Best restaurants and what to eat
Taiwan
Taipei is Taiwan’s most vibrant culinary crossroads, where Fujianese, Hakka, indigenous, and Japanese influences meet modern urban dining. The city is especially famous for night-market snacks, delicate breakfast foods, soy-based specialties, and elegant sweets built around tea, taro, peanut, and rice.
A fermented tofu condiment with a creamy, almost blue-cheese-like funk, salty depth, and a mellow tang. It is often used sparingly as a spread, dipping sauce, or seasoning for greens and congee.
Tea-braised eggs are lacquered in soy, spices, and aromatics until the whites turn savory and the yolks become dense and custardy. They are a classic companion to rice dishes, noodles, and late-night street food.
Thin rice vermicelli with a delicate chew and a clean, mild rice flavor, often stir-fried or served in light broth. In Taipei it is prized for absorbing savory sauces while staying pleasantly springy.
Very fine wheat noodles with a soft, silky texture and a comforting, porridge-like body when cooked. They are commonly paired with oysters, pork intestines, or a fragrant broth for a deeply local comfort dish.
A pillowy steamed bun folded around fillings, usually braised pork belly, pickled greens, and crushed peanuts. Taipei’s version is soft, fragrant, and rich, balancing fatty meat with sweet-savory and herbal notes.
Scallion pancake with a crisp, blistered exterior and flaky, layered interior scented with green onion. Fresh from the griddle, it is one of Taipei’s most irresistible street bites, best eaten hot and plain or with egg.
Taipei’s tea culture centers on high-quality oolong and black teas served hot or cold, often with a clean, floral aroma and a lingering sweetness. Tea is integral to daily life, from tea houses to modern specialty shops.
Bubble tea from Taipei is the city’s most famous modern beverage: milky, chewy, and customizable, with black tea, milk, and tapioca pearls. Served chilled, it is creamy, sweet, and texturally playful.
A classic winter melon drink with a caramel-like sweetness and a refreshing, cooling finish. It is traditionally simmered into a dark syrup or served diluted over ice in Taipei’s markets and snack shops.
Warm rice milk with a soft, nutty cereal flavor and a comforting, creamy body. Often enjoyed at breakfast, it pairs naturally with savory soy milk dishes and fried dough.
Soy milk is a Taipei breakfast staple, served hot, sweetened, or lightly salted, with a fresh bean aroma and silky texture. It is often paired with youtiao, egg crepes, or savory pancakes.
A herbal jelly drink or dessert beverage made from mesona, with a gently bitter, smoky-herbal flavor and a slippery, cooling texture. In Taipei it is commonly served hot in winter or chilled with toppings.
These delicate soup dumplings are filled with seasoned pork and hot broth, creating a burst of savory richness in each bite. Taipei’s versions are admired for their thin wrappers, balanced seasoning, and precise steaming.
Taipei beef noodle soup is a signature bowl with braised beef, wheat noodles, and a deeply seasoned broth scented with soy, spices, and sometimes tomato. It is hearty, aromatic, and one of the city’s most celebrated comfort dishes.
Minced braised pork rice is savory, glossy, and deeply satisfying, with fragrant soy-based sauce spooned over steamed rice. In Taipei it is a humble but essential dish, often topped with pickles or an egg.
Oyster omelet combines plump oysters, eggs, greens, and a starchy batter into a chewy-crisp street dish finished with a sweet-tangy sauce. Its contrast of textures is one of Taipei’s most iconic night-market experiences.
A thick, silky bowl of thin noodles in a light, savory broth, usually topped with pork intestine and sometimes oysters or cilantro. It is warming, slurpable, and deeply associated with Taipei street food.
This oyster vermicelli dish pairs briny oysters with soft wheat noodles in a gently thickened broth. The result is oceanic, comforting, and a favorite late-night snack in Taipei.
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