12 Best Restaurants in Taipei, Taiwan (2024)
Hungry for adventure? Good news, I’ve compiled all the best restaurants in Taipei into one curated list so you can confidently eat your way through Taipei! From local classics to hidden gems, food babies this way, please.
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You know that feeling when you arrive to a new country and realize, “Oh, what’s the local food I need to try here? And where should I go to try it?”
If you’re anything like me, it’s happened a couple of times and you run to Google for help.
Having been in your shoes, I wanted to whip up a quick and handy guide for all you adventurous souls exploring Taipei who want to try the best and most local cuisine.
Taiwan is one of the most underrated countries in Asia – it’s an absolute gem of a country to visit, but also to experience dishes unlike any other.
Describing Taiwanese food is a little difficult, there are so many different types of tastes and combinations – it’s a yummy rollercoaster of flavors, from savory and oily to sweet and salty.
Taiwanese people pride themselves on their culinary creations, blending unique tastes and textures for countless surprising and fun experiences. But where exactly can you go to find these dishes?
After living here for four years and indulging myself in the best of the best, I created a list for anyone keen to dive into authentic, Taiwanese food in Taipei.
So, without further ado, here are the top 12 restaurants in Taipei, Taiwan.
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12 Best Restaurants in Taipei
Classic Taiwanese
1. Din Tai Fung ($$)
This is the most popular and classic option for people who are first timers to Taiwan. Of course, there are locations all around the world now, but there’s something special about going in Taipei, where it was originally established.
You’ll usually have to wait, anywhere from 20 mins to over an hour, at any of the bustling locations in Taipei. The ambience is busy, but upbeat, the servers are meticulous and kind, and the food is absolutely top notch.
You get free tea with your meal and there are instructions on how to properly eat the world-renowned xiao long baos.
My recommendations:
- Pork Xiao Long Bao
- Dried, Fried noodles
- Stir-fried Green Beans
- Hot and Sour Soup
- Bean Sprouts and Shrimp
- Braised Beef Noodles
- Shrimp and Egg Fried Rice
- Chocolate Xiao Long Bao
- Tangyuan with Sesame
2. Chao ($)
This is a classic Taiwanese stir-fry restaurant. There are SO many dishes on the menu and all are absolutely delicious! However, there’s a fun twist – it’s all vegan.
One of my close friends is vegan so we came here for his birthday, and all of the meat eaters (myself included) were deeply impressed! Whether you’re vegan or not, it’s one of the best restaurants to try Taiwanese style stir-fry dishes in Taipei.
My recommendations:
- Kung Pao ‘Chicken’ – it is top notch!
- Spicy Tofu
- literally everything, choose whichever dish sounds good to you!
3. La Jia Gua Bao Traditional Taiwanese Snack ($)
A famous and classic Taiwanese snack – the Gua Bao. Inside the bao (bun) you’ll find pork belly with cilantro, pickled veggies, and peanut powder – I know the ingredients may seem eclectic, but (again) trust that they know what they’re doing!
This is one of the most popular restaurants in Taipei for Gua Bao, so prepare for a line. However, you can often skip the line by eating in rather than take away.
My recommendations:
- Gua Bao
- Vermicelli Noodle Soup with Pork Intestine (don’t knock it till you try it!)
4. Ningxia Night Market ($)
There are SO many delicious and traditional foods to try at the Ningxia Night Market. Think goose soup, fresh mochi balls, sweet potato balls, fried squid, candied strawberries – and then some!
It’s not a restaurant, but going to a night market is an absolute must while in Taipei. And the Ningxia Night Market is one of the top night markets in Taipei. While you’ll definitely see tourists eating their way through it, you’ll also see many locals coming for dinner for all the authentic, yummy food.
Check out all of my recommendations for food (and drinks!) in my article: Ningxia Night Market | Top 18 Foods + Drinks (2024).
5. Yong He Soy Milk ($)
Looking for an authentic Taiwanese breakfast? Head over to this traditional restaurant.
With breakfast baos, soy milk galore, and a variety of different breakfast sandwiches and dumplings, it’s a great introduction to a Taiwanese breakfast. You’ll find locals and tourists alike standing in line, waiting to get their hands on this yummy grub.
My recommendations:
- Hot Soy Milk
- Salty Soy Milk (an acquired taste, but worth trying)
- Fried Bread Sticks
- Radish Cake
- Egg ‘Pancake’
P.S. Be sure to dip your fried bread stick into the soy milk!
6. Fujin Tree Taiwanese Cuisine & Champagne ($$)
This is one of my favorite restaurants in Taipei. They serve high-quality, authentic Taiwanese dishes.
