Eating Out in Taipei

Taipei offers some of the best Chinese food in the world, as the refugees that fled from all over China in 1949 brought their distinctive cuisines with them. The variety of cuisines in this gastronomically-obsessed city is staggering. Besides the countless food stalls in the many neighborhood night markets (be sure to try the Shilin night market), you'll find plenty of restaurants competing with each other to serve the best delicacies from Hunan, Yunnan, Xinjiang, Fujian, and every province in between. It's also well worth asking local residents where to find the best Taiwanese eateries, of which there are many. In the last few years, the city's creative energy has also been infused into restaurants offering some innovative (and often very good) takes on traditional dishes.

Taipei has really transformed into quite a cosmopolitan place, judging from the quality of restaurants specializing in Western and other non-Chinese cuisine. You'll find excellent Japanese restaurants (especially in the Linsen North Road area) as well as more and more bistros offering French, German, and Italian fare. The Eastern District (from Sogo Department Store along Zhongxiao East Road all the way to the City Hall/Taipei 101 area) sports some of the most trendiest dining spots in town, but in reality, great eateries exist in neighborhoods throughout the city.

For something different, try to find a ride up the surrounding mountains for some wonderful tea (around the Chinese Cultural University or near the town of MuZha). Besides offering a wide range of locally-grown and Chinese tea varieties, many teahouses also serve set lunches and dinners featuring local specialties such as 'earth' chicken and mountain vegetables. Come especially at night- the alfresco dining by candlelight along the leafy terraces is made all the more memorable by the gorgeous views of Taipei below.