Last updated in May 2021, with updated photos and descriptions for Baganhood and Mianto.
Satya Veganism promotes vegan, sattvic food. 諦 means ‘truth’ in Sanskrit, and the sattvic diet (also from Sanskrit) means ‘pure’, ‘clean’, ‘honest’ or ‘good’). Thus, the sattvic diet includes healthy food, which is ethically sourced and prepared, with the purpose of promoting good health for customers and the planet. While not all followers of the sattvic diet are vegan, it’s clear that the founder of Veganism, who has studied in India, follows the sattvic principles to its logical vegan conclusions.
Veganism serves a delicious range of dishes which combine Indian, Western and Taiwanese dishes. I especially appreciate their use of Indian herbs and spices to create a delicious and very unique fusion cuisine. It’s one of my favourite restaurants in Taipei.
As an amusing side note, the Chinese character 諦 is a translation of Satya, an important yogic concept, but, unusually, it has a different meaning Japanese (which otherwise usually uses traditional Chinese characters with the same meanings). In Japanese it means ‘to give up’, so to a Japanese person the title of the restaurant means ‘give up being vegan’.
Brother Su Vegan Kitchen (Taiwanese, Fusion, 🌱)
Key
🌱 = fully vegan restaurant (all except Fruitful Food)
🥚 = serves egg and dairy products (only the Fruitful Food buffet)
Summary
Restaurants by Category | Best Restaurant | Others |
Best Overall | Satya Veganism | Blossom Rena ($$$), |
| Best Taiwanese | Guangfu Loving Hut ($$$) | Brother Su ($) |
| Best fusion food | Blossom Rena ($$$) , Ooh Cha Cha Tech | Flourish ($$$ |
| Best home-style cooking Best pizza | Mianto ($$$) | SoulR ($$$) |
| Best Western comfort food |
Ooh Cha Cha ($$) , Baganhood | Mianto ($$$) Herbivore ($$$) |
| Best dining experience | Mianto ($$$) | |
| Best raw food | Plants Eatery ($$$) | Ooh Cha Cha ($$) serves raw desserts. |
| Best buffet (not all vegan) | Fruitful Food ($$$) | |
| Best Japanese / Korean | Hoshina Teishoku ($$) Tian Zhuan Zhai Loving Hut ($$) | Flourish ($$$) |
| Best burgers | Ooh Cha Cha ($$), LN Fortunate Coffee | |
| Best Chinese | Pure Veggie House | |
| Also see restaurants I recommend vegans avoid. | ||
Satya Veganism ($$$, Satvik, Indian, Fusion, 🌱)
My new favourite restaurant in Taipei.
11:00-21:00
Ten minutes’ walk north of Wanlong
Station (Exit
1).
台北市文山區汀州路四段87號
Number 87, Section 4, Tingzhou Road, Wenshan District, Taipei City
Number 87, Section 4, Tingzhou Road, Wenshan District, Taipei City
Vegan
sattvic (an Indian model of healthy eating) food; friendly, knowledgeable
staff; beautiful interior; very reasonable prices.
A bit far
from the station (but well worth the walk!).
 |
This meal is sattvik (an ancient Indian model of healthy eating), gluten free, inexpensive and delicious. |
Satya Veganism promotes vegan, sattvic food. 諦 means ‘truth’ in Sanskrit, and the sattvic diet (also from Sanskrit) means ‘pure’, ‘clean’, ‘honest’ or ‘good’). Thus, the sattvic diet includes healthy food, which is ethically sourced and prepared, with the purpose of promoting good health for customers and the planet. While not all followers of the sattvic diet are vegan, it’s clear that the founder of Veganism, who has studied in India, follows the sattvic principles to its logical vegan conclusions.
Veganism serves a delicious range of dishes which combine Indian, Western and Taiwanese dishes. I especially appreciate their use of Indian herbs and spices to create a delicious and very unique fusion cuisine. It’s one of my favourite restaurants in Taipei.
As an amusing side note, the Chinese character 諦 is a translation of Satya, an important yogic concept, but, unusually, it has a different meaning Japanese (which otherwise usually uses traditional Chinese characters with the same meanings). In Japanese it means ‘to give up’, so to a Japanese person the title of the restaurant means ‘give up being vegan’.
