Taichung
The versatile '13' (Shísān) has turned his family's car-repair shop into this wonderfully eccentric cafe that he spent four years building with old school…
Must-see nightlife in Taiwan
Taipei
History, nostalgia and fine tea combine in this charming former wooden dormitory from the Japanese era. Wistaria was built in 1920 for naval personnel and…
Taitung
In a garden of poinsettia, one of Taitung's finest Japanese-style wooden houses acts as showcase for local floral teas (NT$120) and single-estate organic…
Sandiaoling
Born from the vestiges of a derelict mining cottage, this delightfully hip hangout should be a mandatory stop before or after tackling the Sandiaoling…
Kinmen
Tiny but sparklingly imaginative, this Aussie-run pub serves a range of foreign beers (NT$160), three IPA-style craft ales from Taiwan and remarkably well…
Matsu
For NT$150, you get not only a coffee but also the chance to explore a 'secret' tunnel, then relax in an artistic mishmash of paintings, fresh flowers,…
Western Taiwan
Stylish, LGBTQ-friendly Fang Kofi comprises an airy, industrial-style cafe connected by a spiral staircase to a shabby-chic 2nd-floor space where the…
Northern Taiwan
This delightfully antique Hakka home has stood here for well over a century, and makes for an atmospheric setting to sample the local staple of léi chá …
Taipei
Taipei's cocktail jewel in the crown was voted one of the world's 50 best bars in 2018. It offers gorgeously and imaginatively designed drinks with fairy…
Hualien
This minuscule, triangular cafe lies half-hidden by foliage in a little wooden house so picturesque that they sell postcards of it. Beneath dangling…
Taichung
At this relaxing speakeasy, mixologists Jacko and Calvin et al whip up impeccable cocktails behind a circular bar where waiting guests munch on smoked…
Tainan
A 38cm-wide alley leads to this charmer where the colours are bold, the ceilings high, and on a fine day, there's always a breeze dancing. The patterns…
Ximending & Wanhua
Just around the corner from Longshan Temple is this herb-selling area that dates back to Qing times. It's a great place to sample some of the incredible…
Taipei
This very popular 24-hour teahouse is set off by itself in a beautiful valley. There are lots of tables with great views, and a busy kitchen serving…
Northern Taiwan
Step back in time at this century-old wooden tea house full of antique furnishings and cosy nooks to hunker down in. The tea selection includes aged pu…
Eastern Taiwan & Taroko National Park
Boasting one of the island's top baristas, The Reefs use locally grown beans for their excellent coffees, including deliciously subtle (if huge) 'sea salt…
Songshan
With outdoor seating facing tree-lined Fujin St, this cafe is hard to beat. Inside it's all woodwork, mood lighting and strategically placed twigs. If you…
Taipei
This fun Hong Kong–style cafe set in a restored apothecary certainly has a lot of retro charm. The original medicine cabinets with their wooden drawers…
Taipei
This warm and stylish cafe/wine bar is set at the far back of one of Dihua St's traditional brick shops. Enter via ArtYard67 to get a look at how these…
Ximending & Wanhua
Laid out like a tiki bar with a scattering of wooden benches with thatched shelters, this is another of Taihu Brewery's outlets and it's excellent. The…
Taipei
Just a minute's walk downhill from Maokong station. Sih Ye has one of the most beautiful teahouse interiors: a central bodhisattva statue, indoor pond,…
Hualien
The age-blackened timbers of this 70-year-old building complement mellow jazz and excellent barista coffee to create one of central Hualien's most restful…
Ximending & Wanhua
With its bright-red painted front, the 58 Bar is hard to miss. Long and narrow like it has been slipped into the building as an afterthought, this lively…
Taipei
One of the most beautifully located cafes in northern Taiwan, Bok Su Lao is set in the grounds of Oxford College and housed in a former residence for male…
Chiayi
One of the best places in Chiayi for a cup of joe, Saint Tower is where you're likely to find the owner working the Fuji Royal bean-roasting machine for…
Taipei
This laid-back, funky Belgian-run bar has a good stock of Belgian craft beer. Usually more mellow in the early evening, when you can snag a happy-hour…
Taipei
Set in a house from the 1950s with vintage furniture and a zelkova parquet floor, this is the perfect place for a romantic date. It also has a touch of…
Chiayi
A cosy cocktail den with a cute resident pup. Both belong to a prize-winning mixologist known for his passion for animal rights and his creativity. The…
Taipei
This gorgeous 2nd-floor cafe–bookshop in a restored heritage house is full of light and elegance. The shelves of books, exposed brickwork, scattered…
Tainan
A moody venue in an old village residence that has retained much of its original look, down to the creaky wooden doors. The bar is at the back, dimly lit…
Taichung
A laid-back taproom offering a hundred craft bottles (NT$145 to $220) and whisky-barrel-aged brews (NT$390 to $1190), plus Asian brands on tap (NT$200 to …
Ximending & Wanhua
This strip of open-air bars behind the historic Red House is a friendly and lively gay district that welcomes everyone. You will often see families with…
Kaohsiung
One of Kaohsiung's oldest cafes, Hsiao Ti was started by a Japanese-speaking Taiwanese woman 40 years ago and it seems nothing has changed since then –…
Kenting National Park
Though it's run by the mega-sized Caesar Park Resort across the road, you wouldn't know it. This outdoor bar-cafe on Little Bay Beach (小灣海灘) is everything…
Penghu Islands
A Warhol welcome sets the stage for Magong's quirkiest secret drinking hole: the little yard is intriguing, but pull back the heavy wooden door to find…
Taipei
A string of simple outdoor bars with local and expat owners that offer a range of bottled beers, ciders and spirits. Nothing fancy, but there's a friendly…
Central East Coast
Order a craft beer, organic tea or Spanish meal at this outwardly unpretentious cafe and you gain the right to swim in their open-air pool. That's across…
Tainan
A elegant cafe serving good single-origin coffees, homemade cakes and thirst-quenching drinks. You can relax at the communal table and read their books on…
Tainan
Directly opposite Mazu Temple, TCRC (The Checkered Record Club) is cool in all the right places – a speakeasy vibe, indie sounds, colourful cocktails and…
Hualien
Cowboy hats, lassos, Buffalo Bill portraits and framed lengths of 19th-century barbed wire give this diner-pub a Wild West theme, set to a soundtrack…