Some of my Taiwanese students brought me here and I truly was blown away – it’s the real deal of authentic, Taiwanese cuisine crafted at a premium level of culinary mastery.
I cannot recommend Fujin Tree enough, excellent service, incredible food, and, if you’re into champagne, they have a large variety to choose from!
Definitely try to come with a group of people because their dishes absolutely serve. It’s slightly on the pricier side, each dish costs around $12 – $15 USD, but they are large and in charge (which we love!).
My recommendations:
- Steamed Chicken with Special Chili Oil
- Braised Dongo Pork with Candied Dates
- Fried Breadsticks and Oysters with Garlic Sauce
- Egg Tofu Foo Yung – oof it is so good!
- Baby Mango for dessert
Noodles
7. Master Spicy Noodle ($$)
I don’t even know where to begin – this truly the most amazing noodle dish I’ve ever had in my life.
The noodles are cooked to perfection, resting in a bed of delicious spicy sauce. The beef broth and dipping sauce offer unique flavors, making each bowl a pure delight.
It’s truly *chef’s kiss* in my opinion.
Anytime a friend came to visit me, I always took them here and we always left incredibly satisfied. Can’t recommend it enough!
My recommendations:
- Spicy Braised Half Beef and Tendon Soup & Xiaohun Noodles for the classic dish (or Spicy Braised Beef Soup & Xiaohun Noodles, if you’re not into eating tendons)
- Spicy Braised Tofu Skin
P.S. If you’re not into spice, don’t worry, it’s Taiwanese spicy, not Thailand spicy.
8. 陳家涼麵 ($)
This hidden gem is one of the best late-night restaurants in Taipei serving a very authentic, Taiwanese meal.
Silky, cold noodles coated in a savory sesame sauce – a classic Taiwanese dish you can’t miss when in Taipei. You’ll find locals and foreigners alike slurping the noodles up here after a night out or for a yummy midnight snack.
There is no English menu, so come ready with your google translate app!
My recommendations:
- Cold Noodles
- Miso Soup with Meatballs.
9. Taiwan Beef Noodles + Chicken Soup ($$)
I know you’re probably expecting me to rave about the beef noodles, but let me tell you, it’s the chicken soup that steals the show here. A friend of mine insisted I try this place, and I kept hearing about it from one of his other friends. After nearly two years, I finally made it there, and oh my, was he right.
Taiwanese people know how to cook up chicken soup to perfection – including ingredients like garlic, ginger, and clams to accompany the chicken – it’s perfect for winter time or rejuvenating yourself after a fun night out.
There’s typically always a lively buzz in and outside the restaurant, filled with locals waiting to dine in. If you don’t want to wait, you can order to-go and eat on the street or pop into the closest 7-11 and get some drinks before sitting down to eat.
My recommendations:
- Clam & Chicken or Garlic & Chicken soup
- Braised Beef Noodle Soup
- Tofu Skin
- anything else your heart desires!
10. Lao Dong Beef Noodle ($$)
Alright, this one may be an unpopular opinion, but I truly love this restaurant’s beef noodle soup.
To my knowledge it’s not a very famous restaurant, so this little hidden gem surprises it’s customers with some absolutely fantastic beef noodle soup.
I used to live close by to it, so my friend and I came here one cold night back in 2020, and we were floored by how delicious our soups were. When she came back to visit me in 2023, she was adamant about coming back here to experience their beef noodle soup once more!
My recommendations:
- Tomato based Beef Noodle Soup
- Beef Burrito
Hotpot:
11. Rolling Thai ($$)
In my opinion, this is hands down one of the best restaurants for hotpot in Taipei. If you love Thai curry, you are going to fall in love with this restaurant, just like I did!
It’s not your classic hotpot, but a delicious Thai twist. The bases are Tom Yum Kung, green curry, and coconut chicken curry and you get three fun sauces ranging from mild to spicy that you can dip everything and anything in.
There is lively atmosphere here. They play popular English music, and you’ll find couples, groups of friends, and family enjoying the yummy cuisine.
Bonus Tip: If you eat past 10pm, they will give you their thai tea in a large tower dispenser for free 😉
My recommendations:
- Tom Yum Kung and Green Curry base
- add any meat and veggies you want
- Shrimp Cakes
- Chicken Rice
- Thai Tea (it’s sweet!).
P.S. Hotpot can get pricey, expect to pay anywhere from $10-$30 USD/person when eating hotpot in Taipei.
