on my palate. The cappuccino, on the other hand, initially tasted just like strawberry juice, then shifted to a mixed fruit and milk flavor. Once it cooled down, the fermented notes of the sun-dried beans came through, almost like drinking a coffee-flavored latte.

I also grabbed some bread from the shop for dinner.

The lighter-colored one in the upper right is a basil-tomato bread, while the darker one in the lower left is a black tea French bread. Personally, I preferred the basil-tomato flavor.

However, the bread here isn’t always available—it varies by season—so the selection might be different each time you visit. Next time, I might not even find the basil-tomato bread.

Because I shamelessly lingered at the counter, the staff gave me an extra pour-over coffee, which suited my taste perfectly.

The moment it touched my lips, the delicate aroma and burst of sweet flavors, along with its rich yet smooth body, made it clear it was Panamanian. It felt like a hidden switch in my soul had been flipped, accompanied by a faint yet crystal-clear sound echoing in my mind, making me hold my breath instinctively, afraid to break the rhythm.

The darkest roast level used at the shop only goes up to the end of the first crack. I believe beans roasted just before the first crack require extra care during brewing. Lighter roasts like this one preserve more of the coffee’s inherent floral and fruity notes, but overall, their flavors can feel somewhat lighter compared to dark roasts.

For Single Origin to dare use this roast level for espresso and present it to customers in a 1+1 format, “bold and skillful” is the only way I can describe it—though even that feels inadequate.

Though it might sound disrespectful to the shop, there are some places I’d quietly tuck away in my personal list, too precious to share with too many outsiders. Like the villagers in Peach Blossom Spring telling the fisherman, “It’s not something to be shared with the outside world.”

For me, Single Origin is just such a place.

【Single Origin Espresso & Roast】
Address: No. 76, Lane 161, Section 1, Dunhua South Road, Taipei City
Phone: 02-8771-6808
Business Hours: 1:00 PM – 10:00 PM (Closed on Mondays)
FB Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Single-Origin-espresso-roast/416070505149873

More great articles by “Maru Bear” here: http://bear-oj.blogspot.tw/