In search of accessible third spaces that meet the criteria:
- Shaded or heat-resistant (preferably with AC, but not limited to)
- Equipped with proper chairs, not stools
- Casual dress-code: I can be seen dressed down in PJ-esque tops or athleisure and not feel ashamed
- Available 24/7 or till an hour after typical dinner time
- Permits dining, snacking, and drinking
soft drinks only - Supports a variety of ongoing activities eg., reading, board games, soft chatting
- Offers fully illuminated areas
Not a playground
・・・・・
🌟 Approved locations with ratings 🌟
Esoothman
- Rating: 9.1 / 10
- Price: Less than $10 for 3 hours per person
- Hours: Open 24/7
- Drinks: Unlimited drinks, fountains for coffee, tea, and soft drinks
- Seating: Dining chairs available only in open soft-spoken areas. Booths feature deep couches, not ideal for good posture, but has large windows overlooking the main street. Private rooms have desktop setups with half and full enclosures; good alternative for a night cap.
- Atmosphere: Extremely silent with barely-there soft piano
Louisa Coffee (Banqiao)
- Rating: 7.5 / 10
- Price: No minimum spend
- Hours: Open till 9:00 PM (2F open till 8:00 PM)
- Drinks: Latte grande under $4
- Seating: Couch seats and diner chairs line the walls, and double seaters are available in the center to form 4-seaters
- Atmosphere: Occasional laughter coming from studious high schoolers, and parenting noise
McDonald’s (Guting)
- Rating: 5.5 / 10
- Price: No minimum spend
- Hours: Open till 3:00 AM
- Food: Spent $13 for 2 burgers, 2 fries, orange juice, and an Evian bottle.
- Seating: 4-seaters along the walls with either dining chairs or curved benches with backs. Some tables can be separated into 2-seaters, and hungry diners will be eyeing them
- Atmosphere: Mostly tutors, college students, and parents with little kids
Eslite Cafe (Songyan)
- Rating: 7 / 10
- Wifi: none
- Price: $7 minimum, or $1 if you have a Premium Card bestie
- Hours: Weekdays (for discount), till 10:30pm
- Food: Ordered a hot honey oat latte
- Seating: 3-seaters facing the floor length windows and 4-seaters with back support chairs. Some couch seatings too in the back, I believe.
- Atmosphere: Lots of chatters during dinner hours. Calms down after 8pm. Unfortunately, we did encounter a talkative, guessing econ and liberal art professors, elderly couple to our right and an annoyed young couple (or were they mother and son?!!) to our left. Otherwise, most patrons stay long hours for the same reason–$1 drinks and blocked time on a Tuesday evening.