Brother Su Vegan Kitchen (Taiwanese, Fusion, 🌱)
Most heart-warming dining experience in Taipei.
Tue-Sun: 11:30-1:00, 17:00-21:00; closed Mon.
Five minutes' walk northwest of Jingan Station (Exit 4).
It's best to use Google Maps to find it, or ask someone.
Nanhua Road, Number 29.
235新北市中和區南華路29號
Delicious fusion food cooked by a saint.
Brother Su gave up his job over a decade ago to run this charming little vegan restaurant to help promote vegetarianism (now veganism). He serves up some delicious Taiwanese and fusion dishes, including some top-notch desserts, for incredibly low prices. I recommend the pineapple and kimchi noodles. His pancakes and dumplings are also excellent.
While it's a little out of the way from Taipei, it's well worth the half-hour trip from Taipei Main Station. It works especially well with a visit to the interesting Museum of World Religions.
Mianto ($$$, Fusion, Boutique, 🌱)
Taipei's best home-style cooked food.
Tue-Thu: 12:00-15:00, 18:00-21:00; Fri: 12:00-15:00; 18:00-21:30; Sat: 11:30-21:30; Sun: 11:30-21:00.
Six minutes’ walk southwest of Zhongxiao Fuxing Station (Exit 2).
Fifteen minutes’ walk northeast of Daan Park.
台北市大安區仁愛路3段123巷26弄6號
Daan District, Ren Ai Road, Section 3, Lane 123, Alley 26, Number 6
Daan District, Ren Ai Road, Section 3, Lane 123, Alley 26, Number 6
(02) 2321-9749
Boutique restaurant with great food and customer service.
Expensive (but good value, given the quality of food and level of service).
Expensive (but good value, given the quality of food and level of service).
 |
| I've been working on a post on the best pizza in Taipei for ages, and this is it (from Mianto). |
Food prepared individually, in a beautifully-decorated setting as nice as Mianto, is inevitably more expensive than equivalent dishes at a large, busy restaurant, so expect to spend around NT$500-$700 for a satisfying meal set, but this makes the whole dining experience good value.
Flourish ($$$, Fusion, Japanese, Macrobiotic, 🌱)
Best macrobiotic restaurant in Taiwan.
11:30-21:00
Reservations are recommended (staff speak
English).
Two minutes' walk southeast of Zhongxiao Dunhua Station (Exit 4).
Make a U-turn as you exit and then take
the first right into Lane 151 (the Ming Yao Department Store will be on the
other side of the intersection). Then take the second right into lane 233, and
Flourish will be on your left just before the next intersection.
臺北市大安區敦化南路一段233巷32號
Number 32, Lane 233, Section 1, Dunhua South Rd, Da’an District, Taipei City.
Number 32, Lane 233, Section 1, Dunhua South Rd, Da’an District, Taipei City.
(02) 2771-6115
Best Japanese and
fusion restaurant in Taiwan.
Can be difficult to get a seat at busy mealtimes.
Can be difficult to get a seat at busy mealtimes.
 |
| Ma Po Tofu is usually difficult to find vegan, let alone as healthy as this. |
Flourish is one of the newest and most popular vegan restaurants in Taipei. It offers a delicious range of Western, Taiwanese and Japanese-inspired dishes which are among the best value fine food in Taipei. It's also one of the few restaurants open between lunch and dinner (and until 21:00) so I recommend reserving in advance (via Facebook) or else turning up between lunch and dinner, or after about 19:00. The interior is large and crowded, and service is prompt and efficient. While the whole dining experience is very enjoyable, food is the focus, not service, decor or atmosphere. While much of the menu is Taiwanese and Western, the food and style here is most like Japanese macrobiotic food of any restaurant in Japan, so if you will be entertaining Japanese who would like a taste of home them this is the place to come.
Pure Veggie House (心齋, $$$, Dim Sum, 🌱)
Sun-Wed:
11:00-16:00, 17:30-21:30; Thu-Sat: 11:00-16:00, 17:30-22:00.
