I’ve lived in 台中 since 2000, I’m a food maniac, and I love to discover new places to eat all the time! On this page I’d like to introduce you to my favorite restaurants in Taichung. I also have another post about my favorite cafes in Taichung.
Table of Contents
Chinese & Taiwanese Food
Shandong Dumplings 山東餃子館
Dumplings and beef noodles are in the top-five classic national dishes in Taiwan and Shandong is the best spot in Taichung to enjoy them. This place is always packed, it’s right by the Green Belt, near People’s Park. Really affordable for the quality. My wife and I always bring first-time visitors here. Grab some cold appetizers from the counter before being seated. The cold cucumbers and shredded tofu are the best! A cold Jing Pai beer 經牌啤酒 is always a great match for dumplings.
Address: 96 Gongyi Rd, West District, Taichung
Hours: 11am to 8:30pm
Fu Kuei Ting 富貴亭
This old neighborhood shop is 60 years old and is run by the 3rd generation of the family. Featured in the Michelin restaurant guide in 2020, this place is only gaining in popularity – with good reasons. The smoked goose is of olympic level, and surely the most affordable for this level of quality. It’s juicy, salty, and springy. Supposedly the duck is equally delicious. I’m not into sticky rice, but theirs is the bomb. Very lively place in the old part of Taichung. Definitely a must-try restaurant!
Traditional Beef Noodle 小眷村
This little beef noodle restaurant serves great value and delicious noodles, soup, veggies, and tofu. The place is themed after the traditional army dorms that were very common in most cities in Taiwan few decades ago. It’s downtown, walking distance from People’s Park.
Address: #14, Lane 164, Section 1, Meicun Road, West District
Phone: 0968865968
Hours: 11am-3pm, 5pm-8pm
Roasted Goose at Ba Ping Fang 品八方燒鵝
There is no short supply of roasted goose in Taichung, but THIS is the best place! The goose is just so tender ever time, the skin is crispy and tasty that it’s almost impossible to eat goose anywhere else now. From 1 to 10, the goose here is a solid 10! I’ve brought at least 5 friends here, and they ALL said it’s the best goose they’ve ever had. It’s THAT good! Other dishes we usually order are the green beans with pork, and deep fried tofu in cubes.
Address: #69, Wuquan West 4th Street, West District
403台中市西區五權西四街69號
Tel: (04) 2375-5548
Ding Wang Hotpot 鼎王麻辣鍋
Ding Wang is the most popular hotpot restaurant in Taichung. I’m lucky because I live right next to it, like two buildings next door. It’s a bit pricy, but the food is high-quality, service is top-notch, and the ambiance and decor is classical Chinese style. Great dining option for a birthday meal or a date.
You can’t go wrong if you invite a Taiwanese person to Ding Wang. Always a good idea to book in advance. Bring a warm sweater, it’s like 15 degree inside, even in summer.
Address: 42, Gongyi Rd, Section 2, Xitun District
Phone: 04 2329 6828
Hours: Open every day from 11:30am to 2:30am
Jin Yue Xuan (Cantonese)
I am not a huge Dim Sum fan, but my wife is, and she insisted on bringing me to Jin Yue Xuan, which is a stone’s throw from my Taichung house. Absolute love at first bite!
It’s a pretty elegant / fancy place, and prices are not cheap, so skip it if you’re on a budget or just backpacking your way through the city. Do go if you’ve got the extra cash to splurge on AMAZING Beijing duck, roasted pork, finger-licking dim sum such as rolled rice noodles, shrimp dumplings… Service is not the best, but the food is hard to beat. My personal favorite Cantonese restaurant in Taichung City.
Address: 213, Section 2, Gongyi Rd, Nantun District
Phone: +886 4 2255 7942
Gubami
Gourmet beef noodle soup and tasty side dishes is what you get at this Michelin-featured restaurant. This is not your typical traditional Taiwanese restaurant. A lot of people rave about Gubami’s wagyu beef noodle soup and even claim it’s the best, most delicious, most refined and intricate bowl they’ve ever had. Still, others don’t agree that the soup is worth the elevated price. The debate goes on.
Read my review about Gubami.
BBQ Place 酒香一弄
My go to place for BBQ and beer. You choose your meat and veggies from the fridge by the front door, hand it to the cook, and he’ll bring it to you at your table. Very friendly service. Beerhouse / local Izakaya atmosphere.
The whole front of the restaurant is opened, so you kinda feel like you’re outside. It’s a great spot to feel the energy of the city, any night of the week. Food is always good, beer is always icy cold, and prices are reasonable.
Address: 91, Jing Cheng Road, West District
Phone: 04-2320-7221
Hours: Closes around 2am
Drunken Duck
Drunken Duck is a very (maybe the most) popular open-air beer house in Taichung. It’s somehow really popular with business travelers who visit factories around the city. The vibe here is always festive, any day of the week. The food is kuài chǎo “fast fry” style, lots of fresh veggies sautéed with nothing more than garlic and salt, three-cups chicken or squid, seafood, and of course HUGE glasses of cold beer on tap. It’s best to go with a bunch of friends to share dishes (and the bill)! I’ve been to this place soooooo many times, as I love the warm atmosphere, and it’s right by my house. Two thumbs up for Drunken Duck! Don’t miss it if you’re in the area.
Address: No. 266號, Section 2, Gongyi Rd, Nantun District
Phone: +886 4 2251 3966
Southeast Asian Cuisine
Yabi Kitchen
Thai food lovers, save this one on your Google map! Yabi Kitchen is my #1 pick for Thai food and other Southeast Asian dishes. Yabi is set in a vast, beautiful building by the Green Belt, 3 minutes away from People’s Park on foot. The food is of fine dining quality, portions are huge, and the presentation is very creative. Service is top, design is modern, bright, and slick. A meal for two will set you back around 1500NT.
