cafe | Sugared & Spiced

2015/01/212015/08/05

[Shanghai] Doe

Doe

Add: 105, 88 Tong Ren Lu / 铜仁路 88 号 105
Tel: 6180 8378
Hours: 10am-9:30pm
Price: 24~46 RMB/coffee
Visited: Jan 2015

I wouldn’t have ventured into DOE if not introduced by a friend. The shop is primarily a streetwear boutique featuring its in-house label DOE 餖, as well as familiar names like Nike, Jordan, Converse and selected brands from Japan, U.S., and Europe. Not really my type of place to visit, until I discovered that it also doubles as a cafe serving quality coffee. What I love about the space is its tiered stadium seating instead of the typical table-and-chair setup, making it an extra chill and comfortable hangout spot.

L1124368

L1124365

L1124312

test

Continue Reading →

2013/01/202015/08/05

[London] Shoreditch Grind

london

Like my FACEBOOK PAGE or follow me on TWITTER / 微博!

Shoreditch Grind

Add: 213 Old Street, London EC1V 9NR
Tel: 020 7490 7490
Hours: [Mon-Fri] 7am-8pm [Sat] 9am-6pm [Sun] 10am-6pm
Website: www.shoreditchgrind.com
Price: [coffee] £2.50 and up
Visited on: Jan 2013

Cool decor, decent coffee. Not a bad place to rest the feet.

Continue Reading →

2012/12/032015/08/05

[Paris] Télescope

paris

Like my FACEBOOK PAGE or follow me on TWITTER / 微博!

Télescope

Add: 5 Rue Villedo, 75001 Paris
Tel: 01 42 61 33 14
Hours: [Mon-Fri] 8:30am~6:30pm [Sat-Sun] 9:30am~6:30pm
Website: www.telescopecafe.com
Price: [coffee] €2~5 [desserts] €2.5~5.5
Visited on: Dec 2012

It only just opened half a year ago in May 2012, but Télescope has already been applauded as one of the best places to get coffee in Paris. Its front window emanates the kind of cozy warm lighting that draws passerby right in, but the tiny shop accommodates no more than 10 people at full capacity. Come try your luck, or get a cup to go.

Continue Reading →

2012/07/102015/08/31

[Taipei] Le Petit Pâtissier 雷斯理

taipei

Like my FACEBOOK PAGE or follow me on TWITTER / 微博!

Le Petit Pâtissier 雷斯理

Add: 2 Alley 4 Lane 74 Wenzhou Street, Taipei / 台北市大安區溫州街74巷4弄2號
Tel: (02) 2367 7862
Hours: 12~9pm (closed on Wednesday)
Price: [tea] 160 NTD [desserts] 120~150 NTD
Visited on: 2012-07

Le Petit Pâtissier 雷斯理, previously part of Caffe Libero in the Yongkang Street neighborhood, recently moved out to open an independent shop on Wenzhou Street. This area is really out of my usual activity zone, but after hearing such wonderful things about its lemon tart, I decided to venture out here to give it a try.

From the exterior to the interior, girly cute is the best phrase to describe Le Petit Pâtissier. Bright color blocks of fuscia yellow and green, red water jug adorned with white polka dots, wooden chairs with checkered mats…yes, it’s a sugar overload.

Even the desserts are in such adorable colors and shapes.

Continue Reading →

2012/07/102015/08/31

[Taipei] Cafe Xiaomijo 小米酒咖啡

taipei

Like my FACEBOOK PAGE or follow me on TWITTER / 微博!

Cafe Xiaomijo 小米酒咖啡

Add: 5 Lane 41 Yongkan Street, Taipei / 台北市永康街41巷5號
Tel: (02) 2395 7617
Hours: 11am~11pm (closed on Monday)
Price: [drinks] 90~180 NTD
Visited on: 2012-07

Yet another cozy place to rest your feet and quench your thirst when wandering in the Yongkang Street area. I’m falling more and more in love with this neighborhood!

Continue Reading "[Taipei] Cafe Xiaomijo 小米酒咖啡" →

2012/07/102015/08/31

[Taipei] Wakin’ Up Cafe Apartment 自然醒咖啡公寓

taipei

Like my FACEBOOK PAGE or follow me on TWITTER / 微博!

