Food is one of the best reasons to visit Taiwan, as you can eat incredibly well without only going to expensive restaurants.
The Michelin Guide Taiwan 2025 included 419 establishments across the country, with Taipei and Taichung both strongly represented. Michelin’s 2025 release also notes that the guide’s coverage expanded beyond Taipei, Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung to include New Taipei City, Hsinchu County and Hsinchu City, showing how seriously Taiwan’s food scene is now being recognised.
This guide focuses on what to eat in Taiwan on a first visit, with specific places to try in Taipei and Taichung.
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For help with transport, accommodation, entry requirements and the practical side of planning your trip, read my Taipei travel guide for first timers.
Taiwanese Breakfast
A traditional Taiwanese breakfast is one of the best food experiences to prioritise in Taiwan. It’s quick, filling and very different from a standard hotel breakfast, with dishes like soy milk, egg pancakes, fried dough sticks, clay oven rolls and flaky flatbreads.
In Taipei, one of the most famous places to try it is Fu Hang Soy Milk near Shandao Temple MRT. It’s popular for good reason with Michelin recognition, but queues can get long. The menu is very simple but the ordering process is very fast, so be prepared and ensure you have cash.
Here’s what to order:
- 1, soy milk hot or cold
- 31, brown sugar pastry
- 12, 13 or 14 depending on your preference of egg
- 45, extra to dip into the soy milk
Beef Noodle Soup
Beef noodle soup is one of Taiwan’s most famous comfort foods. In Taipei, try Lao Shandong Homemade Noodles in the basement of Wan Nian Building in Ximending. It’s listed as a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant dating back to 1949, known for slow-cooked beef bone broth, Chinese herbs, hand-pulled ribbon noodles and tender beef.
It is also useful to know that Lao Shan Dong and Liu Shandong are not the same place. Both names come up when researching beef noodle soup in Taipei, and both are worth visiting, but if you are heading to Wan Nian Building in Ximending, the one you want is Lao Shan Dong Homemade Noodles.
Xiao Long Bao
Xiao long bao are soup dumplings filled with hot broth and meat, usually pork. They are not unique to Taiwan, but Taiwan is one of the best places to try them. Din Tai Fung started in Taipei and became internationally famous after receiving Michelin recognition. The Taipei 101 branch is the most convenient after visiting the Taipei 101, but it gets extremely busy. The tip is to receive a ticket, then peruse the malls before returning in time for your reservation.
Bubble Tea
You cannot talk about what to eat in Taiwan without talking about bubble tea since it was invented here.
Start with Xing Fu Tang in Ximending if you want the full brown sugar pearl experience. It’s memorable because you can see the tapioca pearls being made fresh on site.
If you’re visiting Taichung, add Chun Shui Tang as the alleged creator of bubble tea, with its first bubble milk tea dating back to 1987.
For something more everyday, try 50 Lan. It is a Taiwan classic and a good example of the kind of bubble tea locals actually drink regularly.
I also compared Xing Fu Tang, Chun Shui Tang, 50 Lan and Chi Cha San Chen in my guide to the best bubble tea in Taiwan.
Taiwanese fried chicken
Taiwanese fried chicken is one of the easiest street foods to find and one of the most satisfying. It can come as large fried chicken cutlets, bite-sized popcorn chicken or crispy pieces seasoned with salt, pepper and basil. You will find it at night markets, street stalls and dedicated fried chicken shops. It is usually best eaten hot, straight from the bag.
Taiwanese desserts
Mango Shaved Ice
Taiwan is excellent for desserts. One of the best desserts to try is mango shaved ice. It’s usually made with shaved ice or snowflake ice, fresh mango, condensed milk and sometimes mango ice cream or panna cotta. In Taipei, Yongkang Street is a popular area for mango shaved ice, with Smoothie House being one of the most famous stops for visitors.
Tip: they are huge, so best shared between at least two people
Michelin-Starred Gelato
If your Taiwan itinerary includes Taichung you must visit MINIMAL. It’s an ice cream-focused restaurant in Taichung that was promoted to one Michelin star in 2024. The only michelin rated icre cream sotp in thr world. All flabour only have 3 ingredients. cash only.
Street Food
Night markets are one of the best ways to eat in Taiwan because you can try lots of different things.
At Raohe Night Market, black pepper buns are one of the most famous things to try. The buns are baked in a hot oven until crisp, then filled with peppery pork and spring onions.
Another Michelin-recognised street food stop to know is Wu Wang Tsai Chi, known for popiah. Popiah is a soft, fresh roll filled with ingredients such as vegetables, crushed peanuts and sometimes meat or other savoury fillings.
Wang’s Broth is a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant in Huaxi Street Night Market, known for comforting Taiwanese dishes such as braised pork rice and steamed minced pork with pickles in broth.
Nearby, Yuan Fang Guabao is known for gua bao: soft steamed buns filled with marinated pork belly, pickles, crushed peanuts and coriander.
Noteworthy Coffee
Taiwan is famous for tea and bubble tea, but Taipei also has a serious specialty coffee scene. If you care about coffee, Simple Kaffa is the name to know.
Simple Kaffa was founded by Berg Wu, who became the first person from Taiwan to win the World Barista Championship in 2016.
Two particularly useful locations for visitors are Simple Kaffa Sola on the 88th floor of Taipei 101 and the flagship near Huashan 1914 Creative Park. Both are easy to combine with other stops in my guide to the best things to do in Taipei.
Frequently Asked Questions About Food in Taiwan
Do I need cash to eat in Taiwan?
It is worth carrying cash in Taiwan, particularly for night markets, traditional breakfast shops and smaller local restaurants. Larger restaurants, department stores and chains are more likely to accept cards or mobile payments, but cash remains the safest option for street food and independent vendors.
What food should a first time visitor try in Taiwan?
On a first visit, prioritise a traditional Taiwanese breakfast, beef noodle soup, xiao long bao, bubble tea, Taiwanese fried chicken and at least one night market snack, such as a black pepper bun or gua bao. For dessert, try mango shaved ice, particularly when fresh mango is in season.
Is Taipei or Taichung better for food?
Taipei is the easier choice for a first visit because it has a high concentration of night markets, famous restaurants and Taiwanese specialities, all connected by convenient public transport. Taichung is still worth visiting for its distinctive food scene, particularly bubble tea, local snacks and restaurants such as MINIMAL. If your itinerary allows, the two cities complement rather than replace each other.
Are Taiwan’s night markets suitable for vegetarians?
Vegetarians can find food at Taiwan’s night markets, with possible options including grilled corn, sweet potato balls, fruit, shaved ice, grilled mushrooms and some vegetable filled rolls. However, broths, sauces and cooking fats may contain meat or seafood, while cooking oil may be shared, so ask before ordering rather than assuming that a dish is vegetarian.
