"The coffee shop with only one seat"---a description of the flavors and taste profile of Yixi Coffee

Text and photos by /Food Craving, Photo Memories

I was drawn in by a title like that.“The Café with Only One Seat”

A café brimming with deep love for coffee, only open at night and operating just three days a week—its first impression was mysterious and a little lonely.
/ Cherry.

That day, my friends and I walked all the way from Zhongxiao Dunhua to The One Seat Café. The more than one-kilometer journey seemed long but felt shorter amid our laughter. Finally arriving at The One Seat Café, we found its neighbor was the also-popular Taipei curry shop In-Yueh Wu, but today we were here for coffee.

The light green façade looked even more tranquil under the night sky. Wait, wasn’t it said there’s only one seat? Yet there were two seats at the entrance. Actually, those are outdoor seats set out when the weather is nice. The actual seat at The One Seat is inside the doorway. With four of us that day, we figured we’d just sit or stand outside and enjoy our coffee.

Even with the bustling street traffic and crowds around, it didn’t disrupt the slow pace at The One Seat Café. The owner, a very friendly barista, gently asked what we’d like to drink and calmly brewed coffee in his little space to the soft background of piano music.

By the way, The One Seat Café has a unique feature: the vinyl records played in the café are announced daily on the owner’s Facebook page, so anyone can enjoy music along with their coffee here.

When the owner brought out the first cup of coffee, we were immediately captivated by the design of the cup—it was so beautiful, almost like a piece of art. It wasn’t until we got home that we realized we forgot to take a photo of the “one seat” inside the café. To describe it in words, it’s like a confessional booth, situated right facing the owner’s coffee bar. Perhaps on a quiet night, one could sip this rich coffee while confiding in the owner. I imagine many urban stories might be stored within The One Seat Café.

Vienna Coffee $120 NTD
Besides the single seat, we were also drawn here by this Vienna Coffee. The whipped cream on top was rich, not overly sweet, and had a smooth texture without being greasy, while the coffee below had a slightly bitter taste that day.

My friend ordered another Con Panna ($100 NTD)
The owner mentioned that we happened to try a mysterious flavor that day—you’d know once you drank it. Before even taking a sip, we were amazed by the aroma of loquat syrup wafting from above. The whipped cream on this Con Panna had loquat syrup added to it—a very unique flavor. The first sip was a blend of dense whipped cream and loquat syrup aroma, followed by the smooth coffee gently sliding down the throat. The overall taste surprisingly worked very well, and I quite liked it. However, the photo above shows another peanut-flavored Con Panna—the loquat syrup version looks quite similar, so hopefully future visitors might get to try it too.

The One Seat Café / Alone Together

Address: No. 294, Yanji Street, Da’an District, Taipei City
Business Hours: 18:00 - 22:00(Closed Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays)
Facebook: The One Seat / Alone Together

Food Craving, Photo Memories
Among the busy yet leisurely-paced people of Taipei.
Loves uncovering hidden culinary gems in the city, alleys, and right by your doorstep, and enjoys exploring corners filled with stories.
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