Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2005 2:54 pm Post subject: Dining in Taipei, Taiwan Guide (Cuisine, places, etc...)
Dining in Taipei, Taiwan Guide
Taiwan can be termed a melting pot of all the great culinary traditions, both Chinese and foreign. In any town, city, or village on the island, it is said, there is a snack shop within three steps and a large restaurant within five, making dining in Taiwan a matter of the utmost convenience.
All of China's regional cuilinary styles are available, from those of Beijing, Tianjing, and Shandong of the north to those of Sichuan, Hunan, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Guangdong, and Taiwan in the south.
You can also find restaurants in Taiwan that serve the cuisine of other countries throughout the world, including the United States, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, and India, among others. The famous international fast-food and restaurant chain--McDonald's, KFC, Mosburger, Pizza Hut, and others--also have outlets scattered all over the main cities.
Taiwan also offers its own unique types of restaurant, such as vegetarian, "improved" hot pot (including medicinal hot pot), and local snacks, that offer a native Taiwanese taste. If you would like to have a drink before or after your meal, there are plenty of bars, pubs, and beer houses to choose from.
Our recommendations feature restaurants located close to major hotels in the business district that offer high quality food, top service and an environment conducive to business discussions.
Café Studio
B3, Grand Formosa Regent Taipei
41 Chung Shan N. Road
Section 2, Taipei 104
Tel: +886-2 2523-8000
Fax: +886-2 2523-2828
Enjoy the ample lunch or dinner buffet in this cozy Italian restaurant, featuring a wide selection of favorites from antipasto to pizza and pasta.
Capone's Chophouse & Cabaret
166 Fushing North Road
Taipei City
Tel: +886-2 2545-9365
Major credit cards accepted
Reservations recommended
Dress code: suits recommended
Some consider Capone's to have the best steak in Taipei. The wine and drink list is impressive. Also offers a range of single-malt scotches. If you intend to talk business, do so over lunch or before 9 p.m. when the music gets cranked up. Conveniently located near all major hotels, Capone's prime location actually looks nondescript from the outside.
G'Day Café180 Hsing An Street, Taipei City
Tel: +886-2 2717-5927
Small, crowded, cheap food like macaroni, beef and omelets, G'Day looks like a walk-in diner where the patrons are expected to grab their own beverages out of the refrigerator. So why go? Good, home-cooked meals with no frills. Perfect for the traveler who wants to get away from the glamour and production of eating in restaurants all the time. Relaxed, no dress code, no credit cards accepted, but good stuff.
Grandma Nitti's Kitchen
8, Lane 93, Shih Ta Road, Taipei City
Tel: +886-2 2369-9751
Credit cards not accepted
Dress code: none
Granma Nitti's is another place too casual for business meetings. But the food is good and the atmosphere better. Location close to National Taiwan Normal University means Grandma Nitti's is often overrun by students: Noisy, boisterous students. Go there to relax.
Health Natural Vegetarian
2nd Floor, 108, Hsin Sheng North Road
Section 2, Taipei City
Tel: +886-2 2560-1950
Fax: +886-2 2560-1937
Look no further for excellent vegetarian food. Some food look like meat and fish (and even tastes like the real thing), but don't be fooled—it is vegetable matter. Good lunch and dinner buffets for NT$630 plus service.
House de Havana
199, Fushing North Road
Taipei City
Tel: +886-2 2719-5970
Major credit cards accepted
Reservations required
Dress code: Suits and ties are a must.
Seafood is House de Havana's specialty, though the steaks are worth noting. With great food, elegant surroundings, and cigar humidor for after dinner, the place offers a favorable atmosphere for business discussions. Stands amid a prime location close to most businesses and hotels.
Jake's Country Kitchen
705, Section 6, Chung Shan North Road
Shih Lin District
Taipei City
Tel: +886-2 2871-5289 / +886-2 2872-6295
Credit cards not accepted.
If you're thinking of working early in the morning, invite your colleague to Jake's, a haven for business breakfasts. Enjoy inexpensive American breakfasts and unlimited refills of coffee (one of the very few places in Taipei that offers this). Jake's is the daylight counterpart of the evening hangout.
New Delhi Indian Cuisine
382 Lin Shen North Road, Taipei City
Tel: +886-2 2562-5951
Fax: +886-2 2561-2097
Credit cards accepted
Dress code: none
Good Indian food in an upscale setting. Convenient to major hotels and featuring large picture windows that give the diners a view of a busy (if congested) street scene, especially at night. Moderate prices.
