40 cheap eats places in Taipei, editor-picked. the best low-budget spots in Taipei: the places editors actually return to. All Taipei food.
Simple Kaffa Flagship ★ 4.8
zhongzheng · No. 27, Section 2, Zhongxiao East Road, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City 100
Simple Kaffa's flagship near Huashan Creative Park is the home cafe of 2016 World Barista Champion Berg Wu, ranked the world's best coffee by Big 7 Travel.
Tip: Open 10:00-17:00 daily. Queues form before 10:00 on weekends.
Fuhang Soy Milk ★ 4.8
zhongzheng · 2F, No. 108, Section 1, Zhongxiao East Road, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City 100
Fuhang Soy Milk in Taipei is the queue breakfast counter near Shandao Temple MRT, freshly ground soy milk, sesame shaobing, youtiao. Bib Gourmand.
Tip: Closed Mondays. Cash only; queue from 06:00 weekends Cash is faster than card.
Yong Kang Beef Noodle ★ 4.7
daan · No. 17, Lane 31, Section 2, Jinshan South Road, Da'an District, Taipei City 106
Yong Kang Beef Noodle has been pulling beef and braising shank since 1963 on a two-floor counter at Lane 31 in Da'an. Bib Gourmand listed, half-tendon bowl.
Tip: Open 11:00-15:30 and 16:30-21:00 daily. Cash and mobile pay; share the table at peak.
Lin Dong Fang Beef Noodle ★ 4.7
songshan · No. 322, Section 2, Bade Road, Zhongshan District, Taipei City 104
Lin Dong Fang's clear-broth beef noodle counter on Bade Road runs 11:00-03:00 Mon to Sat to catch every shift. Bib Gourmand listed since 2018.
Tip: Open Mon to Sat 11:00-03:00, closed Sundays. Cash only at the counter.
Chia Te Bakery ★ 4.7
songshan · No. 88, Section 5, Nanjing East Road, Songshan District, Taipei City 105
Chia Te Bakery has been baking pineapple cakes since 1975, winning the 2006 Taipei Pineapple Cake Festival's top prize and shipping global ever since.
Tip: Queue runs about 30 minutes. Pre-fill the order sheet in line. Cash and card.
Simple Kaffa Sola ★ 4.7
xinyi · 88F, Taipei 101, No. 7, Section 5, Xinyi Road, Xinyi District, Taipei City 110
Simple Kaffa Sola at Taipei 101's 88th floor is the highest cafe in Taipei, opened January 2023 by Berg Wu. Filter flights, panoramic city view.
Tip: Open 10:00-20:00 daily. Reservation by mobile app, walk-ins on standby.
Fuzhou Shihzu Baked Pepper Bun ★ 4.7
songshan · No. 249, Raohe Street, Songshan District, Taipei City 105
Fuzhou Shihzu at Raohe Night Market bakes pepper-pork buns on the inner walls of a charcoal clay oven, NT$70 each. Michelin Bib Gourmand listed every year.
Tip: Cash only. Queue 20 minutes from 17:30. Closed Mondays Cash is faster than card.
Liu Yu Zai ★ 4.7
datong · Stall, Ningxia Road Night Market, Datong District, Taipei City 103
Liu Yu Zai at Ningxia Night Market deep-fries taro balls stuffed with pork floss and salted egg yolk for NT$60 to NT$80. Bib Gourmand listed since 2018.
Tip: Cash only. Queue from 18:00.
Yong Kang Beef Noodle ★ 4.6
daan · No. 17, Lane 31, Section 2, Jinshan South Road, Da'an District, Taipei City 106
Yong Kang Beef Noodle has been pulling beef and braising shank since 1963. The two-floor Lane 31 counter is Bib Gourmand and the canonical visitor bowl.
Tip: Open 11:00-15:30 and 16:30-21:00 daily. Cash and mobile pay; share the table at peak.
Lao Shan Dong Homemade Noodles ★ 4.6
wanhua · B1, Wan Nian Building, No. 70 Xining South Road, Wanhua District, Taipei City 108
Lao Shan Dong in Taipei has been hand-pulling ribbon noodles since 1949 from the Wan Nian basement in Ximending. Bib Gourmand, ten-herb beef broth.
