Looking for a good Taiwanese restaurant recommendation in Taipei isn’t a difficult task, in fact, there might be far too many options. Although, for authentic Taiwanese flavors, there’s a handful in the city that truly encompasses the local food culture as a whole. Night markets are fantastic for street foods, and there are also several institutions for specific dishes, like: mango shaved ice, bubble tea, or spicy hot pot. Here’s a curated list of restaurants serving up delicious traditional Taiwanese cuisine so travelers can indulge in one of the best culinary havens in the world.

Shin Yeh is a great place for an introduction to Taiwanese cuisine, full of local ambiance and tastes. Don’t miss the three-spice chicken, fried oysters accompanied by dipping salt, rice noodles with pumpkin, or braised pig trotters with peanuts. Instead of typical white rice, Shin Yeh is best known for the yam rice porridge, which incorporates one of the main foods in Taiwan. Sweet potatoes not only symbolizes survival as it fed many who suffered from extreme poverty during harsher times, Taiwan is also shaped like one!

Fujin Tree Taiwanese Cuisine & Champagne is an elevated and luxurious option for tasting traditional Taiwanese cuisine. Originated in the southern city of Tainan,  founder Wu Yu-chieh hoped to incorporate the foodie culture of his hometown. The idea is that any dish on the menu pairs well with champagne, even if the menu changes according to the season. The open kitchen allows diners to experience a bustling kitchen cooking up old-school favorites and more innovative dishes. The newer location inside Taipei 101 makes Fujin Tree a convenient restaurant choice after a day of sightseeing.

No one ever visits Taipei without stepping foot inside Din Tai Fung to devour delectable soup dumplings, or xiao long bao, that have the entire world impressed and ready for more. Din Tai Fung’s meticulous execution spans from its flavorful dishes to impeccable service and dining ambiance. In addition to the soup dumplings, do not hesitate to also order shrimp fried rice, vegetable steamed dumplings and shrimp shumai are also mouthwatering choices. Click here to read our exclusive interview with DTF’s owner Mr. Warren Yang.

If Shin Yeh is a traveler’s introduction to Taiwanese cuisine, then Mountain and Sea House is profoundly a closer peek into the history and art of traditional dishes. Tucked inside a side alley next to Okura Prestige Taipei Hotel, this alluring restaurant showcases a vintage Taiwan on the exterior, with a charming terrace as if guests are entering a private home but stepping back thirty years in time. Every dish is made from fresh and organic ingredients. Mountain and Sea House can be a pricier meal but undeniably memorable, especially after biting into fried spare ribs, five-topping tofu, and four treasures soup with salted duck egg.

Chun Shui Tang derives from Taichung, the mid-island city also known for its food culture. Originally a teahouse, Chun Shui Tang is celebrated as the origin of bubble tea. Today, the restaurant chain serves aromatic and savory dishes that go down easy with a tall glass of pearl milk tea. Don’t missL beef noodle soup, braised tofu, chicken wings, pig’s blood cake…and much more.

A trip to Taipei isn’t complete without a stroll through Yongkang Street, embedded with adorable boutiques and charming restaurants. One unforgettable eatery is Lu Sang, featuring local cuisine from Yilan – a province on the east coast of Taiwan. Walking up to the restaurant is a corner of plated windows so diners can look inside a small but busy kitchen. Kickstart the meal with a juicy bowl of braised pork rice or lu rou fan, and be sure to accompany the rice with gao zha or deep fried chicken broth – a Yilan staple. Other noteworthy mentions include: sliced cold chicken and sliced pig’s liver. If plain white rice isn’t enough, then order a bowl of Taiwanese minced pork noodles.

Also on Yongkang Street is James Kitchen, a retro and local fan-favorite hidden from the crowded footsteps of this busy area. Push through wooden doors behind vintage paper lanterns is a intimate restaurant where residents from the neighborhood sit around wooden tables, munching on home-cooked meals. James Kitchen is a reminder of a retro Taiwan, when technology was less modern and time seemed to move slower though far more appreciated. It seemed that every dish on the menu was worthy of mention, it’s best to ask the host for special dishes of the day or honest recommendations.

Taiwanese breakfast is prevalent throughout every neighborhood, grab a stool on the street and point at the food that suits the appetite (since most restaurant owners won’t speak English, and menus aren’t in English.) Some favorites include: egg pancakes, fried bread and oven-baked caked, steamed bread with eggs, and rice balls. Coffee is’t an option as a morning beverage at these traditional Taiwanese breakfast stalls, so opt for soy milk (cold, warm, hot, sweetened or plain,) or rice milk which features a dark brown hue and a sweeter taste.