Taiwan, Taipei

Taipei is the capital city of Taiwan. What I do most when I visit Taipei is to eat, eat and eat!

Accommodation

I usually stay at Marriott chain hotels and the two that I usually book are in two different areas of Taipei.

  • Sheraton Grand Taipei Hotel (map) - This is in the older part of Taipei, near the Taipei Main Station. There are lots of local food eateries and a short walk or ride to tourist areas like Ximending Walking District 西門町徒步區 (map); I recently have preferred this location as there is a lot more food options!
  • Le Méridien Taipei 台北寒舍艾美酒店 (map) - This is in the newer CBD area of Taipei. There is a shopping centre next door of Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Taipei 新光三越 (map) which has restaurants and food courts making it easy. Taipei 101 台北101 (map) is walking distance among other attractions

Transportation

Taipei, like most Asian cities have many transportation options

  • The Taipei Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) is an extensive subway network connecting Taipei and some towns outside Taipei together; it is a large network with multiple lines so a quick study of the network map is a good idea to ensure you are going in just right direction!
  • Taxis are everywhere in Taipei, they are bright yellow! A Taxi is my preferred mode of transport from Taipei Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport 臺灣桃園國際機場 as the taxi stand is just outside the terminal and you don’t have to wait for an Uber
  • Ubers are legal in Taiwan, they are in most regards a taxi but you can call them with the Uber app; this maybe the best option if you cannot speak Mandarin
  • To go further out of Taipei, besides flying you can take the Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR) which connects a lot of the major towns and cities; it is super efficient and fast!
  • There are two airports that serve Taipei, these are
    • Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport 臺灣桃園國際機場 (TPE) - This is the main international airport which is on the outskirts of Taipei around an hour by car
    • Taipei Songshan Airport 臺北松山機場 (TSA) - This is a domestic airport right next to Taipei downtown, an option to take a flight here as oppose to taking the THSR

Places to Eat

There are a range of eating options in Taipei, with a very interesting pass such as been colonised by the Japanese and then the Republic of China (ROC) government fled to Taiwan; which reflects into the food culture. Japanese restaurants are abundant in Taiwan and are very reasonably priced, so do not be shy to try!

大山無價飲食空間
(Google maps)


This restaurant is located up in the mountains next to Taipei City, around 40min by car; but it is well worth the trip! You can really feel the peace and quiet of the surroundings, the deco of the restaurant is very calming (but a little old and dates but clean) which enhances the whole zen experience!

The food is amazing, it is a preset menu (I usually go for lunch) which a mixture of local Taiwanese produce and infused with Japanese and Chinese tastes; there is a mixture of cooked and raw dishes (they will ask you if you are ok to take raw food). And the price is the kicker, for lunch is only NT$1,398 per person!

The staff is also very good, they can help you call a taxi to leave the restaurant and take you back to the nearest Taipei MRT or where ever else you maybe heading to afterwards!

錦富日本料理
(Google maps)


This restaurant has a long history and the deco shows! However do not be fooled, the food is amazing and usually a booking is a must! There is no menu, just different price points which are NT$2,500, NT$3,000, NT$3,500 and NT$4,000; the number of pieces are about the same, the difference is in the quality of the dishes you will be getting (the photo above is the NT$3,500 option at lunch). The quality and freshness is high, it is mainly sashimi and some hot dishes too!

燒肉擔當本店 Yakiniku PIC
(Google maps)

Japanese teppanyaki, their ingredients are super fresh and they cook each dish for you! You select what you want to eat, they have some very interesting dishes such as the pictured bbq beef with caviar and uni (sea urchin) in egg!

Din Tai Fung Xinyi Branch 鼎泰豐 信義店
(Google maps)

This is the original branch of the famous Xiao Long Bao chain which is all over the world now! It is not just a gimmick to visit the original branch where it all started, the environment and quality of the Xiao Long Bao here is amazing!

Le Blanc Taipei 樂邦
(Google maps)


Their steak and lobsters are amazing and great value for money!

Fuzhou Ancestral Pepper Cake 福州世祖胡椒餅
(Google maps)

A must try bun! It is made in a coal oven and when it is eaten fresh, it is crispy on the outside and the meat (beef) inside is nice and moist. This shop is the same as the famous stall at the Raohe Night Market 饒河街 觀光夜市 (map) where there is always a queue!

