【Sunday Slow Time】Thirteen Coffee: Rediscovering Old-School Ease in a Traditional Courtyard

Located in Maple Tree Community, Nantun District, about a 15-minute drive from downtown Taichung, the café is simply named “Thirteen” after the address number. The casual boss greeted us wearing shorts and slippers, a slightly shy smile at first meeting but radiating warmth.

 

Growing up loving coffee and working in the “end stages” of coffee roasting after entering the workforce, Owner He decided two years ago to leave his job and return to his hometown of Taichung, where he grew up. In his family’s courtyard home, he continues to spread the aroma of coffee, staying committed to serving pure, quality brews. He imports beans from 45 coffee-producing regions around the world, all roasted by him personally. “We stick to a fully manual process, no machinery involved,” the boss says, showing three worn-down wooden coffee roasting paddles that have shrunk with use, now kept as mementos.

Despite some nearby construction sites, strolling in front of the courtyard house still brings a pleasantly open, field-like atmosphere. Owner He’s courtyard home has stood for four generations—it’s an over-100-year-old earthen-brick house built for cool summers and warm winters, just like the traditional ones you read about in books or legends. A car is parked in the yard, and a few pieces of clothing hang loosely across from the neighbor’s door. To create a sense of spatial separation, the boss—who knows his way around woodworking—collected lots of discarded wood, painted them bright blue, and nailed them together in a staggered arrangement to form a semi-transparent natural screen. It offers privacy without feeling confined. Even so, the whole space remains completely open. The hand-built counter is where the boss brews coffee daily, like a small wooden cabin, yet it doesn’t block his spontaneous interactions with guests.

“There’s nothing here but coffee,” the boss says with a shrug. Coffee has its own magic, and sipping a good cup while sitting cross-legged and chatting casually is the kind of comfortable, laid-back vibe he hopes to offer. Some customers say they’re not used to it—they think coffee should be enjoyed on soft, comfy sofas—but most guests love it.

This easygoing atmosphere means that when there are more people, the stools behind the wooden screen become extra seating. “Guests move chairs themselves, doing everything on their own,” the boss says happily. Aside from brewing the coffee himself, almost everything else follows a “self-service” style.

Thirteen Coffee serves its drinks in clear glass cups—you can have tea or coffee. Because they’re transparent, you can clearly see the color changes in the brew. “Black coffee isn’t really black—it’s clear and bright,” the boss says, playing with a coffee cup in his hand. Carefully selected beans, precise roasting techniques, and a patient, unhurried brewing process make the coffee here neither sour nor harsh on the palate. Sipped at different temperatures, it reveals varying layers of flavor. Years of coffee research have taught the boss that you can tell a coffee’s quality the moment it touches your tongue—the taste speaks for itself. Beyond aroma, he also values the aftertaste in the throat. For him, it’s this coffee culture and spirit that bring fellow enthusiasts together.