Penghu Islands
Gather a group of four or more then make the 25-minute trek to the town's eastern edge for a full range of authentic Penghu specialities, including…
Must-see restaurants in Taiwan
Hualien
Vinyl, enamel advertising signs and ethnographic ornaments add even further to the character of this authentic yet unpretentious, century-old cottage…
Kaohsiung
This upmarket restaurant where locals and expats bring their guests offers some of the best seafood dishes anywhere in Taiwan. The menu has no prices, but…
Taipei
A marvellous Mediterranean kitchen with a massive menu that's heavy on the cheese. Tapas, hummus, big eggy breakfasts, pasta, grilled fish, salads and…
Taipei
Taipei's most celebrated Shanghai-style dumpling shop – the New York Times once called it one of the 10 best restaurants in the world – is now a worldwide…
Hualien
With a hearty 'Nga'ayho' ('hello' in Amis), Mu-Ming presents diners with a 90-minute, multicourse dining experience full of flavour-packed indigenous…
Tainan
This white-tiled roadside shop, operated by a milkfish (虱目魚, shīmùyú) farmer, slaughters the fish in the wee hours to prepare the popular breakfast of…
Taichung
Award-winning Jimmy Lim, former head chef at the illustrious Le Mout, reimagines Singaporean street food at his elegant restaurant, and the results are a…
Northern Taiwan
By buying at source in this two-storey food court beside Daxi's fishing fleet, you can gorge on everything from grilled oysters (生蠔; shēngháo) to sea…
Taipei
Snow King is a legend, serving intensely flavoured homemade ice cream for more than 70 years. There are scores of wild tastes, from the expected …
Hualien
Delicious vegetarian meal sets contain such a multiplicity of ingredients and subtle flavours that the menu can't keep up, but whatever you pick is likely…
Penghu Islands
Moz, the English-speaking owner of Bang Bang Banana, is an astoundingly talented chef, and before the Bang Bang bar opens, she cooks superb, multi-course,…
Taichung
A no-frills restaurant where you can see the chef whipping up delicious and beautiful western vegan meals. Kale, quinoa, and fermented beans in all forms…
Chiayi
At this hugely popular restaurant featured on Netflix's Street Food, silver carp heads are deep-fried and simmered in a milky pork broth with vegetables,…
Tainan
This gem with glass frontage, blue-and-brown palette and white floor tiles offers great respite from the busy street beyond its door, not to mention that…
Matsu
This marvellously quirky old stone house has a sheltered patio looking back across the bay towards Fu'ao, yet is about as rural as you can get on Nangan…
Taipei
The only restaurant in Taipei to be awarded three Michelin stars is an elegant, romantically lit space that serves excellent Cantonese cuisine, including…
Taitung
The pizza is excellent, with a thin, crispy, melt-in-the-mouth crust (half is ideal for one person). But the idiosyncratic decor is a big part of the…
Northern Taiwan
Though some distance from downtown, the Chungking-style beef noodles (重慶牛肉麵; Chóngqìng niúròu miàn) here are a worthwhile pilgrimage for committed foodies…
Eastern Taiwan & Taroko National Park
In an 1898 wooden building that was originally a police station, this utterly charming cafe is classically Japanese in both its wood-framed interior and…
Kaohsiung
A hip restaurant with Eames-inspired, futuristic paraphernalia, plus an oldies playlist, beaming you to the late-Japanese-colonial era. The set meals here…
Matsu
Delicious Matsu old wine noodles (馬祖老酒 麵線, Mǎzǔ lǎojiǔ miàn xiàn) are served in beautiful ceramic bowls and eaten at an unpretentious bench looking out…
Chiayi
Do Right sure does it right. Students, professionals and expats come to this cafe for its hearty yet refined Taiwanese home cooking and delectable cakes…
Taipei
This cute, brightly lit and friendly place with yellow laminate tables offers a Taiwanese twist on pasta and Italian rice dishes using mushrooms, tofu and…
Taipei
RAW is all the rage in Taipei. You'll need to make reservations online at least a month in advance for this place owned by Taiwanese celebrity chef André…
North Pole Soft Ice Special Shop
Taipei
Open since 1961, and pretty much unchanged since then, this shaved-ice place is no-frills deliciousness. Get a cup of peanut, pearl and red bean shaved…
Shuitou Village
Occupying the historic building and garden yard beside the Deyue Mansion, Jin Shui serves some truly excellent local cuisine including 'nyonya' (娘惹)…
Xinyi
With memorably tasty Thai food, this is a real gem. The yellow crab curry is to die for. Great prices, no-nonsense service. If it's not on the menu you…
Chenggong
Sit overlooking the fishing port, a bossanova beat enlivening this designer-sparse concrete-floored cafe which serves sashimi (from NT$250) and a small,…
Kenting National Park
Charming restaurant with an open kitchen and a decidedly young vibe. Food is loose Italian with French and/or Asian leanings, but the cooking is on point…
Taipei
Lan Jia is widely regarded as having the best yì bāo (刈包) in Taiwan. What's yì bāo? Think of a savoury slow-braised pork hamburger with pickled mustard…
Pingtung County
An atmospheric cliffside cafe with a terrace overlooking the valley. On a clear day you can see Kaohsiung from here. Foodwise, indigenous and fusion…
Tainan
This restaurant serves traditional Tainanese dishes inside a rustic 100-year-old house. There's no menu, but the generously portioned seven-course meals…
Taipei
Ask a Thai expat for Taiwan's best street restaurant from their home country, and they'll say Kanokwan. This no-frills place with metal tabletops is…
Taipei
This place is buzzing. Complementing its heavenly soy soft scoop (NT$60) is a range of soy milks, soy puddings and soy yoghurt. There is seating inside…
Songshan
Superb Californian-style sushi joint, notable for its playfully named rolls. Try the Marilyn Monroll with scallops and Parmesan sauce. The Salmonlicious…
Kaohsiung
Kaohsiung's largest and arguably best night market. Stalls cater to locals rather than big tour groups, and they're concentrated in one area, which makes…
Kaohsiung
The flagship store of the Taiwanese baker who won top prize (bread category) in the Bakery World Cup in Paris. And he did it with a wheat loaf that he…
Hualien
Open till late, Wang's serves delicious yet inexpensive meals in an enticing environment full of water features and glimpsed timbers. Design is a…
Penghu Islands
Penghu's main market bustles with stalls selling everything from fresh veggies and dried fish to shoes and woks. Flanking lanes have a selection of…