Taichung’s West District houses one of Taiwan’s most knowledgable baristas: Coffee Area (珈琲院) owner Tang Sheng-jie. His obsession with the bean is evidenced by his cafe’s encyclopedic third-wave menu and shelves overflowing with grinders, syphons, pots, and other vintage gadgets. Grabbing a cup here is like being in an episode of Hoarders, only you pray the protagonist gets to keep everything in the end. There isn’t much in the way of seating (just two couches and three or four tables), but there is a small, shaded park with benches across the road if you can stand the heat. Visitors with an understanding of Chinese can sign up for one of Tang’s two-hour classes; they cover every step of the coffee-making process from roasting to brewing.

No. 165, Cunzhong St., West District, Taichung, Taiwan; +886-4-2376-1273.