Chifeng Street (赤峰街) has become one of Taipei’s trendiest areas for cafes, vintage shopping, and food. It’s especially popular with young visitors from Japan, Korea, and other parts of Asia, but remains under the radar among Western tourists.
I’ve returned multiple times to explore Chifeng Street and the lanes branching off from it. The neighborhood has a distinctive retro feel, with tiny take-away coffee windows and businesses hidden in old buildings, independent boutiques, Korean-style photo studios, cat cafes, and several Japanese restaurants and dessert shops.
In this guide, I’ll introduce my top Chifeng Street finds. I’ll also cover when to visit, how to get there, and which parts of the neighborhood are most worth exploring.
Chifeng Street is often associated with the larger Zhongshan District, but here I’ll focus just on the core trendy neighborhood.
Quick Picks: My Favorite Chifeng Street Spots
If you’re short on time, here are my personal favorite spots in the Chifeng Street area.
- Best Cafes: Bog Tea House Buubu & Coffee Dumbo
- Best Dessert Shops: Huo Shih Shaved Ice (貨室甜品) & Akamaru
- Best Restaurants: Chiyin Chicken Ramen & 面線町
- Best Shops: Mitty Vintage & Bogudao Household Products (波古道具屋)
- Best Photo Booth Studio: Plan B Studio
What is Chifeng Street?
Chifeng Street is a narrow, north-to-south street with a network of lanes branching off from it between Zhongshan and Shuanglian MRT stations on the Red Line in Taipei.
Before becoming trendy, this area was known for used car parts, hardware, and mechanical businesses, helping earn it the nickname “Blacksmith Street” (打鐵街).
Some of those old shops still remain today, often right beside cafes and boutiques, which helps give Chifeng its distinctive old-meets-new character.
The neighborhood started changing noticeably in the early 2010s as many cafes, restaurants, and vintage shops started moving in.
Xiaoqi, a Japanese-style lifestyle store, opened its first Chifeng location in 2012 and was one of the early businesses associated with this transformation.
Today, Chifeng Street has a strong retro and Japanese feel, with tiny coffee windows, vintage clothing shops in old buildings, dessert cafes, ramen shops and izakayas, and newer trends like Korean-style photo studios.
One confusing point is that Chifeng Street itself is technically in Datong District, not Zhongshan District, which it is usually associated with.
But the Chifeng Street shopping area I describe in this article stretches across both Datong and Zhongshan districts, with Xinzhongshan Linear Park (心中山線形公園) roughly forming the boundary between them.
This landscaped pedestrian corridor runs between Zhongshan and Shuanglian MRT stations, parallel to Chifeng Street, with cafes and shops along its edges and frequent pop-up markets and events.
Chifeng Street vs. Ximending and Yongkang Street
If you’re wondering how Chifeng Street compares to these two other popular shopping areas:
Ximending is much bigger, busier, and more commercial, with souvenir shops, street performers, and crowds that continue into the night.
Yongkang Street feels more like a typical Taipei street, but with an unusually high concentration of famous Taiwanese restaurants, tea shops, cafes, and souvenir shops.
Chifeng Street feels younger, more indie, and more Japanese-influenced, with a focus on vintage shops, retro cafes, and Japanese foods.
When to Visit
Chifeng Street is best visited in the afternoon. Most businesses don’t even open until 11 AM or Noon, including the coffee shops.
Most shops open until 7 or 8 PM. After that, it’s much quieter, with only a handful of ramen restaurants, izakayas, and bars open until later at night.
Weekends are naturally a little busier, but the difference is not substantial enough to determine when you go.
A few shops take a break on Mondays. Always check opening times and days on GoogleMaps before going if there are specific spots you want to visit.
Getting to Chifeng Street
The easiest way to reach the heart of the Chifeng Street area is from Zhongshan MRT.
Exit 4 is the busiest and will get you to the start of Xinzhongshan Linear Park, which is one block east of Chifeng Street.