12. 辛殿麻辣鍋｜松江店 ($$)
For those wanting to try a classic Taiwanese hotpot restaurant, I’d recommend this one.
It’s an all-you-can-eat buffet style. Serving all the meats, veggies, rice, noodles, drinks, and ice cream your heart could possibly desire. Definitely prepare for food babies when eating hotpot!
Bonus Tip: When it comes to eating and cooking hotpot there are no rules. Cook however which way seems best to you. If you want some guidance, this is how I do it:
1. First, I create my own dipping sauce.
2. Cook the meat in the soup to add more flavor
3. Cook the veggies
4. Grab a piece of meat and some veggies, dip them into my sauce, and add them to the small bowl of rice/noodles for a yummy bite!
My recommendations:
- pick whichever broth(s) sounds best to you
- Add any meats, fish, veggies, and noodles of your liking.
Bonus
Craving international flavors in Taipei? I couldn’t wrap up this article without sharing some insights into the best international restaurants in the city! Below, discover a curated selection of my favorite spots serving up diverse culinary delights in Taipei.
1. Nabiya韓式 나비야 한식 ($$)
I had never tried Korean food before coming to Taiwan, and lucky for me, my lovely Korean friend and colleague brought me here after I asked him where I could find the best Korean food in Taipei.
The restaurant is slightly on the more formal side, with a nice, calming ambiance. I asked my friend to order the food for me, and I’m so glad I did – everything we ordered was absolutely amazing!
They serve all the classic Korean dishes served the traditional way, so prepare for a little more spice here!
My recommendations:
- Shrimp and Leek Pancake
- Bibimbap
- Tteokbokki
- Cold Pork Knuckles Platter.
2. Ichiran ($)
This is one of the most famous ramen chain restaurants from Japan. The vibe of this restaurant is eating alone, so if you come with friends, just know you won’t be seated at a table, but at a bar with partitions.
Also, you’ll order from a machine rather than a person, it’s the culture of the busy Japanese workers!
I first came here in Tokyo, so I was so excited to see they had one in Taipei. However, I was never able to go in Taipei because each time my friends and I tried, the wait time was hours long.
But if you have a love for ramen and want to try this famous Japanese restaurant, then I recommend testing your luck and checking it out!
My recommendation:
- Classic Tonkotsu Ramen
3. Yakikon ($$$)
You’ll need to make a reservation for this popular Japanese barbecue restaurant, but trust – it is soo worth it!
The workers are incredibly fun and loud, the BBQ is authentic and cooked to perfection, and the drinks are equally flavorful and smooth.
My recommendations:
- Beef Tongue (you heard me right!)
- Raw Egg Mixed with Raw Beef (you heard me right, again!)
- Any other meats and veggies you would like to add
- Their alcoholic mango drink is divine (and not very strong)!
P.S. They will start the barbecuing for you, so you don’t have to worry about that.
4. Flux By Fancia ($$)
Half bakery, half cafe vibes, but it feels like you’re in the owner’s kitchen waiting for your meal. It’s giving cozy, it’s giving homemade – the most delicious falafel you can find in the heart of Taipei.
You can choose between a pita sandwich or salad platter with a mix of different meats or vegetarian options. She’s always cooking up some perfectly made pastries and cakes as well, which I recommend ordering, too.
My recommendations:
- Salad Platter with Beef and Egg, Chicken Paprikash, or Roasted Eggplant
- Carrot Cake
5. 福顏割烹日本料理 ($$)
Welcome to the most delicious and affordable sashimi in Taipei. Clearly, I’m a fan of Japanese cuisine, but if you love sashimi as much as me, you HAVE to come here.
I cannot stress enough how perfect their salmon sashimi is. A friend of mine and I would always come here. Each time telling ourselves we would split the salmon sashimi and order other dishes – but each time, we would devour it and end up ordering one more salmon sashimi alongside other dishes.
They also serve real, authentic wasabi – it is SO good. I didn’t think I liked wasabi until I had theirs. Also, the man working behind the counter loves talking to foreigners (warning: he doesn’t speak English), creating a fun and wholesome dining experience at an affordable cost.
What more could you ask for?
My recommendations:
- Salmon Sashimi
- Oysters
- Shrimp Perilla
- Lobster
- Flower Sushi.
Viola! With these dining experiences under your belt, you can leave Taiwan with confidence knowing you’ve tried the best Taiwanese cuisine (and more!) at the 12 best restaurants in Taipei.
If you give these a taste, don’t hesitate to share your experiences! Drop me a line in the comments below – I’m all ears for your delicious adventures!
As always, happy trails ♥
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