Tip: Open 10:30-21:30 daily. Cash only; basement food-court entry.
Wu Pao Chun Taipei ★ 4.6
xinyi · B2F, Eslite Spectrum Songyan, No. 11, Songgao Road, Xinyi District, Taipei City 110
Wu Pao Chun's Taipei store sits in the basement of Eslite Spectrum Songyan, baking the 2008 Coupe du Monde and 2010 Bakery Masters champion loaves daily.
Tip: Champion breads sell out by mid-afternoon; arrive by 14:00 for full selection.
SunnyHills Taipei Minsheng ★ 4.6
songshan · 1F, No. 1, Alley 4, Lane 36, Section 5, Minsheng East Road, Songshan District, Taipei City 105
SunnyHills' Minsheng Park flagship greets every visitor with a complimentary pineapple cake and a cup of oolong tea, baked from Tu Feng native pineapple.
Tip: Free tasting on arrival. Open daily; pack the gift box at the counter for export-ready boxing.
Fika Fika Cafe ★ 4.6
zhongshan · No. 33, Yitong Street, Zhongshan District, Taipei City 104
Fika Fika opened 2013 after founder James Chen won the Nordic Roaster Competition, the first non-Nordic champion. Yitong Street set the third-wave template.
Tip: Open 10:00-21:30 daily. Bring a laptop only weekday afternoons; weekends are turnover-only.
VWI by CHADWANG ★ 4.6
daan · No. 14, Lane 187, Section 1, Dunhua South Road, Da'an District, Taipei City 106
VWI by CHADWANG is Wang Ce-Chen's Da'an competition cafe. Located in Daan. Open 11:00-19:00, closed Mondays. Counter seating only; no laptops.
Tip: Open 11:00-19:00, closed Mondays. Counter seating only; no laptops.
Fuzhou Shihzu Baked Pepper Bun ★ 4.6
songshan · No. 249, Raohe Street, Songshan District, Taipei City 105
Fuzhou Shihzu at Raohe Night Market bakes pepper-pork buns on the inner walls of a charcoal clay oven at the market entrance. Michelin Bib Gourmand listed.
Tip: Queue 20 minutes from 17:30. Cash only at the window Cash typically expected.
Liu Yu Zai ★ 4.6
datong · Stall, Ningxia Road Night Market, Datong District, Taipei City 103
Liu Yu Zai at Ningxia Night Market deep-fries taro balls stuffed with pork floss and pickled duck egg yolk. Bib Gourmand listed every year since 2018.
Tip: Open 17:30-24:00 daily. Cash only; queue forms by 18:00 Cash typically expected.
Fuhang Soy Milk ★ 4.6
zhongzheng · 2F, No. 108, Section 1, Zhongxiao East Road, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City 100
Fuhang Soy Milk in Taipei is the breakfast queue near Shandao Temple MRT, freshly ground soy milk with youtiao and sesame shaobing. Bib Gourmand listed.
Tip: Closed Mondays. Queue from 06:00 weekends; arrive by 09:00 weekdays.
Jin Feng Lu Rou Fan ★ 4.6
zhongzheng · No. 10, Section 1, Roosevelt Road, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City 100
Jin Feng on Roosevelt Road is Taipei's canonical lu rou fan counter near CKS Memorial Hall MRT, NT$40 for a small bowl, NT$90 for the deluxe.
Tip: Open 08:00-01:00 daily. Cash only. Add a tea egg and pickled greens.
Yong Kang Beef Noodle ★ 4.6
daan · No. 17, Lane 31, Section 2, Jinshan South Road, Da'an District, Taipei City 106
Yong Kang Beef Noodle in Da'an has been NT$240 to NT$300 a bowl since 1963 for the canonical Taiwan tourist beef noodle near Yongkang Street. Bib Gourmand.
Tip: Open 11:00-15:30 and 16:30-21:00. Cash and mobile pay Cash is faster than card.