Once exiting, do a 180 and just follow the park north until a certain shop or lane to the left or right catches your attention.
But if you want to get even closer right off the bat, walk through Zhongshan Metro Mall to Exit R7 or R9 (the latter has an elevator). You’ll also end up in the park, but right in the heart of the trendy area.
You can also take Zhongshan MRT exit 5 or Shuanglian MRT exit 1 to reach the far south or north ends of Chifeng Street, but there’s no need to walk the full length of the street – the best shops are found in the middle.
Map of Chifeng Street
Here’s a map of all the places Ill be recommending below. Note the concentration of blue pins running down Chifeng Street on the left side, and the parallel Zinzhongshan Linear Park.
Best Cafes & Drinks
Here are my personal favorite cafes, drink shops, and bars in the Chifeng Street area.
Bog Tea House Buubu
Bog Tea House Buubu (卜卜商店) is my favorite cafe in the area. The cafe is right on Chifeng Street, between lanes 47 and 49.
I feel this cafe perfectly represents Chifeng Street. Occupying the second floor of a rundown old building, the entrance is easy to miss, with plants partially blocking the unmarked stairwell.
Inside, wooden furniture and decorations contrast with the unfinished concrete surfaces.
After ordering a traditional pudding and iced coffee, I took a spot at a row of old-school sewing machines serving as tables on the balcony.
There is ample vegetation and a nice view of the lane below – the perfect way to soak up the Chifeng Street atmosphere.
Red Moon Cat Cafe
Red Moon Cat Cafe (紅玥緬因貓藝廊) is one of my family’s favorite cat cafes in Taipei, and we’ve been to a lot of them!
This cat cafe focuses on hairy cats – they’ve got 10 Maine Coons, two Ragdolls, one Persian, and a single Devox Rex. We had excellent interactions with the cats here, especially the rather hyper Devon Rex.
The cafe is on Lane 71, just off Chifeng Street. There are only a few tables, so a reservation is highly recommended.
Ages 6 and up are welcome and there’s a minimum spend of TWD 380 per person plus service charge.
Nezo Cafe
Nezo Cafe (猫蔵咖啡) is not a cat cafe with live cats, but rather a cat-themed cafe.
The tiny interior only has a few small tables and chairs along a bar. The space is crammed with Japanese folk decorations, lucky cats, masks, dolls, and other cat-themed objects.
Their Japanese drinks come with cat spoons, while some desserts are shaped like cat paws.
My kids and I really enjoyed our visit and felt as if we’d been transported to Japan (related: read about our visits to cat cafes in Tokyo and Cat Island in Japan).
Coffee Dumbo
Take-away coffee shops windows are becoming popular all over Taipei, but the Chifeng Street area especially has a lot of them.
Of the several take-away coffee windows I saw, Coffee Dumbo (登波咖啡) was the coolest one.
You can’t miss this American retro-style cafe, with old train platform seats, 1980s movie posters, and a name inspired by New York City’s Dumbo neighborhood.
I ordered my coffee-to-go from an old Taiwanese metal window grille (鐵窗花) which the owners salvaged from Yilan. The window faces Xinzhongshan Linear Park, but they’ve also got seating inside.
Iyoshi Cola
Iyoshi Cola (伊良可樂) is a craft cola company from Tokyo. The owner inherited a traditional medicine shop from his grandfather and realized the equipment and techniques could be applied to making cola.
The cola is made from a syrup containing more than 10 spices and ingredients, including actual kola nuts. The drink is served in distinctive pouches, which make for fun photos.
Opened in 2025, this is the first overseas location. You’ll find it on Lane 44, one block east of Xinzhongshan Linear Park. I missed this one but it’s bookmarked for my next visit!
Draft Land Zhongshan
For something a little stronger, head to Draft Land, the Zhongshan branch of the popular Taiwanese draft-cocktail bar.
One of the three such locations in the city, the bar offers a variety of fruity and tea-based cocktails on tap.
