Before my trip to Taipei, I reached out to my Instagram followers for food recommendations and received a lot of great suggestions. I was amazed by how many vegetarian and vegan options people mentioned. There was so much delicious food to try, but not enough time to sample it all. Just thinking about it makes me hungry.
During my travels in Taiwan, I was able to speak with locals in English most of the time, but learning a few basic Mandarin phrases was still helpful. Writing them down helped me avoid mistakes, like when my photographer once accidentally asked someone if they were a hungry ghost. We both found it funny.
Helpful phrases
| English （英文） | Chinese (中文） | Pinyin (pronunciation) |
| I am a vegetarian | 我是素食者。 | wǒ shì sù shǐ zhě |
| I am a vegan | 我是全素食者。 | wǒ shì quán sù shí zhě |
| I don’t eat meat, fish, eggs or dairy products. | 肉，鱼，鸡蛋，奶制品我都不吃。 | ròu ,yú ,jī dàn ,nǎi zhì pǐn wǒ dōu bù chī |
| Can you replace it with [beans, tofu, something similar]? | 可以用【豆，豆腐 什么的】代替吗？ | kě yǐ yòng (dòu ,dòu fǔ shén me de)dài tì ma? |
| Does this contain (dairy products/ eggs/ meat/ fish)? | 里面有没有 (鸡蛋，奶制品, 肉，鱼）？ | lǐ miàn yǒu méi yǒu (jī dàn , nǎi zhì pǐn, ròu ,yú)? |
| Coffee with … / tea with … | 咖啡 。。。 / 茶 。。。 | Kāfēi …/ Chá … |
| oat milk | 燕麦奶 | Yàn mài nǎi |
| soy milk | 豆浆 | dòu jiāng |
| I am allergic to … | 我对。。。过敏 | wǒ duì …guò mǐn |
| shellfish | 贝类 | bèi lèi |
| fish | 鱼 | yú |
| gluten | 麸质 | fū zhì |
| nuts | 坚果 | jiān guǒ |
| Meat | 肉 | ròu |
| Chicken | 鸡肉 | jī ròu |
| Pork | 猪肉 | zhū ròu |
| Lamb | 羊肉 | yáng ròu |
| Beef | 牛肉 | niú ròu |
| broth (follows meat) | 汤 | tāng |
| vegetable broth | 蔬菜汤 | shū cài tāng |
| Vegetarian Buddhist | 斋食 | Zhāi shí |
Coffee shops
Das Kafe D
The opportunity to eat cake at a cafe located 380 metres in the sky was one I couldn’t pass up. Seeing Taipei from above on a clear day was amazing, and I was excited to find Baumkuchen topped with ice cream at the top of Taipei 101. I enjoyed the cake, although the café’s central location on the 89th floor didn’t offer a view. I wished I had taken my coffee to the picnic tables for a better experience.
Milksha at Taipei 101
The 89th floor of Taipei 101 hosts Milksha, a popular Taiwanese bubble tea shop. I finally tried green tea with mango boba, and it was delicious. Sitting by the window with my tea, I watched the airplanes at Songshan Airport. I loved how the windows were low enough that I could sit on the floor (or the windowsill) and fully enjoy the stunning views. Milksha has many non-dairy options, alongside the original milk bubble tea.
The Taipei Main Station area has a few tea shops that offer vegan and dairy alternatives in their drinks. Wanpo Tea Shop offers oat milk alternatives for some of its drinks. Nap Tea has some limited oat milk options. Soma: Known for its fruit teas, Soma also provides oat milk options for their milk teas.
A-Mei Teahouse
Technically not in Taipei itself, but Jiufen is a town in the mountainous area of Ruifang District, New Taipei City, a short drive from Taipei. Truly a moment not to miss, as it is considered the inspiration for the movie Spirited Away.
It was my lucky day when I visited because I had the opportunity to sit on the roof terrace. From my table, I had a view overlooking Keelung and the Northern Taiwan Coastline. Sadly, the kitchen was closed, so I couldn’t sample the lunch menu. But the dessert set was still available, including fresh iced oolong tea and four kinds of local desserts. Living in Asia has made me fall in love with these desserts since they are less sweet and small enough to enjoy. My favourite was the chewy peanut moji (similar to mochi in Singapore), and I also loved the green bean cake. The set included sesame crackers and dried sweet plums that paired perfectly with the oolong tea.
Xianjufu Café
This cafe is located on the first floor of the National Palace Museum. An iced Sicilian lemon coffee and a mille crepe cake were a delicious snack break before heading off to explore more of the Shilin area. The cafe in the National Palace Museum was simple but had a great view over the gardens.
Dessert
Snow King Ice Cream
The infamous Snow King Ice Cream shop (雪王冰淇淋) is my favourite ice cream shop in Asia. The shop is known for its uniquely flavoured ice cream and really friendly staff. The shop feels like an old diner with the stools joined to the tables. I tried the jasmine tea and pineapple ice cream scoops; the jasmine tea was best as it had a delicate flavour, reminiscent of earthy tea leaves touched by a hint of floral essence. I also enjoyed the pineapple as it had a mild taste, with fruit pieces, and was refreshing like a sorbet.
If you remember just one thing from my blog, make sure to visit Snow King when you’re in Taipei and experience this unique delicacy for yourself.
Ah Zhu Peanut Ice Cream Roll
A street in Jiufen is lined with food stalls on both sides, and delicious aromas float from many dishes. However, my photographer was on a quest to locate the Ah-Zhu Ice Cream Roll stall. This traditional Chinese dessert has become a firm favourite for Team Veganosaurus. The stall was hard to find, but it was worth the search (don’t follow Google Maps).
