Liutaio is a name that carries many meanings. It originates from the Italian language, and in olden times would have been translated to mean ‘lute maker’. In more modern terms, the translation can be used to describe a stringed instrument maker, or ‘luthier’.

The other name for our café is 樓臺 (pronounced liu-tai) and sounds similar to Liutaio, but means something very different. The Chinese characters can be translated to mean ‘balcony’. In ancient times in tea houses and restaurants, the balcony was seen to be a very special meeting place. Lovers, friends and family could meet and enjoy food and drink together, away from the hustle and bustle of both the streets below and the others inside.

Taking this as our inspiration, we hope that Liutaio will be a place where anyone and everyone can meet up and enjoy our food and drink, and escape the hustle and bustle of the city and everyday life. We want our customers to enjoy the atmosphere, music, food and drink, as well as spend quality time with their loved ones, or even meet someone new. Our tables, chairs and crockery are similar to those traditionally found in ancient tea houses, to give our customers a real taste of what those ancient balconies might have once felt like. Our menu however offers food and drink from both Oriental and Western origins, and through all these aspects of our café we hope to offer customers something new and unique.