An industrial-style café tucked away in an alleyway – the universe-class stunning "Planet Tower" is a real eye-catcher

▲ The "Planet Tower," an occasional offering at Zuodao Café, has gone viral online for its extraordinary appearance.

Reported and photographed by Cai Wenjun / Taipei

Desserts that are both eye-catching and delicious are always the holy grail for dessert lovers. Nestled in the alleys of Taipei’s East District, the industrial-style café "Zuodao" occasionally offers"Planet Tower"desserts that create a dreamy gradient on white chocolate using various ingredients, resembling a vast universe. Sprinkled with silver powder to mimic a starry sky, this glamorous and captivating dessert enchants sweet-toothed foodies.

▲ The exterior color of the "Planet Tower" isn’t fixed; it varies depending on the dessert inside, resulting in different colors.

The highlight of the Planet Tower is its gradient chocolate shell, which encases another delicate dessert inside. However, creating a beautiful gradient is no easy feat. Zuodao’s pastry chef Xiaoyuan explains that the process begins by melting white chocolate and pouring it into a mold, then adding red yeast powder or butterfly pea flower juice, and brushing continuously to achieve an unevenly distributed gradient effect. Care must be taken with the temperature during preparation, and stirring shouldn’t be too vigorous.

▲ The blue "Planet Tower" contains a cinnamon apple jelly.

The desserts hidden beneath the universe-like dreamy shells are equally ingenious. Take the "cinnamon apple jelly," for example: half an apple is cooked, seasoned with cinnamon, and then set into a jelly. Its tangy flavor perfectly complements the sweetness of the brûlée tart at the base, creating a balanced and not overly sweet taste that easily wins over many female customers.

▲ Rose Apple Tart (left) and White Bean Paste Tart (right).

The red Planet Tower, made with red yeast, reveals a "Rose Apple Tart" when opened, with apple slices arranged to resemble a blooming rose. Xiaoyuan says the apple slices are cooked in strawberry or berry juice to naturally dye the cut surfaces and enhance flavor absorption, then arranged into the shape of a rose. Depending on the dessert, the Planet Tower’s shell color may vary slightly, adjusted with different ingredients to bring a new surprise with every tasting. However, owner Mark also reminds customers:The Planet Tower isn’t available every day, so it’s recommended to call ahead before visiting to avoid disappointment.。

▲ The café’s wildly popular Portuguese-style seafood risotto.

Not just the desserts—the café’s rice dishes and drinks are also carefully crafted in terms of serving ware and ingredients. Take the most popular Portuguese-style seafood risotto, for instance: infused with rosemary, basil, some chili, and Mexican spices, the rice is moist but not mushy, and generously loaded with seafood. Eating it along with the hidden olives even reveals a unique fragrant note.

▲ Pink Bubble Lemonade.

The café’s most popular drink is Earl Grey tea with bergamot. The owner asked tea merchants to source high-quality tea leaves from around the world, importing them repeatedly. The resulting brew is richly aromatic with a balanced sweetness that’s not cloying. Another fan favorite is the Pink Bubble Lemonade, which gets its hue without artificial coloring—just fresh lemon juice blended with mixed berries. The purple-pink gradient that rises from the bottom melts hearts with its girlish charm.

▲ The dining space inside, with large floor-to-ceiling windows letting sunlight stream in naturally.

Though defined as a café, Zuodao—meticulous in both décor and ingredient selection—actually features mostly teas on its beverage menu. Co-owner Mark explains that this is mainly because his father is a tea master, and they wanted to promote knowledge about Taiwanese teas. Initially, they even marked the year and flavor profiles of Taiwanese teas on the menu, but this approach appealed more to foreign visitors. Eventually, to align with the preferences of most local Taiwanese, the menu was slightly adjusted.

The name "Zuodao" carries not only the owners’ business philosophy but also a meaningful backstory. Mark points out that their core concept is "only serving dishes we’d eat ourselves."

▲ Zuodao’s owners, Mark (left) and Daxiong (right).

He believes that even though they’re making meals in a café setting, it’s like cooking at home—they avoid overly processed or questionable ingredients. But in sourcing materials for the café, the quality of most ingredients couldn’t put their minds at ease. While searching tirelessly for reliable supplies, they were even laughed at by suppliers for being too naive, with comments like “that’s how everyone does it.” This made them feel like they were the ones taking the “unconventional path,” hence the name Zuodao (literally “Unconventional Path”).

But their commitment to quality has indeed paid off. They’ve built a solid following of loyal customers, and their space also occasionally serves as an exhibition venue, using various artworks to create unique dining atmospheres. Guests can enjoy art while dining, making it a one-of-a-kind eatery in Taipei’s East District alleys.

Zuodao Café
Address: No. 5, Lane 2, Alley 70, Yanji Street, Taipei City
Nearest MRT Station: Zhongxiao Dunhua Station on the Brown Line
Business Hours: 11:30 AM to 10:00 PM