Fall in love with a tranquil, slow-paced vibe！ A hidden café in the mountains open only three days a week

Photos & Text /Purple Smile

We have a couple of friends who, just like us, love to travel around. Amazingly, they managed to discover this little café nestled in the mountains. This unique café called Jidu Café, located in the woods, is open only three days a week (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday), making it feel like a hidden gem in the mountains. Visiting for the first time really felt like striking gold！

On a holiday, we drove along the mountain road toward Hanxi. Starting from the roundabout near Meihua Lake, we passed the Dajin Leisure Agriculture Park, then Hanxi Elementary School, and continued inward to Jidu Café — it took about ten minutes or so. It’s not too far, but there aren’t many buildings around here. The Hanxi area is originally a settlement of the Atayal tribe, so it has a somewhat secluded, hidden-gem feel.




Jidu Café, located in the mountains of Hanxi, isn’t very large, but its grounds blend seamlessly with the surrounding forests and wilderness. The café and the landscape around it are almost perfectly integrated.

Lounge chairs by the pool — such a relaxing vibe～～～ But take a closer look～～ the size is really mini. These were originally dug out by the owner for their kids. Later, when they opened the café, they wanted a place for children to play in the water during summer, which is how this mini splash pool came to be. The lounge chairs nearby are for parents to relax on.


There’s a patch of lawn at the entrance of the café. This little bit of green space adds a touch more connection with nature. This grassy area is well-maintained since the café is only open four days a week, with guests visiting just three of those. Walking barefoot on the grass feels really nice！


The lounge chairs are also a super popular spot^^


Jidu Café is still under development. There’s a large piece of land next to it that also belongs to them. If they planted seasonal cherry blossoms or maple trees, business would surely boom once the seasons hit. But the owners want to preserve the area’s lack of light pollution, where fireflies can still be seen twinkling through the trees in summer. They even refused help from public agencies to install streetlights — all for the sake of ～nature.

Hey now, this is pretty special. Cafés are common, but ones that grow their own coffee beans and roast them themselves？ That’s not something you see every day！


We came in the afternoon, and just then a group of guests were sitting on the sofa quietly watching the kids playing on the lawn. This kind of homely café atmosphere is exactly what the owner was aiming for～～


Still the same thought — seeing the smiles on the children’s faces makes it all worth it.


The scene is so relaxed and carefree, and it puts you in a light-hearted holiday mood as well.

See that？ As soon as our little Beiguang (child) came in, he couldn’t wait to run over — he spotted a table full of toy cars！ Luckily, these were the toys of the café owner’s child, who generously let Beiguang play and even brought out more toys to share and play with him！！


He kept saying ～～Car！ Cement truck, excavator... It was basically heaven for him. Just like that～～ he sat there for nearly two hours without getting up！


The main building of the café is an old bungalow that’s been renovated. Under the newly added eaves, there are also several sets of tables and chairs. Aside from offering a relaxing spot to enjoy nature, it’s also convenient for parents to keep an eye on their kids.







Isn’t this corner great！


The store decor adds a festive touch.




The interior is a very popular rustic country style, and the yellow-green color scheme is very soothing.



There are a few books on the wall. Haha, if there were just a sofa in the corner to curl up in, that would be even better！








The shop sells its own roasted beans！



Souvenirs.


Handmade cookies.


Currently, the focus here is on light meals, and of course, there's also their self-roasted coffee Up！ The owner said they’re still developing new menu items, so there will be more surprises in the future．．．

We ordered a fragrant bagel (with Makau chicken) along with a drink and coffee.


The Makau bagel with a side of salad was attractively plated, fresh and delicious, with a great taste.


Sweet and tangy strawberry yogurt, with actual strawberry bits in it.


Self-roasted single-origin coffee, served with handmade cookies. This combination is the best way to enjoy the pure flavor of the coffee. Adding sugar brings out even more of the coffee’s taste — the flavor is even better.

It’s late, and the kids should head home~~~ Little Bagel really had the time of his life playing here—he was so reluctant to leave that we practically had to drag him away.


This is the story of Jidu Coffee. I think the reason it’s so popular is just as they say—it’s quiet, laid-back, and feels just like a secret hideout from childhood!!
 

[Jidu Coffee]

Address:No. 16, Hanxi Lane, Hanxi Village, Datong Township, Yilan County
(It’s listed under the address of Hanxi Elementary School—just walk straight ahead for a few hundred meters after passing the school.)
Phone:(03)951-7388
Business Hours:Friday to Sunday, 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM

We are Ben & Jean—we love food, travel, photography, and 3C.
http://smilejean.pixnet.net/blog