Taichung has the strongest independent café culture in Taiwan, partly because of the design and student population and partly because the warmer dry climate is kinder to outdoor seating than Taipei's. The two main concentrations are the Wuquan Park area in the south-west and Shenji New Village in the centre.
For bars, the city is quieter than Taipei but has a small, serious craft beer scene. The bars cluster around the Seventh Redevelopment area near the National Taichung Theater and along Jingcheng First Street.
Sense30, on Sec. 1 Wuquan West Road, is the city's flagship third-wave coffee shop. Fika Fika Café on Wuquan First Street is the local outlet of the Taipei pioneers and the standard test of a cup of espresso.
Beer & Cheese Social House on Wenxin Road has the most serious craft beer list in the city, with a small kitchen. Brewing Up A Storm, opposite the National Theatre, is the smaller and more local alternative.