Addiction Aquatic Development is a fish-market food complex in Zhongshan with a standing sushi bar, oyster bar, hot-pot room, and an excellent chirashi deli.
Signature dishes: Standing sushi bar omakase, Live oysters, Sashimi donburi
Must order: Counter omakase at the standing sushi bar or a chirashi rice bowl from the deli.
Tip: Open 06:00 to 24:00 daily for retail; sushi bar 11:00 to 22:00. Closes 02:00 Fridays and Saturdays.
Address: No. 18, Alley 2, Lane 410, Minzu East Road, Zhongshan District, Taipei City 104
Ming Jiang is a long-running Jiangsu-Zhejiang kitchen serving Shanghai-style home cooking, lion's-head meatballs and cold drunken chicken among the staples.
Signature: Lion's head meatball, Smoked fish, Drunken chicken
Order: Lion's head meatball in clear broth, drunken chicken cold platter, plus the smoked fish appetiser.
Tip: Open 11:30 to 14:00 and 17:00 to 21:00 daily. Phone reservations; service charge added.
Shan Yuan in Taipei runs Wagyu omakase at the smokeless grill counter, with A5 cuts from Miyazaki and Kagoshima. Michelin Plate; reservations a month out.
Signature: A5 Wagyu omakase, Salt-grilled tongue, Saikoro steak
Order: Wagyu omakase with the saikoro steak as the rice course closer.
Tip: Closed Sundays. Reservations open one month ahead by phone; counter seats only.
Longtail pairs a serious cocktail bar with an Asian-fusion bistro menu in a long Da'an room. Bartender-chef collaboration, small plates for shared dining.
Signature: Asian-inflected small plates, Wagyu tongue tartare, Signature cocktails
Order: Wagyu tongue tartare, charcoal-grilled lamb skewers, and the house Negroni variation.
Tip: Open 18:00 to 02:00 Mon to Sat, closed Sundays. Reservations via the website; counter seats are walk-in only.
Qing Tian 76 turns a 1931 Japanese-era professor's house into a Showa-era dining room serving set lunches and small kaiseki suppers, tatami floors intact.
Signature: Tatami set lunch, Seasonal sashimi, Wagashi dessert
Order: Set lunch in the tatami room and the wagashi-and-matcha dessert pairing.
Tip: Closed Mondays. Phone reservation required; remove shoes at the entrance.
Ming Jiang is a long-running Jiangsu-Zhejiang kitchen serving Shanghai-style home cooking, lion's-head meatballs and cold drunken chicken among the staples.
Signature: Lion's head meatball, Smoked fish, Drunken chicken
Order: Lion's head meatball in clear broth, drunken chicken cold platter, plus the smoked fish appetiser.
Tip: Open 11:30 to 14:00 and 17:00 to 21:00 daily. Phone reservations; service charge added.
Marshal Zen Garden restored a Japanese-era Beitou inn into a heritage Taiwanese dining room above the Tamsui river bend. Hot-spring bath plus a banquet menu.
Signature: Taiwanese set banquet, Hot-pot finale, Sesame oil chicken
Order: Set-menu Taiwanese banquet finishing with sesame-oil chicken and the hot-pot rice course.
Tip: Open 12:00 to 14:00 and 18:00 to 21:00 daily. Reserve through the operator's site; pickups from Xinbeitou MRT.
Din Tai Fung's Xinyi Road original is the xiaolongbao counter that turned a 1958 cooking-oil shop into a global chain. Bib Gourmand; queues from 11:00 sharp.
Signature: Xiaolongbao, Truffle and pork xiaolongbao, Cucumber starter
Order: Ten-pleat pork xiaolongbao, niu rou mian beef noodle soup, plus the cucumber starter to share.
Tip: Take the queue ticket on arrival and shop the Yongkang Street strip while you wait; cards and mobile pay accepted.
