The Most Uninhibited Café: Beer to Soothe the Heart That Refuses to Grow Up

Reported by Chen Tzu-Yin / Taipei

Stepping into the "kidsorrow" café located in Tianmu, Taipei, the atmosphere gives off a vibe of being "uninhibited and refusing to grow up." The café’s owner, Yang Xiu-Bin, chose to sell Belgian beer inside the shop. A “café that sells beer” might seem incongruous, but at kidsorrow, it blends in perfectly. He laughs and says, “It was somewhat unexpected how much better Belgian beer sells than coffee here!”

▲ The Belgian beers at kidsorrow are the reason many guests fall in love. (Photo / Reporter Chen Tzu-Yin)

Yang Xiu-Bin previously worked part-time in a bar, which led to his deep love for Belgian beer. With its diverse and captivating flavors—sweet, sour, bitter, and spicy—he often becomes visibly animated when introducing them to customers. Although Belgian beer isn't widely popular in Taiwan, Yang says his fellow beer enthusiasts share a passion akin to car or anime fans—eager to collect all kinds of special brews, including limited-edition and design-forward options. He tries to bring in a variety of distinctive beers so visitors can enjoy diverse choices and experience the “charm” of Belgian beer.

One standout is the “Baroness Beer,” a wheat-fermented brew that surprisingly offers a flavor reminiscent of red wine made from grapes—a taste favored by many women. Another is the “iki Draft Beer,” which has a distinctly Japanese aesthetic. It was created by a Dutch brewery owner living in Japan who aimed to craft a beer blending Eastern and Western elements. He combined traditional Belgian white beer with Japanese sencha tea and yuzu juice, resulting in a flavor that's slightly tangy with fruity and tea notes—surprisingly rich.

▲ Left: Baroness Beer uses wheat fermentation but delivers a sweet, wine-like taste. Right: This Japanese-style draft beer is a creative “fusion” brew by a Dutch brewer using Belgian white beer elements. (Photo / Reporter Chen Tzu-Yin)

The café also boasts another “uninhibited” feature—frequently offering unexpectedly new dishes that often defy conventional ideas of what a “café” should serve. The latest addition is the “Old-Fashioned Grandma’s Fried Meat Roll.” Chen Wei-Min, one of the operators, said she decided to add it to the menu simply because she tried this delicious meat roll at a friend’s mother’s shop and wanted to share it with customers. Chen also mentioned that throughout the process of opening the shop, she never forced herself to do anything unfamiliar. Instead, she drew inspiration from the interests and specialties of the other three partners—Yang Xiu-Bin, Chen Wei-Ling, and Chen Li-Yu. This series of “natural creativities” led to the creation of this carefree and whimsical café.

Kid (child) + sorrow (sadness)—this café name carries a hint of melancholy, but it doesn’t describe the sorrow in children’s hearts. Rather, it expresses adults’ conflicting emotions of wanting to return to childhood innocence after growing up.

Unlike the usual tranquility of a typical café, kidsorrow is often filled with bursts of laughter from guests. The four owners are no exception—they laugh out loud during their breaks, an enviable display of a carefree work attitude. Because they’ve entrusted their childlike hearts here, they feel free to be themselves without fear of judgment from the adult world. It’s no surprise that they enjoy drinking beer and acting a little playful. They also warmly welcome those “kids who refuse to grow up” to come here and rediscover their innocent, carefree初心.

▲ Do you also have a child who refuses to grow up inside you? (Photo / Reporter Chen Tzu-Yin)

ETtoday News Cloud kindly reminds: Don’t drink and drive, and don’t drive after drinking !