【Eat Gourmet】Slow Food in the Flow of Time hi,日楞RYOU CAFE

Text by TRAVELER Luxe Traveler’s Journal Hong Zhenlu | Compiled and reported by Jingdianjia Travel Life Network Editorial Team

hi,日楞 RYOU CAFE, tucked away in the alleys of Shida District, where “hi,日楞” means “Go love!” in Mongolian. True to its name, it’s a brunch spot that cherishes the Earth and pursues a sustainable lifestyle. Founders Adi and Mingfeng, after going through their own periods of confusion, decided to use this café as a channel to express and pursue their dreams. Now, over ten partners work together here.

Adi, who graduated with a degree in economics, fell in love with the service industry while working at a café during university. But back then, she couldn’t persuade her parents—or even herself. She spent a year exploring other fields to find her life direction. It wasn’t until later, when she helped a friend with opening a shop, that she thought of creating an environment and culture she loved through her own café.

Before opening the shop, Adi and Mingfeng—who has been interested in planting since childhood and values the land—searched for small farmers to collaborate with by visiting markets, searching online, and personally traveling to meet them, hoping to start from a perspective close to the earth. Having grown up in Taipei’s urban environment, it was only after connecting with the land that she realized how generous it is, growing many plants not intentionally cultivated by farmers, and thus understanding that the relationship between people and the land is not merely one of give-and-take. All the small farmers, influenced by this, also embody a generous spirit.

Most of the ingredients used in the café are sourced from small farmers, some organic and some with production traceability. Occasionally, seasonal produce gifted by small farmers becomes a limited-edition item on the menu, such as hibiscus vinegar tea, red quinoa pudding, and sugarcane latte. In addition, the dining environment reflects the owners’ philosophy, retaining the long leather sofas against the wall and the brick wall from the previous American-style burger shop, while other furniture consists of second-hand items picked up from streets or furniture recycling centers. The space is also filled with lush potted plants and dried flower decorations taken care of and arranged by Mingfeng, who graduated in horticulture.