Best Places to Eat in Taipei: 15 Spots You Can’t Miss

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Finding the best places to eat in Taipei goes beyond the city’s famous night markets and street food stalls. While my guide on the essential foods you must try in Taipei covers what to order and my night market guide handles outdoor vendors, this post is dedicated entirely to experiencing the city’s sit-down restaurants, local eateries, and traditional breakfast and dessert spots.

During our five weeks exploring the city, we tasted our way through noodle houses to finding some of the best breakfast places in Taipei recommended by our local friends. I can’t wait to go back to Taipei to try more from the ‘Want To Go’ list which by the way keeps growing.

What to Expect from Taipei’s Food Scene

A quick note before diving into all our suggestions:

• Typically you’ll find 3 types of eateries:
  • sit-down restaurants where you can sit down enjoy your meal, drink and take your time.
  • local eateries which are typical family-run spots serving super affordable, traditional food to locals daily. Eating out instead of cooking at home is common and deeply engraved ingrained in the Taiwanese culture.
  • Food stalls, either in night markets or on the street offering quick bites like bao buns and dumplings.
    
• Having dessert after lunch or dinner is typical in the West, but most sit-down places here don’t serve sweets; you’ll usually head to separate shops for ice cream, cakes, or traditional treats.
  
• You might notice that some traditional family-run spots have mixed online reviews regarding service style or food quality. Don’t let that scare you away; cultural differences in communication and high standards can lead to harsh ratings. If a place looks busy and smells amazing, trust your gut and check it out yourself!

Best Places to Eat in Taipei – Our Top Favourites

Best restaurants in Taipei

1. 江牛樓: Hands down the most delicious beef noodle soup of our entire trip, with the most tender beef chunks and a flavorful broth (with free noodle refills available!). We also loved the duck steak. Note that same-day reservations are required: you have to sign up early in the morning and return a couple of hours later – a bit of a hassle, but completely worth it.

2. Xiang Duck Taipei Zhongxiao E. Branch: Book your table 1 to 2 weeks in advance for this popular spot. They offer both set menus and individual dishes, and the star is definitely the duck. A chef carves the crispy meat right at your table, explaining each cut. Expect huge portions, stellar service, and a packed house of travelers, families, friends celebrating birthdays and couples.

3. Lei Hou Restaurant: We tried a wide selection of steamed buns and dumplings with all kinds of fillings and they were all delicious and at good prices too. My favourite ones were the BBQ pork buns.

4. Haoshiduo Shabu Shabu Shuangcheng: We have to thank our Taiwanese friend, Amy, for taking us to such an affordable spot. Everything we tried was delicious and we got to have unlimited drinks and ice cream as dessert at the end. I highly recommend it if you’re in Taipei.

5. Din Tai Fung Xinsheng Branch: This is easily one of the most famous places to eat in Taipei, and every basket of their delicate, juicy xiaolongbao completely lives up to the hype.

6. 面線町: This spot gives the traditional street-food vermicelli an elevated twist. You can get bowls loaded with fresh oysters, pork intestines, and squid (their signature loaded bowl with all the toppings is an absolute must-try). It is tucked into a charming alley and seating is very limited so be prepared to wait if you go during rush hour.

7. Lao Shan Dong Homemade Noodles: A Michelin-recommended restaurant for the last years, which is no secret to noodle lovers who line up daily for its legendary beef noodle bowls.

8. 維克私廚 (Healthy food restaurant): This is for those that hit the gym during their holidays (or long term visit like ours) and want to eat a balanced meal with lean protein, veggetables and rice. We visited it multiple times during our stay and it quickly became a spot to meet fellow travellers after our gym session.

9. Fuhong Beef Noodles: For us this was one of the best places to eat in Taipei and luckily it was close to our Airbnb. The beef noodle soup was delicious and so rich in flavour. The place has long tables that you get to share with others that come and go quite fast. This is not a typical restaurant where you sit down for an hour, but rather a place that serves those that just finished work and head back home.

10. 香港茶水攤 延吉店: We visited this Hong Kong-style dim sum eatery with our Taiwanese friends, Karen and Amy, who expertly navigated the massive menu for us. We tried several dishes like the BBQ pork buns, pork and shrimp dumplings, pan-fried turnip cake, steamed rice noodle rolls with peanut butter sauce, and many more. They were all delicious and a nice introduction to the Cantonese dim sum dining (which by the way, is where we were heading to next after exploring Taiwan).

11. Yuan Fang Gua Bao: Michelin-awarded spot for Taiwanese hamburger! Not really a restaurant but I just couldn’t leave it out. The Gua Bao is a soft, pillowy steamed bun filled with braised pork belly, pickled mustard greens, sweet crushed peanut powder, and fresh cilantro. Yummy!

12. Chi Chia Chuang: Another Michelin-recommended sit-down restaurant famous for its poultry dishes, like the crispy fried chicken and chicken soups.

Best breakfast places in Taipei

13. 4+ Break Breakfast 小倆口早餐: This cozy spot is one of the best breakfast places in Taipei. The atmosphere is super welcoming and the staff speak English, making it an absolute breeze for first-time visitors who might feel a bit intimidated by ordering at more traditional local spots.

14. Good Helper for Breakfast: This casual neighborhood spot serves all the comforting morning classics like toast, burgers, and stuffed sandwiches. It feels less like a polished tourist brunch and much more like stopping by a friend’s place for a genuine, homemade Taiwanese breakfast.

15. Ximending Soy Milk: Run by a direct local grandma, this stall offers typical homemade traditional breakfast bites. While some visitors have mixed experiences or find the service abrupt, it helps to remember they simply prefer serving locals without the pressure of viral tourism. Out of respect for their workspace, keep your camera down and go in expecting an authentic, affordable local breakfast rather than a Michelin-style spectacle.

16. Fu Hang Soy Milk: This is another of the best breakfast places in Taipei and a massively popular morning ritual. Expect a long queue, but it moves fast. While waiting, study the menu so you can order quickly when your turn comes. We skipped the 7 AM rush and went around 10:00–10:30 AM, which made the wait more manageable.

17. Zhen Fang Breakfast Sandwiches: We only tried the peanut butter toast from this place when we were in the neighborhood one day but I saved it because it seems to have a good selection of sandwiches and toasts like all other breakfast places in Taipei. Grab one of their famous sandwiches alongside a fresh milk tea and you’re set for hours.

Best dessert places in Taipei

18. Lung Tu Shaved Ice Specialist: If you are hunting down the best dessert places in Taipei, this spot operating since 1920 is an absolute must-visit. Their shaved ice is very soft and fluffy and the mango flavour is worth trying.

19. 黃豆家: Tucked near the Nanjichang night market, this spot is popular for its silky-smooth handmade tofu pudding especially when paired with a warm bowl of soy milk.

20. 阿爸の芋圓 樂華店: Though a little further out from the city center, this place is entirely worth the trip for its legendary sugarcane shaved ice packed with chewy taro balls. Sharing a massive bowl topped with rich taro puree and sweet toppings with a friend is the ultimate evening treat.

Final Thoughts on Best Places to Eat in Taipei

Taipei is known for its culinary scene for its delicious Taiwanese but also international food. Personally I was swampted by how many places there are to eat in Taipei and made an active effort to try as many as possible during our 5-week stay in Taipei without breaking the bank.

Hopefully this guide and our curated list helps you narrow them down if you plan to visit for shorter period of time. Which places did you try and liked and which ones didn’t impress you? Feel free to reach out to me and share your thoughts. I love talking about food xx