Eating like a local!

1. Your sweet tooth has a new girlfriend waiting...  she doesn't speak a word of english, 

but it's love at first bite...

 

 

 

Try the douhua 豆花 (layers of white colour soybean pudding), plus your choice of three toppings: point out the ones you want to the staff. Taro (purplish coloured veg.) recommended, also red beans.
 

If you have a Mandarin-speaking friend to accompany you on your first visit here, that would help! 

No. 262-1, Dexing E Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111

好奇營養豆花, 111台北市士林區德行東路262-1號

2. Shi-dong Market

For adventurous travelers seeking the food that the locals eat, try having early lunch upstairs at this upscale market. Prices are not expensive. The staff will possibly be surprised to encounter foreigners, but point at the things you want; friendly persistence may bring rewards. Best to go early (say 11.35am) to grab a table and beat the crowds. 

The ground floor marketplace has recently been redesigned in collaboration with design students, so it feels a bit like an upmarket Covent Garden (London). Rub shoulders with the wealthy locals. A good variety of cheese, florists, high quality fruit suitable for gifts. High prices may terrify the non-affluent.

No. 100, Shidong Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111

3. Close to Shidong market, this little place does a great breakfast. Reviewers complain about the slowness: I would only go if the queue is not long (in other words, approach with a Plan B in mind). Try shaobing with egg, plus a bowl of warm dou jiang. Legendary quality; when they are on form (two out of every three visits?), it's the best local breakfast I've had in all of Taiwan. When something seems simple, you know there's a lot of skill behind the scenes!

No. 43號, Shidong Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111

 

 Great concentration! Dedicated to all things breakfast.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. "Little Lunchbox place with the long queue." Best tasting lunchbox in Tianmu, excellent value. To avoid the very long queue don't go 11.30am-12.30pm. Fried chicken plus three veg of your choice, point and smile, can be done by non-Mandarin speakers. 

No. 150號, Dexing E Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111. A few seats inside and out.

5. Just underneath the cinema at Mitsukoshi department store, this place does great beef noodles, and famous pearl bubble tea

https://www.chunshuitang.com.tw/

6. Open 24 hours a day, this little place offers dumpling, pancake and other cheap local staples, usually edible, if not particularly good. Staff are grumpy / overworked, you have to bark your order 2 or 3 times before they get it. Gritty/edgy vibe, good for people-watching;   go midnight on a Friday night and you feel you have finally arrived in regular Asia. Like a Hopper painting, transposed.

On the corner of the main road near to the swimming pool.

Zhongshan North Rd Section 6 no. 225. 中山北路六段225號

7. 金樺城鵝肉擔（鵝肉蔡）

No. 1 Lane 75 Section 2 Shipai Rd, Beitou District, Taipei City, 112 

Small place at Shipai night market, does EXTREMELY TASTY goose rice and small dishes to order, good price, highly recommended. Grab a beer from the fridge. Pay at the end. You may need a Mandarin speaker to navigate the menu, write your order on the tear-off menu, staff don't seem to speak english. Alternatively, see what other diners are having, and point those out to a waitress, they will not be traumatised if you do this with smiles all round. You may not get exacttly what you bargained for, but it is a LOT more fun than Pizza Hut.  

8. 大發生猛海鮮餐廳

Sit on stools outdoors under the red lanterns. Drink bottles of beer. Order the tastiest food at great prices, especially fish. Great for a jolly night out with your gang. Feel like a gangster boss. Omelette with basil, clam soup with ginger, lots of fish dishes, sweet and sour fish.

No. 60號, Yumin 2nd Rd, Beitou District, Taipei City, 112

9.Chinese gnocchi, No. 6號, Fuguo Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111台北市士林區福國路6號 popular lunch and dinner spot for tasty bowls of soup noodle, try the pumpkin. 10. This dodgy-looking little place does really good beef noodle soup with tingling hot Szechuan pepper flavour and top quality handcut noodles. 大得民牛肉麵館 No. 19號, Section 2, Zhicheng Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111