Tainan
There are a dozen items on the menu in this celebrated eatery, and its claim to fame is the bean jelly (or bean curd; 豆花, dòuhuā), made with organic…
Must-see restaurants in Taiwan
Taipei
Formerly called James Kitchen, this top spot for Taiwanese food seems to have regained its favoured status after an ownership change. Try the oysters with…
Jingtong
Trains rumble right past the open door of this eatery run by a sweet old couple, a short stroll up the tracks from the station. Choose from vegetarian…
Penghu Islands
Delicious little crispy stuffed pancakes (土司, tǔsī) wash down well with NT$20 iced coffee in this inexpensive cafe decorated with 1940s Japanese-era…
Taichung
The crowd out front should tell you something about this much-loved goose specialist. Try the smoked (燻鵝, xūn’é) or drunken variety (醉鵝, zuì’é), or the…
An-Ping Gui Ji Local Cuisine Cultural Restaurant
Tainan
If you want to try an assortment of Tainan snacks in one plac, head here rather than hopping all over town in search of the 'best' place for each. This is…
Western Taiwan
This fifth-generation shop sells pastries purportedly based on original Qing-dynasty recipes. The phoenix-eye cake (鳳眼糕, fèngyǎn gāo), almond cookies (杏仁棗…
Songshan
Very popular and authentic New York and Chicago style deep-dish pizzas. Cozy space, great food, but service a little brusque. The best thing about Bog…
Kinmen
If you speak no Chinese, this airy modern cafe is a good bet as the owner and staff know some English as do many of the student clientele, drawn here by…
Taichung
A clean family-run institution that serves your order of spring roll – plain (原味, yuánwèi) or wasabi-flavoured (芥末, jièmò) – with a cup of bonito broth…
Kenting National Park
This cafe sits on the main drag in Nanwan, across from the beach. Sandwiches are filling, the beef-cheek stew is hearty, and the cheesecake wows the kids…
Taipei
Just behind the information centre in Huashan 1914 is this ever-popular stone-oven pizza restaurant. With walls painted devilishly red and a soaring…
Nantou County
This old restaurant near Shueishe Pier is one of very few at Sun Moon Lake that serves more-than-reasonable-quality food at reasonable prices. The NT$600…
Songshan
Jolly, one of Taipei's few remaining brewpubs, does a roaring business nightly. High-quality Thai food (good selection of salads and curries) paired with…
Ming Long Vegetarian Restaurant
Taitung
The interior is blandly neutral but Ming Long's wholewheat vegan wraps are the draw here, not the decor.
Taipei
This popular market street by the MRT has stacks of stalls and shops selling local snacks such as a-gei (fried tofu stuffed with noodles), grilled squid,…
Taipei
This Canadian-run pub and restaurant (the Moosehead beer on the menu is a dead giveaway) is popular with expats and serves decent Tex Mex, pastas and kids…
Songshan
This halal restaurant serves some of the best, if not the best, Indian with Burmese undertones in town. Try their tandoori chicken. This is a Muslim…
Ximending & Wanhua
Lane 25, Kangding Rd is packed with Sichuan restaurants, and this one, at the head of the lane, has the craziest queues at peak mealtimes. This place with…
Nantou County
Sumama is famous for her glutinous rice balls either savoury with a pork filling, or sweet with a heart of sesame, peanut, red bean or taro. We prefer the…
Western Taiwan
Just behind the train station at the start of the 'old street', Fancylake is famous for its bento (鐵路便當, tǐelù biàndāng) meals...
Southern Taiwan
This street in central Meinong is lined up with bantiao (flat-rice noodles, 炒粄條, chǎo bǎntiáo) joints and each has a different recipe. A Hai Bantiao Dian…
Penghu Islands
This place is something of a magnet for western visitors thanks to the tacos, cheap draught beer (NT$80), fried seafood and most of all the owner, Liya,…
Penghu Islands
Loosely translated as 'foolish lovepub', this handsome colonial building was once the home of Penghu's first county chief. It’s now a restaurant serving…
Penghu Islands
With over three decades of public acclaim for its top-quality fresh seafood, the owners don't need to worry much about the decor.
Kaohsiung
If you're into fine dining, Taiwan's own Thomas Chien does good contemporary French using imported meats and local ingredients like mullet roe and flower…
Shilin
This friendly family-run vegetarian restaurant serves fresh and pretty tasty trays of meatless goodness – either rice, noodles or cheesy pasta with…
Nantou County
Tasty and filling set meals with veggie and hotpot options. The main feature is the use of fruits in savoury dishes. The garden gets a bit too much noise…
Kinmen
This nondescript eatery in Chenggong village is famous for its guōtiē (鍋貼, pot stickers) and oyster omelettes. Entering Chenggong from the north, it's on…
Songshan
Taipei restaurants rarely do dim sum well, with the exception of this classy 2nd-floor place in the Brother Hotel. It's loud and jovial, in the usual dim…
Kaohsiung
This market is famous islandwide for its 100-plus food stalls offering everything from squid on a stick to fresh chicken wraps. You’ll see a convoy of…
Xinyi
In the basement of Taipei's most opulent European-styled mall, this gourmet food hall offers an oyster bar and patisserie, in addition to Japanese,…
Kenting National Park
A cute ocean-themed restaurant that whips up tasty Mediterranean fare and curries. The pasta with clams is a favourite. Service can be slow when there are…
Xinyi
This all-night sesame-cold-noodle place is no frills but filling for pocket-money prices. Also serves stewed meats, miso soup and rice and meat dishes. No…
Ximending & Wanhua
You can spot this place by the huge lines of people outside. The slurpalicious, salty noodles are very appealing on a cool Taipei evening.
Taipei
Tamsui's best a-gei (阿給, ã gěi) is in this old shop just before the beginning of Zhenli St.
Gongbing Vegetarian Restaurant
Chiayi
A modest vegetarian restaurant with buffet and a la carte options, and vegan foodstuff for sale.
Xinyi
In the shadow of Taipei 101 is this eating strip that arose to satisfy the tastes of families at nearby military Village 44. It's looking a bit worse for…
