Taiwanese Seafood$$$zhongshanDaily 12:00-14:30, 18:00-21:30
Ming Fu runs Bib Gourmand Taiwanese seafood from a wood-panel room behind Zhongshan MRT. Banquet-style sharing tables, a wine list with Burgundy depth.
Signature: Steamed grouper, Bottarga fried rice, Drunken chicken
Order: Steamed grouper of the day, bottarga fried rice, and a plate of cold drunken chicken.
Tip: Open 11:30-14:00 and 17:30-22:00 daily. Reserve by phone for the back room.
Sichuan and Hunan$$zhongzheng
Rong Rong Yuan is the 1949-wave Sichuan-Hunan counter that fills its dining room every Taipei lunch. Bib Gourmand, mapo tofu the canonical Taipei version.
Signature: Spicy crispy chicken, Mapo tofu, Dan dan noodles
Order: Mapo tofu, dry-fried green beans, and a bowl of dan dan noodles.
Tip: Open 11:30-14:00 and 17:00-21:00 daily. Walk-ins only; turnover is fast.
Seafood Market and Sushi$$$zhongshanDaily 07:00-22:00
Addiction Aquatic Development is a fish-market food complex in Zhongshan with a standing sushi bar, oyster bar, hot-pot room, and an excellent chirashi deli.
Signature: Standing sushi bar omakase, Live oysters, Sashimi donburi
Order: Counter omakase at the standing sushi bar or a chirashi rice bowl from the deli.
Tip: Open 06:00-24:00 daily for retail; sushi bar 11:00-22:00. Closes 02:00 Fridays and Saturdays.
Modern Bistronomy$$$daanMon and Wed and Thu 18:00-02:00, Fri and Sat 17:30-03:00, Sun 17:30-24:00, closed Tue
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 18:00-02:00 Mon to Sat, closed Sundays. Reservations via the website; counter seats are walk-in only.
Japanese Heritage Dining$$$daan
Qing Tian 76 turns a 1931 Japanese-era professor's house into a Showa-era dining room serving set lunches and small kaiseki suppers, tatami floors intact.
Signature: Tatami set lunch, Seasonal sashimi, Wagashi dessert
Order: Set lunch in the tatami room and the wagashi-and-matcha dessert pairing.
Tip: Closed Mondays. Phone reservation required; remove shoes at the entrance.
Taiwanese$$$beitouDaily 10:00-21:00
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 12:00-14:00 and 18:00-21:00 daily. Reserve through the operator's site; pickups from Xinbeitou MRT.