Yabi’s menu is quite extensive. You’ll find dishes from no less than six countries: Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and even India! So you can literally travel around Asia in one sitting at Yabi! It’s not cheap, but it’s a truly unique experience in Taichung City! Highly recommended!
Address: 100-5, Xiangshang North Rd, West District
Phone: +886 4 2302 5258
安南 An Nan Vietnamese Restaurant
This small but popular Vietnamese restaurant sells some truly amazing dishes. The Pho 130NT$ (pronounced “Fe” in Chinese) is my favorite in town. It is served the proper way you would get it in Ho Chi Minh City – with basil, sliced red chilli, and lemon on the side. The fried thick noodles are also a steal, considering it’s only 100NT$ for a huge portion.
Address: 41-5, Section 2, Xitun Rd, Xitun District
Phone: +886423164156
Dynasty Bangkok 曼谷皇朝
Dynasty Bangkok Thai restaurant is located in Taichung’s busy west district, on Xiang Shang Road. I wouldn’t say it’s 100% authentic Thai, but every dish is still delicious and prices are very reasonable. The interior is clean and cozy, and the service is always attentive and friendly. You can’t go wrong with the cold seafood salad, and the steamed lemon fish.
Address: #400 Xiang Shang Road, West District
Phone: 0918-026654
Western Restaurants
California Grill
Opened in October 2020, California Grill has already established a solid reputation as the place to have the best burrito in Taichung. Quite a claim I know. Well, I’m here to tell you that it is seriously, really good. And yes, it’s hard to find a better burrito in TC. Definitely on par with Bemo’s. I can highly recommend the beef burrito, and my wife seems to really enjoy the Bowl with beef and guacamole.
Phone: 04 2320 2366
Hours: 11:30-9pm every day
Pizza Rock
This is my own chain of restaurants, which my wife and I started in 2011. At our pizzeria, we serve thin-crust, stone-baked pizza, Italian paninis, baked pasta, salads, beer, wine, desserts, and coffee. At this moment, we have 8 locations around Taichung City, with a total of 30 shops around Taiwan. Check out our story!
Find us on Facebook | Official Website
Japanese Restaurants
Zili BBQ Place 自立商店燒烤居酒屋
Zili is a very popular Japanese-style BBQ (kushiyaki) restaurant on Zhongmei Street 中美街, in the heart of the zone – the unofficial food district of Taichung City. The original building was a traditional grocery store. The new owners kept the previous name and signage, which is branding genius in my opinion. Hands down the most savory place to eat on Zhongmei Street. The barbecued skewers are tasty and affordable, they serve draft Orion beer, and small pots of sake (hot or cold) for less than 150NT$. Try the kimchi pork, it’s out of this world!
Address: No. 426, Zhongmei Street, West District
台中市西區中美街426號
Phone: +886423102038
Hours: Every day 5:30PM–1AM
Wú liú shǒu 吳留手
If you want to be transported to Japan in an instant, without leaving Taichung, then visiting Wú liú shǒu Japanese restaurant is what you have to do. As soon as you enter, you’ll feel like Taiwan is far behind, and you’ve entered a typical Tokyo Izakaya.
The menu is not super big, but everything is delicious, although a bit more expensive than at other Izakaya in the city. My wife and I usually order the barbecued squid (huge!), shrimp, beef skewer (niú xiǎo pái), and the spinach sushi roll with sesame dressing. Orion beer on tap is always cold and with just the right amount and thickness of foam. For some, Wu Liu Shou is overpriced. I tend to agree, but when you consider that it can “transport” you to Japan, I think it’s worth the extra NT$.
Address: 111, Zhongxing Street, West District, Taichung, 台中市西區中興街111號
Phone: 0423028611
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Indian Restaurants
Spice Shop 香料屋印度料理
Indian is my favorite cuisine in the world, and the Spice Shop is my favorite Indian restaurant not just in Taichung, but in all of Taiwan. I have been ordering the exact same meal for the past 20 years and it’s consistently excellent and fresh at all times!
My order is always: garlic naan, samosa, papadam, chicken tikka masala, aloo gobi, palak paneer, rice, King Fisher beer, and chai masala tea to finish the meal. That’s for two people. Check it out if you’re in the mood for Indian tonight!
Address: 1066, Jianxing Rd, West District, Taichung
Hours: 11:30am to 2:30pm and 5:30pm to 9:30pm
Night Snacks 宵夜
Stinky tofu is a highly popular night snack among Taiwanese. It’s also popular with ME! I love stinky tofu! Westerners usually stay away from this dish because of the pungent smell which emanates from the deep-frier where it is prepared. The name probably doesn’t help either… It’s surely not for everybody. I took some friends to my favorite place in Taichung lately and they simply couldn’t even swallow a single bite.
My wife and I could eat that every single day – it’s really delicious, and it does NOT taste like it smells. The best place in Taichung (and Taiwan) for stinky tofu is Liang Po Po.
Address: 312 Meitsun Rd, Sect. 1, West Dist., Taichung
御青方 Ma La Stinky Tofu Soup / Hot Pot
A new favorite of mine for my stinky tofu fix is on Xiang Shang Road. The soup is packed with flavors, the tofu is soft and does not have a pungent taste. You can either order the soup 80NT$, or the hot pot option at 130NT$. They close at midnight. Highly recommended!
Address: 422, Section 1, Xiangshang Rd, West District
Phone: 0908 869 632
Taichung Restaurants Map
For the most comprehensive listing of Taichung restaurants + restaurant maps, make sure to get a copy of Compass Magazine as soon as you arrive in the city! This indispensable mag lists more than a hundred places to dine in the city.