青島飯糰
(Google maps)

This is literally a hole in the wall. Open only in the morning as the shop front it occupies opens at 11am so they need vacate the spot before then (usually 10am I think). You know it is good when there is always a queue waiting! What food is it, it is “purple rice balls”… you know if you know!

Beef Noodle Soup

A must have when in Taiwan, there are different variations of the broth, some which add in medicinal herbs into the broth which may not be the liking to everyone; here are some of my favourites:

  • Liang Pin Beef Noodles 良品牛肉麵 (map)
  • Lin Dong Fang Beef Noodles 林東芳牛肉麵 (map) - it is open till 3AM, so great for a post Night Market meal if you hadn’t had enough to eat and can fit more in!
  • Yongkang Beef Noodles 永康牛肉麵 (map)

Taiwanese Breakfast

There are lots of “hawker” shops which serve freshly made breakfast dishes such as Scallion Pancakes and soy milk. Each Taiwanese will have their favourite “hole in the wall” shop and all I can suggest is try as many as you can! They are located usually in business districts where the locals can “grab and go”, some have seating inside as well but a lot of the times I will go to a few in my area and bring back to my hotel to eat… and yes I don’t usually have breakfast included in my accommodation!


Here are some famous ones:

  • Fu Hang Soy Milk 阜杭豆漿 (map) - this shop is crazy! They are on the 2/F and you will know when you get to the building as the queue starts from street level!
  • Miss Qin’s Soy Milk 秦小姐豆漿店 (map)

Coffee

Coffee culture in Taiwan in general is very good, there are lots of good coffee shops so it is worth to hunt around; here are some which I like:

  • Cama Coffee (web) - Is a chain where a lot of the shops roast their own beans! An easy go-to coffee as they are in many locations so you can stop by for a good coffee any time!
  • Fong Da Coffee 蜂大咖啡 (map) - This coffee shop has been around for a long time!
  • Nanmay Coffee 南美咖啡 (map)
  • 9 days coffee 九日咖啡（北車店）(map) - Small hole in the wall with great coffee
  • A.B.D. Coffee & Life (map)

Not So Natural Wine Bar 不自然葡萄酒
(Google maps)


Wine bar with very reasonably priced wines by that glass and bottle and their selection is very extensive! Freda (the owner) and Janice really know their wines, so if you don’t know what you feel like, just tell them what you are in the mood for and they can find you something interesting to try!

Things to Do

…when visiting Taipei (besides eating!)

Raohe Night Market 饒河街 觀光夜市
(Google maps)

My favourite night market in Taipei.

Taipei 101 Observatory 台北101觀景台
(Google maps)

The tallest building in Taipei with amazing views.

National Palace Museum 國立故宮博物院
(Google maps)

When the Republic of China (ROC) government fled from Beijing to Taiwan, almost anything that wasn’t bolted down and can be carried was taken to Taiwan where all these historical artifacts are now located such as the famous Jadeite Cabbage (wiki). Well worth a visit as there is a lot of history and Chinese artifacts you will not be able to see anywhere in the world!

Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall 國立中正紀念堂
(Google maps)

Large memorial site in an open park, great for photos if you are in costume!

Ximending Walking District 西門町徒步區
(Google maps)

A trendy area with shops and street food which is open to late!

Tamsui Old Street 淡水老街
(Google maps)

A little out of the Taipei, around a hour by the Taipei MRT; but worth the trip if you have 1/2 a day spare to visit this little town where you can walk along the broad walk next to the sea. You can browse and shop and relax in the various coffee shops and little local cafes.

Jiufen Old Street 九份老街
(Google maps)

A small town famous for tourist day-trip outside of Taipei, well worth the trip to experience the older Taiwan. It is quite touristy now, with lots of shops to buy souvenirs but you can get some nice teas to bring back home!

Shifen Old Street 十分老街
(Google maps)

Usually will be paired with the same day-trip to Jiufen as well. Here there is a railway track where you can light lanterns which you can float away with your well wishes messages.

Keelung 基隆
(Google maps)

A city / town around 30-40min drive outside of Taipei. If you have a day spare it is worth to explore another Taiwanese city! There is also a night market and other things to do in this city / town.