Breeze
Shopping Centre, Second Floor
Taipei 101 Station , Exit 4
Taipei 101 Station , Exit 4
台北市信義區松智路17號2樓
Breeze
Shopping Centre: Xinyi District, Songzhi Road, Number 17
Vegan dim sum is
rare.
Expensive.
This upmarket vegan restaurant is the first overseas branch of Pure Veggie House, one of Hong Kong's earliest and most famous vegan restaurants. As with many vegetarian restaurants, the original branch (in Hong Kong) has now closed, but the Taipei branch appears to be going strong.
With Dim Sum dining, which is popular in Hong Kong and some regions of China, customers order lots of small dishes, many of which come as discrete units (usually one for each diner). It's therefore necessary to order several dishes, ideally a soup and a few main dishes. Expect to pay between NT$500 and NT$1000 for a meal, but this is still (in my opinion) one of the best-value fine dining meals in Taipei, not that there are many.
Hoshina Teishoku (穗科食堂, $$, Japanese, 🌱)
Tragically, the most convenient branch of this chain in the Japanese shopping district of Zhongshan recently closed, so I am now recommending the next most convenient location for travellers.
Mon-Fri: 11:30-14:00, 17:30-21:00; Sat-Sun: 11:30-16:30.
Mon-Fri: 11:30-14:00, 17:30-21:00; Sat-Sun: 11:30-16:30.
A few minutes' walk
southeast of Zhongxiao Dunhua Station, Exit 3. After walking out the exit, take your first right (almost immediately, before the Ming Yao department store), then take your third left, and then Hoshina will be on your left after one block.
Number 3, Alley 27, Lane 216, Section 4, Zhongxiao East Road, Da’an District.
台北市大安區忠孝東路四段216巷27弄3號
Best Japanese food in Taiwan.
台北市大安區忠孝東路四段216巷27弄3號
Best Japanese food in Taiwan.
 |
| Set meals at Hoshina are particularly good value. |
Hoshina serves Taiwan's most authentic Japanese vegan food. It also serves a few Taiwanese variants, including Ma Po Tofu, beautifully presented with Japanese simplicity. Free tea is provided. Meals cost around NT$300-$600. Customers are asked to clear their own table and take their used crockery to the tray return area at the back of the restaurant after their meal.
After the sad closure of the Zhongshan branch in late April 2020, this is now the most convenient branch of this now all-vegan chain for most foreign visitors. Unfortunately, however, it's right amidst the cluster of vegan and vegetarian restaurants, with Flourish nearby and the Fruitful Food Buffet on the way.
Blossom Rena ($$, Fusion, 🌱)
Tue-Sun:
11:30-21:00; closed Monday.
Seven
minutes' walk from Minquan
West Road Station, Exit 10.Continue walking
East along Minquan West Road, and then turn left into Section 3, Zhongshan
North Road
Chinese
name : 貝多蕾納
中山北路三段26-1號Number
26-1, Section 3, Zhongshan North Road, Taipei City.
Delicious vegan
fusion cuisine served by Taipei’s first vegan restaurant.
Anyone who's been around Taiwan for as long as I have will remember Sophie's Garden, which when it opened about eight years ago was the first fully-vegan restaurant in Taiwan. Blosson Rena is run by the same owner, with the same great chef, but the restaurant has moved to a much more central location, and now offers the same great (and expensive) meal sets it used to, but also delicious, moderately-priced snack food, making it great for between meals. Unlike Sophie's Garden, some dishes at Blosson Rena contain onion and garlic; this change reflects the growth of the younger, non-religious vegan community in Taipei, as most of the clientele at Sophie's were Buddhist (and thus didn't eat the Buddhist five pungents). A range of meals are available, with delicious European snacks starting around NT$200, and meal sets going for around NT$500.
Ooh Cha Cha ($$, Western, Fusion, Pub,🌱)
Real Western food.
Ooh Cha Cha Guting
Guting Station, Exit 2
Walk
straight as you exit, take your first right and it's on the right when you
reach the first corner (one minute from the station).
