Must-see restaurants in Taipei

  • Toasteria Cafe

    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…

  • Din Tai Fung

    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…

  • Snow King

    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 …

  • Le Palais

    Taipei

    The only restaurant in Taipei to be awarded three Michelin stars is an elegant, romantically lit space that serves excellent Cantonese cuisine, including…

  • Loving Hut

    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…

  • RAW

    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…

  • Xiang Chu Xiang

    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…

  • Lan Jia

    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…

  • Kanokwan

    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…

  • Soypresso

    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…

  • NCISushi

    Songshan

    Superb Californian-style sushi joint, notable for its playfully named rolls. Try the Marilyn Monroll with scallops and Parmesan sauce. The Salmonlicious…

  • Addiction Aquatic Development

    Taipei

    Housed in the former Taipei Fish Market – you can't miss it, it's a huge blue-and-slate-grey building – is this collection of chic eateries serving the…

  • Nomura

    Taipei

    Outside of Japan, Taipei is the best place in the world for Japanese food. Several restaurants serving Edomae-style sushi (sushi that follows the Tokyo…

  • Ai Laksa

    Ximending & Wanhua

    Snuck among the T-shirts and beauticians along busy Zhonghua Rd is this cheery, yellow-fronted hole in the wall with a few outdoor stools and tables. It…

  • Vege Creek

    Taipei

    The novelty here is you choose the ingredients for a tongue-banging noodle broth – fill the canvas bag with your choice of vegetables, fake meats, tofu,…

  • Lao Shan Dong Homemade Noodles

    Ximending & Wanhua

    Superpopular with locals, this unpretentious canteen in the basement of Wannian Commercial Building has been serving up handmade, thick, floury, Shandong…

  • Fei Qian Wu

    Taipei

    There’s no English sign for this extremely popular unagi (eel) restaurant; you’ll spot it by the long lines waiting outside. The queue moves quickly…

  • Salt Peanuts

    Taipei

    Salt Peanuts offers inventive brunch sets with delicately dressed salads, homemade bread and chunky vegetable quiches, as well as some of the best…

  • Qian Tian Xia

    Taipei

    At the northern end of historic Dihua St is Taipei's finest Guizhou restaurant. The interior is upscale but relaxed, and dishes are authentic and well…

  • Sara Thai

    Taipei

    Hearty plates of Thai favourites from a tangy, lemony pad thai to coconut curries. Sara Thai has a rowdy, studenty vibe at night, but the service and food…

  • KGB

    Taipei

    Opened in 2007 by a New Zealander, KGB (short for Kiwi Gourmet Burger) has developed a near-cult following because of its amazing burgers (including vegan…

  • Blossom Rena Vegan Cafe

    Taipei

    Imaginative Taiwanese and western cuisine using tofu and lots of vegetables. The three-cup lion's mane mushroom is a delicious bowl of big meaty mushroom…

  • Din Tai Fung

    Shilin

    This branch of the famous Din Tai Fung dumpling restaurant is a good opportunity to experience its legendary fare without the tourist crush, although you…

  • #21 Goose & Seafood

    Taipei

    Loud, rustic and fun, #21 offers great food that's very fresh and very Taiwanese. The place gets its name from its two specialities: roasted goose meat…

  • Britshake

    Taipei

    What's more natural to eat by the seaside than a plate of fish and chips? Opened by a British chef who married a Taiwanese guy, Britshake serves soft…

  • Good Cho's

    Xinyi

    Inside former military-dependent Village 44 is this lovely cafe/performance space/lifestyle shop with marble floors, retro lighting and great acoustics…

  • He Shun Xiang

    Xinyi

    Tasty, meat-free noodle and rice dishes from Yunnan and Myanmar. Coconut curry vegetables come recommended, as does the peppery deep-fried tofu in sesame…

  • Shuanglian Sweet Rice Ball

    Taipei

    This smart Taiwanese dessert place has been in business since 1951 and serves up high-quality, classic sweet-bean soups and shaved ice. Its signature dish…

  • Woolloomooloo

    Songshan

    A perfect spot for a leisurely Sunday lunch and perhaps melting into a boozy afternoon (there's wine and beer on the menu). Food is brunchy – avocado on…

  • Zilin Steamed Dumpling House

    Taipei

    In the basement of tiny Dinghao Mall is this secret gem – the best-value juicy dumplings in the city. It's always heaving, but the line moves fast and the…

  • Paris 1930

    Taipei

    This restaurant in the Landis Hotel is consistently rated as having the best French food in town and is also one of the fanciest dining experiences on…

  • Yongkang Beef Noodles

    Taipei

    Open since 1963, this is one of Taipei's top spots for beef noodles, especially of the hóngshāo (紅燒; red spicy broth) variety. Beef portions are generous,…

  • Twin Sisters

    Taipei

    Join the locals – you can spot this place as it's the only one with a long line – for bags of sugary doughnuts twisted into sticks, puffed into balls or…

  • Shirakawago

    Taipei

    With long queues that compete with the other darling of Huashan Market, Fuhang, this cute little sushi and sashimi-platter place offers well-priced sets,…

  • Ice Monster

    Taipei

    A superpopular shaved-ice joint with a wide menu of flavours, including strawberry, kiwi fruit and, most famously, mango. So busy that customers are…

  • Auntie Xie's

    Taipei

    This very traditional basement restaurant is a secret local favourite. There's no menu: each diner chooses fish or meat, and dishes are decided by the…

  • 500px Photo ID: 7169807 - Taipei, Taiwan

    Ningxia Night Market

    Taipei

    This is an excellent venue for sampling traditional snacks, not least because most stalls have tables. The food here is very fresh, and dishes to try…

  • Raohe night market, Songshan district.

    Raohe Street Night Market

    Songshan

    Taipei's oldest night market, Raohe St is a single pedestrian lane stretching between two ornate gates. In between you'll find a great assortment of…

  • Fuhang Soy Milk

    Taipei

    A popular shop in the Huashan Market for a traditional Taiwanese breakfast. Be prepared to wait – the queue regularly snakes down the stairs, and since…

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