Lin Dong Fang Beef Noodle ★ 4.5
songshan · No. 322, Section 2, Bade Road, Zhongshan District, Taipei City 104
Lin Dong Fang's clear-broth bowl is many Taipei locals' default beef noodle, running 11:00-03:00 across every shift. Bib Gourmand listed since 2018.
Tip: Open Mon to Sat 11:00-03:00, closed Sundays. Cash only at the counter; queue runs fast.
Lao Shan Dong Homemade Noodles ★ 4.5
wanhua · B1, Wan Nian Building, No. 70 Xining South Road, Wanhua District, Taipei City 108
Lao Shan Dong has been hand-pulling ribbon noodles since 1949 from the Wan Nian Building basement in Ximending. Bib Gourmand, ten-herb beef broth.
Tip: Open 10:30-21:30 daily. Cash only; the entrance is via the building's basement food court.
Coffee Sweet ★ 4.5
wanhua · No. 5, Lane 38, Section 2, Hankou Street, Wanhua District, Taipei City 108
Coffee Sweet near Taipei Main is one of the city's oldest specialty cafes, run by Sidney Kao with single-origin filters from Ninety Plus and competition lots.
Tip: Open 11:00-19:00, closed Sundays. Cash and mobile pay; bring patience for filter brewing.
Rufous Coffee ★ 4.5
daan · No. 333, Section 2, Fuxing South Road, Da'an District, Taipei City 106
Rufous Coffee runs the city's most respected siphon-coffee counter, a dark wood-panelled room beside Liuzhangli MRT serving 1990s-style hand-brewed coffee.
Tip: Open 13:30-23:00 daily. Cash only; no laptops on weekends Cash or contactless, both fine.
Jin Feng Lu Rou Fan ★ 4.5
zhongzheng · No. 10, Section 1, Roosevelt Road, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City 100
Jin Feng on Roosevelt Road is the canonical lu rou fan counter near CKS Memorial Hall MRT. Fatty braised pork mince over rice; Bib Gourmand listed.
Tip: Cash only. Add a soft-boiled tea egg and braised tofu side Cash typically expected.
Ay-Chung Flour-Rice Noodle ★ 4.5
wanhua · No. 8-1, Emei Street, Wanhua District, Taipei City 108
Ay-Chung in Ximending has been ladling out oyster-and-pork thin-rice-noodle soup since 1975 for under NT$80 a bowl. Standing-counter, two bowls deep.
Tip: Cash only. Open until 23:00 Fri to Sun.
Du Hsiao Yueh ★ 4.4
daan · No. 9-1, Yongkang Street, Da'an District, Taipei City 106
Du Hsiao Yueh transplants the 1895 Tainan dan zai bowl onto Yongkang Street. Tiny porcelain bowls of shrimp-and-pork noodle, garlic and coriander.
Tip: Open 11:30-21:30 daily. Order at the counter; the bowl arrives in two minutes.
Du Hsiao Yueh ★ 4.4
daan · No. 9-1, Yongkang Street, Da'an District, Taipei City 106
Du Hsiao Yueh transplants the 1895 Tainan dan zai bowl onto Yongkang Street in Taipei. Tiny porcelain bowls of shrimp-and-pork noodles, garlic and coriander.
Tip: Open 11:30-21:30 daily. Order at the counter.
Le Gout Patisserie ★ 4.4
daan · No. 1, Lane 161, Section 1, Dunhua South Road, Da'an District, Taipei City 106
Le Gout in Da'an is one of Taipei's serious French pastry counters, run by a Pierre Herme-trained chef. Laminated croissants, Paris-Brest, seasonal entremets.
Tip: Closed Mondays. Hot croissants from 11:00; the Paris-Brest sells out by 15:00.
Qingtian Tea House ★ 4.4
daan · No. 12, Lane 8, Qingtian Street, Da'an District, Taipei City 106
Qingtian in Da'an in Taipei is a tea house inside a restored Japanese-era professor's residence, gallery on the ground floor, gongfu oolong service.
Tip: Open daily 10:00-18:00. Reserve a Saturday for the courtyard table.