You can get one in a plastic cup to enjoy while shopping or exploring the neighborhood. I got mine in glass to enjoy in the quiet & cozy interior. In the evening, the bar has a more social vibe.
This one’s on Lane 16, half a block east of Xinzhongshan Park.
Dessert Shops
Chifeng Street is known for its many Japanese dessert and shaved ice shops. You’ll see a lot of them, but these are my top picks.
Huo Shih Shaved Ice
Huo Shih Shaved Ice (貨室甜品) does traditional Taiwanese shaved ice and desserts presented with a minimalist, Japanese-influenced aesthetic.
I loved the seasonal mango and matcha shaved ice topped with mochi and lemon sorbet. It was both beautiful and delicious.
My only complaint is that the line was slow when I visited. There are only a handful of tables, and some customers really took their time. It’s at the corner of Lane 71 and Xinzhongshan Park.
Akamaru
Akamaru (赤丸) is an old-fashioned sweets shop selling traditional Japanese rice-based desserts like several flavors of dango, mochi, and ohagi.
The corner shop sells these from a little window facing the street, with benches to sit while you eat. I went for the classic tri-color hanami dango, which is associated with cherry blossom viewing in Japan.
I felt like a kid who finally got his sugary reward after shopping, just like the mother and daughter who sat on the bench next to me.
The shop is at the corner of Chifeng Street and Lane 49.
Melting Finger
Melting Finger (韓國馬卡龍) is a modern dessert chain founded by Korean siblings living in Taipei.
Their specialty is Korean-style macarons or 뚱카롱 (ttungcaron), which are larger and have more filling than French ones. They also come in cute shapes and designs, like hearts, animals, and monsters with googly eyes.
This branch is located at Chifeng Street and Lane 37, marking the southern end of the trendy area.
Best Restaurants & Places to Eat
Chifeng Street’s dining scene is dominated by ramen and izakayas, plus a few Taiwanese/Chinese options.
Also see my other favorite places to eat in Taipei.
Chiyin Chicken Ramen
Chiyin Chicken Ramen (池音 雞白湯ラーメン) is one of many ramen shops in the Chifeng Street area, but the only one specializing in chicken paitan ramen, with chicken simmered into a rich, opaque broth that’s almost creamy in appearance.
My bowl came loaded with incredibly tender sous-vide chicken, pork chashu, a soft-boiled egg, onions, and grilled baby corn.
Chiyin is really good but understandably popular. It usually has the longest line of any restaurant in the area, but it moves fairly quickly. When you enter, you’ll order and pay (cash only) at a machine, with help if needed.
It’s tucked away in super narrow Lane 23, just in from Xinzhongshan Linear Park.
Mianxian Ding
Mianxian Ding (面線町) is another Chifeng Street institution. Here they serve one of the most classic Taiwanese foods – meesua (thick vermicelli soup) with oysters, squid, and fish crisps.
Meesua is usually associated with traditional Taiwanese street-food stalls, but Mianxian Ding gives the old-school dish a place in trendy Chifeng Street.
The restaurant itself has a retro Taiwanese look, complete with little old-fashioned fans and a hand-drawn map of Chifeng Street covering the wall behind the counter.
The restaurant is a literal hole-in-a-wall shop with seating along a bar – it doesn’t get much more “Chifeng Street” than this.
You’ll find it at the corner of Lane 49 and Xinzhongshan Linear Park.
I Want Ice So Much
I Want Ice So Much (好想吃冰 かき氷) is an all-vegan Japanese curry restaurant. They also do Japanese desserts and shaved ice, hence the name, which I promise you sounds more natural in Mandarin and Japanese.
I had a vegan feast here, with mapo tofu rice, vegan chicken drumstick, and vegan fried egg. The desserts look colorful and fun, but I just didn’t have any room left.
The restaurant offers traditional Japanese tatami seating and Western tables. It’s at the far southern end of Chifeng Street.
See my other favorite vegetarian restaurants in Taipei.