Post Home Restaurant & Grill
31, Lane 35, Chung Shan North Road
Section 6, Shih Lin District
Tel: +886-2 2835-6491
Fax: +886-2 2834-8022
Credit cards not accepted
Dress code: none
This small restaurant was the home of the American Legion operated by the U.S. military before 1979. Cozy, great atmosphere, the Post Home is where you will meet the hard-core expatriates who have been in Taiwan for more than 20 years. Post Home is separated into a quiet dining area where the waiters leave you alone and where the relaxed atmosphere is good for doing business; and a bar that gets bellicose. It's not immediately what you would think of as a business venue, but real good food gets you in the correct mindset. Famous for American dishes, especially steaks, Post Home is open at 5 p.m..
Ruth's Chris Steak House
2nd Floor, 135 Min Sheng East Road
Section 3, Taipei City
Tel: +886-2 2545-8888
Major credit cards accepted
Home of the largest and most famous steaks in Taiwan. Served a la cart. Suit and ties requested and reservations required. Located in the financial district around Tun Hua North Road.
Sao Sao Ke
15, Lane 41, Jen Ai Road
Taipei City
Tel: +886-2 2351-7148
Located down a lane behind a car dealership, this dingy little place sells Tibetan food. Not exactly cheap, the food tastes strong, authentic or not. The tea with milk is also a treat. No credit cards, no dress code, no parking lot, and no place to put the camels either. Popular among foreigners looking for something different.
Sate House
15 Lo Li Road
Taipei City
Tel: +886-2 2732-5048
Dress code: none
Indonesian food that is palatable and cooked to order so it is as spicy only as you like it. The baked chicken is especially recommended. Reasonable prices.
Specchio Italian Restaurant
88, Patio Level Chung Shan North Road
Section 6
Taipei City
Tel: +886-2 2831-2729
Reservations recommended
Good Italian food at moderate prices. Buffet selections for lunch or dinner. Specchio is not near the major hotels, so you'll have to take a NT$200 taxi ride from the business district. The ambiance is conducive to talking business, though. Coats are recommended. Ties are not necessary but you might feel underdressed at dinner without a tie.
Tequila Sunrise
42 Hsin Sheng South Road
Section 3
Taipei City
Tel: +886-2 2362-7563
Credit cards not accepted
Mexican food in a relaxed atmosphere. Passable margaritas, authentic food, and not very expensive. Closed quarters to eat in, not conducive to deep conversation or unhurried meals as there is normally a crowd waiting to get in. Located close to the student hangouts of National Taiwan University.
Trader Vic's
7th Floor, 135 Min Sheng East Road
Section 3, Taipei City
Tel: +886-2 2545-9999
Fax: +886-2 2514-8640
Major credit cards accepted
Located five floors up from Ruth's Chris, trader Vic's is a little more relaxed. Suits are still recommended for dinner, but lunches are reasonably priced (starting at NT$250). Exotic drinks.
Tony Roma's
1st Floor, Min Sheng East Road
Section 3, Taipei City
Tel: +886-2 2719-0352
Reservations recommended
Major credit cards accepted
Another fine dining place located in the heart of the financial district, and across the street from trader Vic's and Ruth's Chris. Tony Roma's in Taipei is famous for what Tony Roma's in the United States is famous for—ribs. The menu warns of "American-size portions," but the amount of food provided is large even by American standards. Suits and ties not required but encouraged.
This fine dining restaurant of the Grand Formosa Regent specializes in seafood delicacies. Tsai Fung Shuen has set lunch and dinner menus.
Zum Fass German Cuisine
Basement, 55, Lin Shen North Road Lane 155, Taipei City
Tel/fax: +886-2 2531-3815
Does not [spam word detected]
Small, dim, and with limited seating, Zum Fass sells authentic German food at reasonable prices. Because the place can accommodate only about 50 people, reservations are required. The small crowd makes the atmosphere relaxed. Located in the basement of a commercial building, the entrance is usually surrounded by street vendors selling garments and trinkets after dark. The place previously stood amid the business and financial districts, before these were moved to Tun Hua Road a few years ago. Still, it is close to major hotels including the Formosa Regent. Click here to see the map.
Register
Log in
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