Oasis Coffee Roasters ★ 4.4
daan · No. 7-3, Lane 199, Section 4, Xinyi Road, Da'an District, Taipei City 106
Oasis in Da'an in Taipei is a Nordic-leaning specialty roaster cafe, founded 2018 by Yu-ta Chu, clarity-and-balance filter, light-roast single origins.
Tip: Open daily 09:00-19:00. Small room; bring a laptop for the counter side only.
Yuan Huan Bian Oyster Omelette ★ 4.4
datong · No. 46, Ningxia Road, Datong District, Taipei City 103
Yuan Huan Bian at Ningxia Night Market has been frying oyster omelettes since 1965, oysters from the Tainan coast, gooey not crisp, sweet house sauce.
Tip: Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Cash only; storefront on Ningxia Road.
Ay-Chung Flour-Rice Noodle ★ 4.4
wanhua · No. 8-1, Emei Street, Wanhua District, Taipei City 108
Ay-Chung in Ximending has been ladling oyster-and-pork thin-rice-noodle soup since 1975 at a standing kerbside counter. Two bowls deep, eaten on the curb.
Tip: Take a large bowl with extra chilli sauce and black vinegar from the condiment table.
Lan Jia Gua Bao ★ 4.4
zhongzheng · No. 3, Lane 8, Section 3, Roosevelt Road, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City 100
Lan Jia near Gongguan MRT is the canonical Taipei gua bao counter, lotus-leaf steamed bun with five-spice pork belly, mustard greens and peanut powder.
Tip: Closed Mondays. Cash only; queue runs 15 minutes at lunch Cash typically expected.
Lan Jia Gua Bao ★ 4.4
zhongzheng · No. 3, Lane 8, Section 3, Roosevelt Road, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City 100
Lan Jia near Gongguan MRT in Da'an is the canonical Taipei gua bao counter, five-spice pork belly in steamed lotus-leaf bun, NT$60 each, Bib Gourmand listed.
Tip: Closed Mondays. Cash only.
Yuan Huan Bian Oyster Omelette ★ 4.4
datong · No. 46, Ningxia Road, Datong District, Taipei City 103
Yuan Huan Bian at Ningxia in Taipei has been frying oyster omelettes since 1965 for under NT$100, Tainan-coast oysters and sweet house sauce.
Tip: Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Ay-Chung Flour-Rice Noodle ★ 4.3
wanhua · No. 8-1, Emei Street, Wanhua District, Taipei City 108
Ay-Chung's standing-counter mianxian in Ximending has been ladling oyster-and-pork thin-rice-noodle soup since 1975. Eaten kerbside, two bowls deep.
Tip: Open Mon to Thu 10:00-22:30, Fri to Sun 10:00-23:00. Cash only.
Din Wang Mazu Stewed Pork Rice ★ 4.3
songshan · No. 31, Section 4, Civic Boulevard, Songshan District, Taipei City 105
Din Wang Mazu in Taipei runs late-night lu rou fan, the canonical bowl of fat-glossy braised pork mince over rice. Bib Gourmand, open until 03:00.
Tip: Open 11:00-03:00 daily. Cash and mobile pay; quick turnover.
Kuo Yuan Ye ★ 4.3
shilin · No. 546, Section 5, Wenlin Road, Shilin District, Taipei City 111
Kuo Yuan Ye in Shilin has been baking Chinese traditional pastries and mooncakes since 1867. Five generations on, the brand runs the Shilin museum flagship.
Tip: Open daily 09:30-21:30. The museum upstairs explains the four-generation pastry tradition.
Smoothie House ★ 4.3
daan · No. 15, Yongkang Street, Da'an District, Taipei City 106
Smoothie House on Yongkang Street in Taipei runs the canonical mango snowflake ice, xue hua bing with chunks of mango, mango ice cream and condensed milk.
Tip: Open 10:30-22:00 daily. Walk-in counter; mango is best May to October.
Instil Coffee ★ 4.3
songshan · No. 14, Lane 553, Section 4, Zhongxiao East Road, Songshan District, Taipei City 105
Instil Coffee is Songshan's specialty roaster-cafe with rotating single-origins, slow filter brews, and a clean modern room with a working bar.
Tip: Open 11:00-20:00, closed Tuesdays. Mobile pay accepted; small bench seating.