Rose Food
Rose Food (螺螄福正宗柳州螺螄粉) can’t be missed thanks to the colorful mural and lantern on the exterior. It’s right on Chifeng Street, between Lanes 41 and 47.
While I didn’t get a chance to try it, the restaurant specializes in luosifen (螺螄粉) from Guangxi province in China.
The dish consists of rice noodles in sour-and-spicy river snail broth. Its distinctive smell comes from fermented bamboo shoots, with other toppings like peanuts, wood ear mushrooms and fried tofu skin.
Shopping on Chifeng Street
Chifeng Street is one of the best places to go shopping in Taipei.
The area is known for its vintage shops, but you’ll also find independent boutiques, Taiwanese and international chains, homewares, K-Pop merch, and more.
Vintage Shops
Chifeng Street is one of Taipei’s best areas for vintage shopping, with small 古著 (guzhe) shops hidden throughout its lanes and old buildings.
Guzhe implies a more curated vintage fashion display than what you’d find in typical secondhand stores, with individual shops specializing in everything from American vintage and military wear to Japanese-inspired and Y2K fashion.
Even if you aren’t a serious vintage shopper, they’re fun places to browse while exploring the neighborhood.
I especially liked Mitty, but a few others include EWF Vintage, Travis Vintage, and LZD Vintage.
Clothing Shops
Besides its many vintage shops, the Chifeng area has loads of contemporary clothing, accessories, and design shops.
These range from small independent boutiques and local designer brands to larger Taiwanese and international fashion brands, with styles spanning Japanese and Korean-inspired fashion to streetwear.
You’ll find a high concentration of these along Lane 20, which runs east from Xinzhongshan Linear Park. This lane feels a little more like a conventional fashion street, with one clothing, accessories, or lifestyle shop after another.
A few names worth mentioning are Fumble (Hong Kong-founded, Japanese City Boy/streetwear), 0416×1024 life shop (local, independent, graphic clothing and products), and Lightwell (women’s clothing with contemporary art gallery on the second floor).
Homewares & Other Shops
You can buy more than just clothing on Chifeng Street. Here are a few other interesting shops.
Xiaoqi (小器生活) sells Japanese tableware, while Craft Tokyo features hand-made accessories.
Bogudao Household Products (波古道具屋), one of my favorites, has kitchenware, wooden/bamboo products, and waving arm cats in an old-vibey shop with sliding Japanese wooden doors.
K-Monstar will satisfy all your K-Pop needs, while SNAPPP (寫真私館) is a cool vintage camera shop.
emmaAparty is a colorful little shop selling illustrated gifts and merchandise by Taiwanese illustrator Emma Lin.
Last but not least, head down to Zhongshan Metro Mall, which runs from Zhongshan to Shuanglian MRT stations directly below Xinzhongshan Linear Park.
There you can explore the multiple non-connected rooms of Eslite R79 Store, which features books, records, stationery, general souvenirs and more.
Photo Booth Studios
Korean-style photo booth studios have become a noticeable trend around Chifeng Street.
Unlike the old Japanese purikura machines, these are usually small self-service studios where you choose a fun backdrop, like inside an MRT, laundry machine, elevator, and so on.
You then pose for a short series of timed photos, and receive a printed photo strip at the end.
Many also have mirrors, props, and accessories for getting ready, and you can usually download digital copies of the photos by scanning a QR code.
My daughter and I had a lot of fun trying Plan B Studio at their Jiufen Old Street location. Here’s the Chifeng Street location of Plan B Studio.
Other popular ones in the area include Snapshot, SNAPPPxSMILE, and Timelab.
Just a heads up, though – the Chifeng Street photo studios can get surprisingly busy, especially with groups of young women. Try going at off-peak hours if you don’t want to wait.
Chifeng Street is one of my favorite areas in Taipei for simply wandering around without much of a plan. Give yourself a few hours to explore the lanes, stop for coffee or dessert, and see what shops catch your eye!