Wakin’ Up Cafe Apartment 自然醒咖啡公寓

Add: 2F No. 157 Section 2 Heping East Rd Taipei / 台北市和平東路二段157號2F
Tel: (02) 2709 6066
Hours: 1~11pm (closed on Tuesdays)
Price: [drinks] 140~170 NTD [desserts] 80 NTD
Visited on: 2012-07

Nestled on the 2nd floor of a nondescript apartment building on Heping East Road is Wakin’ Up Cafe Apartment, a space where time stands still (if you look around, the clocks here literally not not moving). The cafe was slightly stuffy on a Saturday afternoon with the weekend crowd, but the cozy decor and friendly service still lured us to lounge here for hours.

After venturing up a flight of rather steep stairs, you will arrive at this.

Love the blackboard drawing behind the bar.

Continue Reading →

2012/06/152015/10/07

[Shanghai] Seesaw Cafe

shanghai

Seesaw Cafe

Add: 433 Yuyuan Lu, inside Jing’an Design Center / 愚园路433号静安设计中心内
Tel: 137 6170 0535
Hours: 8:30am~10:30pm
Price: 15~25 RMB/coffee
Visited: Jun 2012

The very recently opened Seesaw Cafe has all the elements I look for in a coffee shop. Glorious coffee, clean and stylish decor with courtyard seats, friendly baristas who are passionate to share their knowledge, and – drumroll please – buttery, sugary delights from Strictly Cookies.

A friend and I ordered a “coffee set for two” (58 RMB), which includes two cups of coffee and a selection of 4 dessert bites. We opted for a cappuccino and a latte, which came strong and smooth, with beautiful latte art.

Continue Reading →

2012/02/212015/10/07

[Shanghai] Éclair at Andaz

shanghai

Éclair at Andaz

Add: Andaz Shanghai, 88 Songshan Lu / 嵩山路88号上海安达仕酒店1楼
Tel: 2310 1720
Hours: 7am~10pm
Website: www.andazshanghai.com
Price: 18 RMB/eclair, 30~50 RMB/coffee or tea
Visited: Feb 2012

Éclair at Andaz specializes in – you’ve guessed it – éclairs. But before we go on, here are a few words on Andaz for those of you who are unfamiliar with this hotel collection. It is Hyatt’s new line of contemporary, boutique-inspired hotels, located in hip cities around the world like London, New York, and LA. Shanghai’s Andaz, opened only a few months ago in October 2011, is the first in Asia and the sixth in the world. Next time you are in Xintiandi, be sure to drop by and check out its chic designs.

Back to Éclairs, where éclairs take center stage. These oblong-shaped pastries are made from pâte à choux, baked until crisp and hollow inside, then filled with flavored pastry cream and glazed with fondant icing. The word éclair actually came from a French word meaning “lightning” or “flash of lightning”…Why? Je ne sais pas.

Also available: a selection of chocolates, cupcakes, tarts, quiches, breads, and the likes.

Continue Reading →

2012/02/052015/09/24

[Shanghai] Cafe des Stagiaires

paris

Cafe des Stagiaires

Address: 54 Yongkang Lu, near Xiangyang Nan Lu / 永康路54号, 近襄阳南路
Tel: 3425 0210
Hours: [Tue-Sun] 10:00am~midnight
Price: 20~30 RMB/coffee
Visited on: Feb 2012 (visits 2, 3)

For a little piece of France, visit Cafe des Stagiaires, a cozy bar and cafe on Yongkang Lu. What’s on the menu: coffee, beer, wine, charcuterie from their boucherie Les Garcons, pastry from their bakery La Boulangerie, and pizza from their neighboring pizzeria Pizza Peppone. It’s all very, very French.

“I do not get drink – I get awesome.”

A cup of Cappuccino (30 RMB) in a cute tin cup.

Continue Reading →

2012/01/302015/08/31

[Taipei] Cafe Flat White

taipei

Cafe Flat White

Add: 12, Alley 41, Yongkang Street, Da’an District, Taipei / 台北市大安區永康街41巷12號
Tel: (02) 3393 8872
Hours 12:00pm~10:00pm
Price: [drinks] 90~220 NTD, [food] 160~200 NTD
Visited on: Jan 2012

Update: cafe now rebranded as KIOSK.

The small alleys of Yongkang Street hide a good number of stylish cafes, Cafe Flat White being one of them. If you are lucky enough to find yourself a seat here (they don’t take reservations), it’s a perfectly comfortable spot to spend the afternoon.

Cafe Flat White