Pingzhen's 3D cartoon coffee art is absolutely adorable—it’ll make your heart melt

Photos and text byeat璇

A few days ago, I visited the long-awaited“Rational & Emotional Cafe”, every time I saw their cute latte art on IG, I couldn’t help but go crazy for it.

The Rational & Emotional Cafe is located near YuDa High School in Pingzhen. Later, when the owner chatted with us, we found out that it’s actually just a short walk from JuDa Self-service Ice Cream City.

When we first went in, there were only two-seater tables left, but since there were three of us and we didn’t want to split up, we waited a bit. The staff was kind enough to let us know that there’s air conditioning at the FamilyMart outside—thankfully, there was a cool place to wait, or we would’ve ended up waiting outside and getting heatstroke.

The shop isn’t very big, with only 16 seats in total, and doesn’t take reservations. If the shop is full, the maximum dining time is 90 minutes. The decor features wooden tables and yellow lighting—absolutely my type.

This chalk-drawn Totoro mural is super cute—the shop also has lots of small Totoro-themed decorations.

The shop also has lots of small Totoro-themed decorations.

They occasionally close without notice, so it’s best to check their social media announcements before heading over.

The minimum spend is one meal or drink. Due to limited space, no main meals are offered—only light options like sandwiches and pancakes.

All sandwiches are $85.

Pancakes come in basic flavors like honey, chocolate, and caramel. The whipped cream is plant-based, and adding ice cream costs $30. The highlight is that each plate comes with random cute drawings.

Thick toast plates don’t have drawings.

Coffee drinks range from $70 to $120, other drinks from $80 to $90—you can choose sweetness and ice level. None of these come with 3D latte art, but they still have patterned designs.

Coffee and fresh milk tea prices range from $130 to $140. Each drink can have one 3D latte art design from the menu. Custom designs incur an additional $50 fee. Special mention goes to the “Extra Large Cup with 8 Cats” coming up next.

▲ Boiled Potato Chips + Cheese + Egg Sandwich $85

The Boiled Potato Chips + Cheese + Egg Sandwich comes in a pretty generous portion, and it’s filling enough with a drink. A few slices of lightly toasted bread are filled with lettuce, potatoes, cheese, and a fully cooked egg. Simple ingredients, but surprisingly tasty.

▲ Chocolate Drizzle Pancake $120

We accidentally ordered two chocolate drizzle pancakes, haha. The first one had Pikachu on it, which I really liked. The second had Satsuki and her grandpa. Aside from the latte art, there were also chocolate sauce hand-drawn patterns on the plate—the owner is incredibly skilled. The creations I’ve seen on their social media never fail to amaze me.

The pancake crust was crispy, and the inside was very hearty—I was almost full before finishing. Maybe because it had cooled down a bit, the last bites tasted a bit like rice cake, haha. It comes with a small cup of chocolate sauce to pour on the pancake, and the side whipped cream is plant-based, with a refreshing and not-too-sweet taste.

And here comes today’s highlight—the latte art is served.

▲ Hazelnut Fresh Milk Tea $130

Here’s a cute cat.

And there’s another little kitty hiding in the back.

▲ Cappuccino $90

It’s Winnie the Pooh~~~ Although it’s not 3D latte art, it’s still super cute. But it got stirred right after I took the photo.

▲Large 8-Cat Rose Latte (8 oz) $260

Wow! This latte art features a total of 8 cats, each with a different expression. Can you even tell how big the cup is from this angle? Check out the comparison with a regular bottle of water—it’s roughly enough for 3 people to share. After the bitterness of the coffee, you can enjoy a delicate aftertaste of rose, not an overpowering artificial fragrance.

It really does get cuter the more you look at it—super eye-catching. There are other creations you can check out on their Facebook page or browse their Instagram to see the amazing photos posted by visitors.

When the owner found out my cousin was celebrating her birthday that day, she made a small bear latte art with “Happy Birthday” written on it, and even gave us a handmade card as a gift.

Rational & Emotional Cafe is truly such a heartwarming place—the staff even reminded us to watch our step when leaving through the doorway. They’re also thoughtful enough to let you order items individually without waiting for the full menu to be filled out, which is so rare these days. The owner even asked me not to post about it in group chats to avoid too many visitors, long waits, and a drop in quality due to overcrowding.

To be honest, some shops start to go downhill once they get popular and crowded... For a place this good, I selfishly hope not too many people know about it haha.

Overall: The latte art designs are absolutely perfect—so cute and eye-catching. The other food items are decent too. But what really stands out is the attitude of the owners—absolutely top-notch. That’s exactly why I prefer small shops like this—they just feel warm and welcoming.

Rational & Emotional Cafe
Hours: Tue–Fri 09:00–18:00 (Closed Mondays; last orders at 17:00)
Address: No. 67, Yuda Road, Pingzhen District, Taoyuan City, Taoyuan
Phone: 0963-420692
Facebook:Rational & Emotional Cafe