Taipei Cafe - Urbana

Taipei Café offers some Taiwanese dishes that are hard to find anywhere else in Chicago. I particularly love their "Taiwanese Spring Roll" and often order the Bento Box, which is not only very filling but also reasonably priced, especially with an added $2 bubble tea! Their tofu makes for a delicious side, along with the marinated cucumber. If you're feeling adventurous, I recommend keeping an open mind and trying the "stinky tofu hot pot," as well as the "bawan" or "oyster pancake." These dishes are quintessentially Taiwanese and truly unique compared to anything else you may have tried before. Enjoy!

I ran out of tapioca, so I opted for red bean instead. The overall vibe really reminded me of an authentic Taiwanese café.

This is a lovely spot for a refreshing break. The café can be a bit tricky to locate since it's tucked away in a corridor that you need to navigate first. When I visited, it was quite crowded, and a couple of orders were overlooked. However, when we brought up our order, the staff sincerely apologized for the delay and quickly addressed it. The drinks are fantastic, the staff is friendly, and the atmosphere inside is delightful! I definitely recommend giving it a try.

This place is a little hard to find, especially with the construction around it at the time of writing, but it is a very beautiful space. The bubble tea is ok, it is more tea than milk (which I prefer), and the taste is just ok. There is a wide selection that I will definitely come back to try more. The room is very nice and welcoming and great for hanging groups of friends. You also have board games available.

I like bubble tea [love actually], so I may be a bit biased, but this is a great place with a nice ambiance. They also have a lot of games to play if you're there with friends. The space is a bit small though but nice cafe nonetheless