Taiwan local food and restaurants, what and where to eat in Taiwan

Taiwan Food and Restaurants

Taiwanese cuisine is characterized by its light flavors and delicate dishes, primarily using seafood as the main ingredient. It incorporates cooking techniques from Fujian, Cantonese, and Hakka cuisines, and has been influenced by Dutch and Japanese cultures. This cuisine has evolved by combining these influences with Taiwan's local produce and culinary traditions.it is not very spacy , Each cuisine has its own unique character, and Taiwanese cuisine, due to its special historical background, showcases a particularly diverse array of features.

What to eat

Beef Noodle Soup (牛肉麵)

Taiwanese beef noodle soup primarily uses yellow beef, with shank, rib meat, and beef tendon as the main ingredients. After careful preparation, the beef becomes tender yet not mushy. It is served with handmade noodles and accompanied by pickled vegetables or small greens. Taiwanese beef noodle soup was created by veterans who crossed the sea to Taiwan and invented this special dish out of nostalgia for their mainland hometowns. Upon closer tasting, beef noodle soup can be said to encapsulate the essence of Chinese cuisine.

Braised Pork Rice (滷肉飯)

Braised pork rice is a traditional Taiwanese snack, primarily made with pork belly, quail eggs, and rice. The dish is rich but not greasy, with a balanced sweet and savory flavor and an enticing aroma. The thick, flavorful braised pork is served over a bowl of perfectly steamed white rice, with each grain soaking up the dark red sauce.

Three-Cup Chicken (三杯雞)

Three-Cup Chicken is a famous Taiwanese home-cooked dish, named for its use of one cup each of Taiwanese rice wine, soy sauce, and black sesame oil (or sesame oil) during cooking. The dish originated from the Jiangxi cuisine's Three-Cup Chicken, and was brought to Taiwan by the Hakka people. They innovated and improved the recipe by using Taiwanese rice wine instead of sweet rice wine, and black sesame oil (or sesame oil) instead of lard. Additionally, basil (also known as "nine-layer pagoda") is added to enhance the aroma, creating the distinctive Taiwanese Three-Cup Chicken.

Pineapple Cake (鳳梨酥)

Pineapple cake is a famous Taiwanese snack, known for its crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth crust and sweet but not overly rich filling. This "East meets West" pineapple cake is highly praised even by Westerners, making it one of the most popular souvenirs for tourists visiting Taiwan. There is a difference in the filling flavors between pineapple cake and phoenix cake. Pineapple cake has a sweet filling, while phoenix cake has a sweet and savory flavor, incorporating salted egg yolk into the pineapple and winter melon filling for an enhanced taste. Authentic pineapple cakes feature a thin crust and generous filling, with the crust being crumbly and the pineapple filling sweet yet not cloying. To achieve the desired texture, winter melon is often added to the filling, making the final product exceptionally delicious.

Oyster Omelette (蚵仔煎)

According to a popular folk tale about the origin of oyster Omelette, in 1661, when the Dutch army occupied Tainan, Zheng Chenggong from Nan'an, Quanzhou, led his troops from Luermen to reclaim the lost territory. The Zheng army swiftly defeated the Dutch forces. In a fit of rage, the Dutch hid all the rice and grain. Facing a shortage of food, Zheng's troops came up with an ingenious solution. They used local ingredients, mixing Taiwan's native oysters with sweet potato starch and water, and fried it into a pancake. Unexpectedly, this dish was passed down through generations and became a popular snack enjoyed throughout the province.

Where to eat

Din Tai Fung (鼎泰豐)

Din Tai Fung, renowned worldwide, is a famous xiaolongbao (soup dumpling) specialty restaurant from Taiwan, a province of the People's Republic of China. Established in Taiwan in 1972, it has experienced a remarkable journey from brand establishment to thriving development over several decades. Din Tai Fung has opened branches in Japan, the United States, Hong Kong, Singapore, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Wuxi, and other locations. In 1993, Din Tai Fung was named one of the "Top 10 Gourmet Restaurants in the World" by The New York Times. In Taiwan, it has become a symbol of traditional Chinese cuisine. Many domestic and international tourists visit Din Tai Fung in Taiwan to savor the delicious xiaolongbao etc.

Recommended dishes: Shrimp Fried Rice, Steamed Chicken Soup Noodles, Steamed Beef Soup Noodles, Braised Beef Noodles, Braised Beef Soup Noodles, Xiaolongbao, Crab Meat Xiaolongbao, and Fresh Pork Buns.

