Postcard Getaway

Embark on a Hidden Food Adventure in Taipei: Local Spots Serving Unforgettable Flavors

Written by Kaelie Piscitello

After staying in Taiwan for six months, I’ve curated my list of favorite restaurants in Taipei. While I still try new places with friends, I have a solid list of spots where I go all the time. 

This has become an ongoing process of trying as many eateries near me as possible. I am an avid fan of noodles, so you will see many establishments that serve them on this list. I also love dumplings and have shared my favorite spots to eat those, too. I am lucky Taipei has so many food options.

Sunway Sushi

A friend recommended SUNWAY Sushi to me, and while has a slightly higher price than the other food I eat, it has some of the largest pieces of fish I have ever seen! The line to get in is long, so I started ordering to go and learned they have a speedy takeout service.

I always get the small assorted sashimi platter and fried rice to accompany it. The fish tastes savory and high-quality. While I enjoy Sunway’s tuna, the salmon slices taste exceptional, so if you go, you must try at least their salmon. 

If you dine inside, you also get complimentary miso soup and tea. Sunway has a large dining room, and when you walk in, you go up a flight of stairs to eat in the main, large dining room. 

Rakumenya

All of the Fulbrighters know I have developed a ramen noodle addiction. What they don’t know is that I order ramen from Rakumenya. I’ve tried just about every ramen variation this restaurant serves, but my favorite is the green onion and shallot ramen with extra pork. The shallots add lots of flavor to the broth, and it tastes divine.

Rakumenya sometimes has a wait, but the line moves fast. If I don’t order the shallot and green onion broth, I will order the grilled spicy pork bone ramen for a change in flavor. It has a spicy flavor, even by Taiwanese standards, and tastes delicious!!

Rose Food: Lizhou River Snails Noodles

I went to Rose Food one night with a friend and had never tried Luosifen or River Snail noodles. They rocked my world, and I loved them so much. 

River snail noodles are a soup dish made of a spicy broth with snail powder, peanuts, pork, and veggies (often greens). Rose Food’s comes with crunchy, dried tofu skin, fish balls, ginger, and mushrooms. You can choose to have this rice noodle served wet or dry, with or without broth.  

If you do not like spicy food, you can order the Old Nanjing duck blood version. The bowl of noodles is huge, so I order it on its own because it fills me. However, if you’ve got a healthy appetite, you can also order sides such as spicy quail egg and spicy preserved tofu.

Papa Chiang Noodle Restaurant

Papa Chiang is close to my apartment, and I often go there if I’m in the mood for beef noodles. I’ve tried many beef noodle places, but this one is my favorite because the broth has tomatoes in it, so it tastes more like a stew than a noodle soup.

They also have delicious dumplings you can buy frozen and take home to store. The inside is small, but you can always find a table. You can order to go; they have great vegans and vegetarian options. The menu offers many side dish options with veggies cooked in animal-free oils.

Yi Fat Noodles

Yifat is also near my apartment, and I visit for their wonton noodle soup. The soup broth tastes salty and like chicken. The wontons have a savory flavour, and the dumpling wrapper melts in your mouth. 

In addition to the wonton noodles, my friends have enjoyed their crispy fried pork, mushroom meatball soup, and fishball soup. Yi Fat Noodles has a small dining room with few tables, but I can always find a seat.

Ba Fun Yun Ji Dumplings

I often visit Ba Fun Yun Ji I during the school week on my lunch break because it has a location ten minutes away from me on foot. I will often go there and eat dumplings. While I try to mention independent businesses on Postcard Getaway, I must shout out Ba Fun Yun Ji because of its affordable prices and delicious food!

I have tried just about every dumpling on the menu, and I now order the cabbage and pork potstickers and the shrimp dumplings. I also get a hei Dou Jiang (black soy milk) to supplement my meal. In the past, I tried and enjoyed their hot and sour soup and Korean dumplings. Ba Fun Yun Ji’s food always has great flavour and the perfect amount of grease and spice.

Chuan Mu Yuan

Chuan Mu Yuan has a Michelin-recommended rating, and for good reason! The food here tastes amazing. Similar to Ba Fun Yun Ji, I also come to Chuan Mu Yuan during the school week to eat shrimp dumplings. However, I arrive when they open because there will be a long wait if I don’t.

I love their scallion pancakes for their crispy texture. They also have delicious beef noodle soup, whose savory broth contains huge chunks of chewy beef and beef tendon.

LISA

Lisa is a Thai restaurant right near my school. I had a moment during the school week towards the beginning of the school year when I ate there. Their Thai milk tea tastes delicious, and I can’t stop by without ordering one. 

I usually order either their green curry or their red Thai seafood soup. This soup has incredible flavor and contains clams, shrimp, and squid. It has the perfect amount of spice. 

If Lisa has reached their indoor dining capacity, I order to go and take my food back to school. This works out well because I can save my leftovers and eat more the next day.