✨ AI Quick Review
1996 COFFEE is on Ligong Street in Beitou, Taipei, on the ground floor of the CMI TOWER Mercedes-Benz building in Guandu, within walking distance of Exit One at Guandu MRT Station. Coffee, matcha drinks, brunch, and handmade desserts lead the menu. Broad glass windows bring in abundant daylight, while the minimalist white room keeps seats where guests can stay with a laptop. It is an option around Guandu for coffee, dessert, or simply a bright place to unwind.
● Hot Latte
Fine milk foam is drawn into a complete leaf across the cup, giving the drink a distinctive appearance before the first sip. A medium-dark roast provides a full coffee aroma, while milk makes the texture rich and rounded. The milk is clear but does not cover the coffee, and the finish is smooth rather than bitter—suited to those who enjoy a robust milk coffee but still value balance.
● Koyamaen Matcha Au Lait
The clear glass shows a vivid gradient between milk and matcha, with matcha powder on top concentrating the aroma. Koyamaen matcha brings a distinct tea character: its signature light bitterness arrives first, then gradually turns sweet. Rich milk softens the bitter edge, but the drink still tastes unmistakably of matcha rather than sweet milk alone.
● Sea Salt Caramel Scone
The scone is baked crisp on the outside and breaks open into a loose, layered crumb that does not eat dry. Rich caramel runs over the top, its sweetness offset by a little sea salt. Cream on the side changes the texture: eat it plain for toastiness and crumble, or dip it for a smoother, gentler mouthful.
● Brown Sugar Kinako Chiffon Cake
The chiffon is airy and soft, much like a light sponge cake, topped generously with cream, dusted with kinako, and paired with a crisp wafer cookie. Brown sugar and soybean flour give a mild grain aroma, cream supplies smooth moisture, and the cookie adds a crunchy contrast. Softness, close crumb, and crispness each form a clear layer.
Start with the Hot Latte to judge the coffee, or choose the Koyamaen Matcha Au Lait if you prefer tea. Pick dessert by texture: the Sea Salt Caramel Scone is crisp and crumbly with caramel sweetness, while the Brown Sugar Kinako Chiffon Cake offers more changes through soft cake, cream, and wafer. Remember to return your tray after the meal.
- Location:台北市北投區立功街19號, within walking distance of Exit One at Guandu MRT Station
- Type:Coffee, matcha drinks, brunch, and handmade desserts
- Recommended:Hot Latte, Koyamaen Matcha Au Lait, Sea Salt Caramel Scone, and Brown Sugar Kinako Chiffon Cake
- Highlights:A wall of floor-to-ceiling glass, minimalist white counter, high bright room, and some seats with outlets
- Good for:Coffee and dessert near Guandu Station, a laptop session, or a relaxed gathering with friends
📌 Editor's summary
1996 COFFEE combines a convenient location near Guandu Station with floor-to-ceiling daylight and an airy white interior. Whether you bring a laptop to a window seat or meet friends for drinks and dessert, there is a relatively suitable place to sit. The menu goes beyond coffee: the Hot Latte shows a medium-dark roast and rich milk, while the Koyamaen Matcha Au Lait keeps its mild bitterness and sweet finish. The Sea Salt Caramel Scone is crisp, crumbly, and sweet; the Brown Sugar Kinako Chiffon Cake builds varied textures with cream and wafer. If you like bright cafés with open sightlines where you can linger comfortably, this one slips easily into a Guandu itinerary.