Address: No.35 Minsheng West Road. Zhongshan District, Taipei Taiwan.

Yang Shin Vegetarian Restaurant(养心茶楼)

Yang Shin is a vegetarian restaurant with a variety of dim sum and Taiwanese bites to choose from, all with a hefty price and decent view. Special Diets Vegan Options, Gluten Free Options.

CUISINES: Cantonese, Taiwanese, Hong Kong

Recommended dishes: Beijing Duck Style King Oyster Mushroom, Pine nut and vegetable cheese roll, stinky tofu, shanghai xiao long bao, Diced mixed vegetables and nuts on romaine etc.

Address: 2nd Floor, 128 Songjiang Road, Taipei, Taiwan.

Le Palais(米其林颐宫中餐厅)

Le Palais is the only Michelin three-star restaurant in Taiwan, specializing in a delightful blend of traditional and innovative Cantonese cuisine. The restaurant is located on the 17th floor of the Palais de Chine Hotel near Taipei Station. Its décor is a luxurious blend of classical Western and Chinese styles. European curtains and chandeliers paired with Chinese decorative elements create a unique and elegant atmosphere.

Recommended dishes: Flaming Peking Duck, Char Siu Signature Shrimp Dumplings, Abalone Siu Mai, Steamed Sponge Cake etc.

Address: 17F, Palais de Chine Hotel, 3, Section 1, Chengde Road, Datong District, Taipei, 103.Taiwan.

Yonghe Soy Milk King(永和豆浆)

"Yonghe" is the name of a district in New Taipei City, Taiwan Province, China. In the early 1950s, a group of retired soldiers from mainland China, far from their hometowns and driven by necessity, gathered by Zhongzheng Bridge between Taipei and Yonghe. They set up small stalls selling fast food and breakfast items, grinding soybeans to make soy milk, baking sesame flatbreads, and frying dough sticks. Gradually, these breakfast stalls formed a market. The soldiers' culinary skills were authentic, and the freshly ground soy milk was nutritious, fragrant, and delicious. The sesame flatbreads and dough sticks were golden, soft, and crispy. As a result, the various snack shops in Yonghe, particularly those selling soy milk, became widely renowned, spreading their fame across the entire island of Taiwan.

Recommended dishes: soy milk, sesame flatbreads, dough sticks, Xiaolongbao etc.

Address: No15 Hengyang road Zhongzheng district Taipei Taiwan.

Shin Yeh Taiwanese Cuisine-Original Restaurant(欣业台菜料理)

With over 30 years of history, Shin Yeh Taiwanese Cuisine is a well-established restaurant that serves authentic Taiwanese dishes. Founded in 1977, Shin Yeh retains the traditional flavors while offering a variety of classic dishes and signature items. The dining environment is stylish and elegant, bright and spacious.Local cuisine, Chinese, Asian, Taiwanese, Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options

Recommended dishes: Sweet Potato Congee, Peanut Mochi, Fresh Fish Miso Soup, Stir-fried Sirloin Beef, Almond Tofu, Crab Sticky Rice, Clams with Loofah, Pumpkin Rice Noodles, Stir-fried Pork Liver, Taro Dates, Sweet Potato Leaves, Spring Roll Wrap etc.

Address:34-1 Shuangcheng Street, Zhongshan District, Taipei, 104, Taiwan.

Tel :0225955595

Street Food

Shilin Night Market: Shilin Night Market is the largest night market in Taipei City and a must-visit destination for tourists. The market is best known for its wide variety of delicious snacks, essentially a collection of Taiwan's best street foods. Some famous treats include the golden oversized fried chicken cutlets, the crispy-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside "Hao Da Da Chicken Cutlets," the fragrant large intestine wrapped in small intestine, lemon aiyu jelly, Prince cheese potatoes, Shiquan pork ribs, and molecular ice cream.

Fengjia Night Market in Taichung: Located on Wenhua Road in Xitun District, Taichung City, Fengjia Night Market is a fixed tourist night market with 191 stalls offering a diverse range of items. In addition to international cuisine, the market is rich in Taiwanese snacks such as takoyaki, lazy shrimp, fish with sauce, banana king, giant stinky tofu, traditional intestine-wrapped sausage, and the famous Fengjia oversized chicken cutlets. These well-known snacks are a delight for food lovers.

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