Astoria Cafe

Astoria Cafe is a slice of Taipei's literary and political history. It was founded in October 1949 when six Russian emigres who had fled Shanghai joined forces with a young Taiwanese partner, Archibald Chien, and it is often described as the first Western-style pastry shop in Taipei. Pastries are sold on the ground floor and the cafe sits upstairs, where much of the original European furniture survives.

The cafe's reputation was built by its customers. From 1959 the poet Chou Meng-tieh sold books from a stall outside, and many young writers became regulars upstairs; the author Pai Hsien-yung, the poet Yu Guangzhong and the choreographer Lin Hwai-min are among the cultural figures associated with the cafe. Chiang Ching-kuo, who later became president, and his Belarusian-born wife were also visitors, and Astoria's chefs are said to have prepared Chiang Kai-shek's last birthday cake. Over the decades the cafe has closed for a total of around fifteen years, but it reopened and keeps its old-world character.

The menu draws on the founders' Russian roots. The bakery became known for Russian sweets and for its Mazurka walnut cake, in which local dried longan replaced the dried cherries of the original recipe. Upstairs, the signature drink is Russian black tea served with a generous splash of brandy, and coffee and cake make an easy afternoon break. Pick up a few sweets downstairs as a gift; they travel better than cream cakes.

The cafe suits travellers interested in history and literature, couples looking for an unhurried afternoon, and anyone who prefers a traditional cafe to a modern coffee bar. Check current opening times on the official website before making a special trip. Allow 45 minutes to an hour to linger upstairs, and go mid-afternoon on a weekday for the calmest atmosphere. Children will enjoy the cakes, though the upstairs room is better suited to quiet conversation than to lively family groups.

Astoria is on Section 1 of Wuchang Street in the Zhongzheng District, a few minutes' walk from the National Taiwan Museum and 228 Peace Memorial Park. Combine a visit with the museum, or with a bowl of beef noodles at Lao Shan Dong in Wanhua for a day built around Taipei's long-running institutions.