Two ice cream rolls cost 50 NTD (£1.25), which was very affordable compared to other ice cream stalls in the town. The ice cream roll featured vanilla ice cream coated in peanuts and coriander, all wrapped in a pancake. It wasn’t sweet at all, and the coriander added a refreshing touch.
Lunch
Heritage Bakery
Heritage Bakery was another stop for lunch. My photographer chose a sandwich over a steaming bowl of Taiwanese dandan mian. This choice marked an interesting travel rhythm, caught between the comfort of a sandwich and curiosity about local flavours. My photographer sometimes struggles with crowds, and food stalls are a fear they are finally starting to get over. The bakery is small but serves tasty dishes and cakes, and the window seats are great for people-watching. I enjoyed my lunch, lingering for about an hour as I waited for the rain to let up before heading out again. The cafe does have a time limit on tables, so you can’t spend all day working there.
7-Eleven
Hello Kitty 7-Eleven is just a five-minute walk away from Ximen MRT. I had the Snoopy store earmarked on my map, but wasn’t able to find it. Themed convenience stores in Taipei change often, so I wasn’t sure what I would find. Luckily, the Hello Kitty store is huge and easy to spot because it has many statues. My luck didn’t end there because I also spotted the Open Chan small, Lays crisps (Walkers), and a rainbow-themed 7-Eleven. These themed stores are really fun to see, often with matching seats and merchandise.
Drinks, snacks, and hot noodles are really cheap in 7-Eleven (and FamilyMart, though they have no themes). Each themed store often offers themed foods and drinks, too. My favourite part of any convenience store in Asia is the smell of herbal tea egg, it is reminiscent of home cooking as all of the herbs and tea leaves merge together beautifully.
DonDon Donki
The baked sweet potatoes here are delicious and really affordable. I often get these because they are the perfect on-the-go lunch. DonDon Donki can be found in many cities in Asia; it’s also known as Don Quijote in Japan. They only cost $79NTD (£1.95), which is perfect for anyone travelling around Asia on a budget.
Dinner
Miacucina
This vegetarian restaurant in the heart of Xinyi is quite hard to find because all of the buildings look the same. It is located on the second floor of the Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Xinyi Place A11, each building has a letter and a list of shops and restaurants on each floor in English and Mandarin. Miacucina exceeded my expectations and is one of my favourite vegetarian places to eat, because everything is delicious.
My photographer and I visited alone, which stopped us from trying some dishes (we spent a long time picking one dish from the menu). The Buddha bowl was deliciously spicy, with marinated tofu, crunchy vegetables, and brown rice. We returned to try a pizza which had a deliciously thin base, huge heirloom tomatoes, and delicious vegan melted cheese. It is slightly more expensive than other restaurants because it is advertised as Italian, but it is worth the money.
Din Tai Fung
Din Tai Fung—need I say more? Visiting Taipei without dining at this iconic establishment would feel incomplete, so naturally, I made sure to visit more than one location (and yes, I probably left looking a little like a bao bun myself). Vegan xiaolongbao are exclusively available at Taiwanese branches, so I indulged in as many as I could, knowing I might not have the chance again soon. While the vegan xiaolongbao don’t contain soup, since the original version is meat-based, they were still bursting with flavour and absolutely satisfying.
Jasmine tea flows endlessly, and you can order bao individually, which helps reduce waste. The portions, though, are generous—especially the rice. Even though the vegetable fried rice is meant for two, I happily tackled a mountain of it solo. Sadly, I was too full to even attempt to try dessert, this is a task I have set myself for next time I visit Din Tai Fung.
Street food
Mochi Baby
My stomach guided me into the bustling Raohe Street Night Market (饒河夜市) in search of a Michelin-starred dessert. Anyone who knows my photographer will know about their love for anything that is peanut-flavoured and counts as dessert (just read my Northern Taiwan blog). Mochi Baby was the highlight of the Taipei trip in their eyes, and the flavour made the difficult search for the stall in the night market 100% worth it. The mochi’s soft, chewy texture gave way to the delicate crunch of peanut powder and a subtle hint of sesame. The mochi is vegetarian-friendly. The stall stands quietly amongst the sizzling food stalls and queues of people eagerly awaiting the chance to try some of Taiwan’s best dishes. The tiny stall, adorned with Michelin signs, stood out with its cheerful vendor expertly dusting each piece with peanut powder. It is opposite a shop named Don’t Miss It; ironically, if you walk past this, you will have missed the mochi stall.
和の屋脆皮雞蛋燒 (Wano-ya Crispy Skin Egg Roll)
Tucked between the glowing lanterns and bustling crowds, the Wano-ya stall draws visitors in with the scent of freshly grilled batter. But it is not what you would expect. The golden, crispy shell shaped like popular anime characters gives way to a warm, pillowy interior with each bite, releasing a subtly sweet aroma reminiscent of childhood treats. While reminiscent of Hong Kong egg puffs, Wano-ya’s version stands out for its extra crispiness and delicate sweetness, making it a beloved Taiwanese snack.
One bite in, and I couldn’t help but smile at the delightful crunch, immediately understanding why there’s always a line at this stall. Served piping hot in a simple paper wrapper, it’s the perfect treat to enjoy as you wander the lively market. There is something nostalgic about wandering through the night market as Neon lights flickered overhead while the aroma of sizzling snacks mingled with laughter and chatter.
Haha love how the little dinosaur gets to experience traveling! 😝 food looks so good!
As a dinosaur, I’m in charge. The humans tag along to help document my adventures 😂🦖 Taiwanese food it the best!
😂😂 of course!