VWI by CHADWANG

VWI by CHADWANG is the coffee bar of Chad Wang, who in 2017 became the first person from Taiwan to win the World Brewers Cup, the international competition for hand-brewed filter coffee. He opened VWI in 2018 in Taipei's busy Eastern District, and it has become a regular stop for coffee lovers who want to taste brewing at championship level without the theatre of a big chain.

The name stands for the three states of water: vapour, water and ice. That idea fits a cafe that treats water and extraction as seriously as the beans, and pour-over coffee is the heart of the menu. If you usually drink espresso-based drinks, this is the place to try a carefully brewed filter coffee black, so you can taste how the brewing method brings out sweetness and clarity. The cafe pairs its coffee with desserts, which makes it a good stop for an afternoon break rather than just a quick caffeine fix.

VWI is also a place to learn. It hosts regular coffee lectures for people who want to improve their own brewing, and it sells coffee filter bags, a convenient way to take the taste of Taipei home without needing a grinder or brewer. For travellers who are serious about coffee, combining a visit here with Simple Kaffa and Fika Fika makes a rewarding self-guided tour of the city's award-winning cafes.

Check the cafe's official channels for current opening hours before you go, as they can change. The space suits solo visitors and couples best, and it is a calm place to sit with a cup and a notebook in the middle of the East District's shopping streets. Allow 30 to 45 minutes, longer if you are tasting more than one coffee or joining a lecture. Prices are in line with other speciality coffee bars in the city; filter coffees made with rare beans can cost more.

The cafe is on an alley off Lane 251 of Section 3 of Zhongxiao East Road in the Da'an District, part of the Eastern District shopping area. It is easy to combine with shopping or dinner in the area, or with a trip on to Xinyi and Taipei 101 further east. Look carefully for the alley number when you arrive, as Taipei's lane and alley addresses can be confusing at first; showing the address on your phone to a taxi driver is the easiest option.