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…
Must-see nightlife in Taipei
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…
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…
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,…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Songshan
Cosy little secret space with outdoor smoking section and some of the best-quality, cheapest brews in town. Their latte with a splash of Baileys (NT$80)…
Taipei
Packed with foreign students, this smallish club is right next to Maji Square. Eclectic range of tunes – sometimes even reggae – karaoke and live music…
Taipei
Walk into Fourplay and ask for a drinks menu – the bartender is likely to say that he is the drinks menu. Tell him what you fancy and he'll tailor a…
Songshan
The smell of incense and the fluttering of Tibetan prayer flags indicate this charming little teahouse hidden behind trees. Run by the gregarious Mr Hwang…
Ximending & Wanhua
This bright, friendly design cafe has sanded wooden school desks for tables and is jungly with a forest of pot plants. It's known for its signature black…
Songshan
This cute cafe is aiming to be a little bit of Tokyo in Taiwan. Its speciality is matcha, that favoured flavouring from Japan made from powdered green tea…
Ximending & Wanhua
One of Taipei's original coffee shops, Fong Da dates from 1956 and still uses some of the original equipment. Service is brusque – this is a taste of old…
Xinyi
Besides the very tasty and varied craft brews on tap, what makes this place extra special is the outdoor rooftop seating with royal views of Taipei 101…
Taipei
A hipster cafe without any of the pretension. Spacious, studious, with a wall of windows, and damn good coffee and cakes. Named after the Haruki Murakami…
Taipei
This lively waterfront strip of outdoor pop-up bars offers gorgeous views of the river. Some of the stalls have rooftop areas, or else there are benches…
Shilin
Cashing in on Taipei's craft-beer craze is Funky Fresh situated on the cusp of the Shilin Night Market action. It's a heavenly nook serving a good range…
Taipei
Descending the steps to this lounge bar in the basement of the Amba hotel, the first word that comes to mind is 'smoochy'. The statue of a boar with a hat…
Ximending & Wanhua
Housed in the refurbished wooden quarters of a Japanese priest, this lovely teahouse really catches the afternoon light through its windows. There's a…
Taipei
This snuggly little corner of a coffee shop is basically just a tumble of tables looking out onto a back lane next to Guting MRT station. It's remarkably…
Ximending & Wanhua
This cafe is set in a long gallery with lovely big windows, on the 4th floor of Zhongshan Hall. It's the perfect setting for reading or meeting a friend…
Taipei
Built in 1940, this is one of the best-preserved large Japanese-style residences in Taiwan. With its heritage styling, great natural lighting and garden,…
Taipei
This ultrahip cafe-bar has a marvellous leafy yard, perfect for a lazy afternoon wine or coffee. This is where the beautiful people flock at night. Craft…
Taipei
This small bar has a wall of bottled craft beers, four on tap, and different offers Tuesdays to Fridays. You'll find a good range of Taiwan brews (Red…
Taipei
This long-running favourite in the Maokong area has old-style red-brick verandahs offering excellent views across a green valley. The food here (dishes NT…
Taipei
The taproom is packed with locals and expats, an industrial chic space filled with long benches and sporting a buzzing vibe. With 24 beers on tap – half…
Taipei
There are 24 craft beers on tap – and always a few local brands – in this famous Danish microbrewery. It's in an enviable location near Dihua St in a…
Taipei
Don't let the name put you off – it literally means Mother's Mouth Coffee – this little cafe is always heaving with locals. It's halfway along the bike…
Taipei
Speciality coffees, including local choices such as Alishan, on the 2nd floor of a Dihua St heritage building (originally the chemist AS Watson & Co)…
Taipei
This well-established joint (two decades and still going strong) seems dated with Taiwan's newfound love of craft-beer taprooms and cocktail speakeasies…