Number
207, Section 2, Nanchang Road
台北市南昌路二段207號
Mon-Fri:
10:00-21:00
Sat-Sun:
10:00-20:00
(02)
2367-7133
Ooh
Cha Cha Tech (Cafe) / Hooch (Bar)
Five minutes’ walk southwest of Technology Building Station.
和平東路二段118巷4號之1
Heping East Road, Section 2, Lane 118, Number 4.
Heping East Road, Section 2, Lane 118, Number 4.
(02)
2737-2994 (English speaking staff available)
Cafe
/ Restaurant: Open from 11:30; when the restaurant closes food is available from
the bar downstairs.
Hooch
(bar): 17:00-22:00
Great fusion food; open late.
 |
| Ooh Cha Cha is the place to come for a quick healthy recharge. |
Ooh Cha Cha is one of Taipei's most famous cafes, and deservedly so, for it's been serving up simple, delicious, healthy vegan meals for years, including Taipei's best sandwiches and meal bowls. Its menu has also expanded into burgers and raw desserts.
However, there's a catch with Ooh Cha Cha, which makes it disappoint a few visitors: it's what you probably get at home (if you're lucky enough to live in a vegan-friendly city), and if you're a good chef you probably can and do cook similar food yourself. Its simple, healthy meals make it a perfect go-to cafe for resident vegans looking for a healthier alternative to the usual overcooked veggies and fake meat, drowned with salty, MSG-laden sauces, and for this it deserves its fame among health-conscious, foreign residents. However, visiting vegans often find it on Happycow (usually while visiting the nearby Dictator Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall) and turn up expecting more than a sandwich (no matter how good the handmade sauces are). If you're in Taiwan for a short time please with limited meals to enjoy please try Taiwanese food (like the Guangfu Loving Hut), but if you want a taste of home then here's the place to come for the best Quinoa bowl in Taiwan. Ooh Cha Cha also serves vegan beer.
 |
| The menu at Ooh Cha Cha Tech is slightly more international, while Hooch serves vegan pub food. |
Ooh Cha Cha have recently opened Ooh Cha Cha Tech, a new branch in Eastern Taipei. For most short-term visitors to Taiwan (who make up most readers of this blog) this branch is much more convenient, however the new branch includes Hooch, a bar downstairs, which is open until midnight, making it a great option for a late meal. While the bar menu is not yet finalised and is likely to be simpler and less healthy than the menu in the restaurant upstairs, the bar menu so far includes nachos and paninis. So if you need a late meal, or somewhere to while away the night playing games (available) then head to Hooch. Meal prices range from around NT$150 for a simple small meal, while NT$500 will return a feast.
Guangfu Loving Hut ($$, Hotpot, 🌱)
Best Taiwanese food in Taipei.
Two minutes’ walk southwest of Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall Station (Exit 2).
Continue south as you exit the MRT. Cross the roundabout (circle). Take the second right (into Lane 280, Guangfu South Road) and the Loving Hut will be a few buildings down on the right.
Continue south as you exit the MRT. Cross the roundabout (circle). Take the second right (into Lane 280, Guangfu South Road) and the Loving Hut will be a few buildings down on the right.
Mon-Fri: 11:30-14:00, 17:00-20:30;
Sat-Sun: 11:30-20:30.
(02) 2777-2711 (Call to reserve
a table during weekends.)
Best vegan hotpots
in Taiwan, including vegan versions of traditional broths.
 |
| Hotpots are the Guangfu Loving Hut Staple, and the best place to enjoy this quintessential Asian dining experience in Taiwan. |
Hotpots are a popular North-East Asian cuisine in which the diner is served a plate of raw vegetables and tofu (and traditionally meat - fake meat here of course) and cooks them at their table. Most broths traditionally, of course, contain animal products, but the Guangfu Loving Hut makes its own vegan versions, and some new creations of its own. It's a good place to try Ma La (spicy) sauce, a popular flavour from SiChuan in China, and also some more Western-inspired broths.
This Loving Hut is very different from most other Loving Huts, most of which serve simple "comfort food" aimed at non-vegan Taiwanese. This branch also serves a few staple fusion dishes (I recommend the Tom Yam Tahini Rice) and some rich desserts. This is the most authentic restaurant among Taipei's high-end vegan restaurants.
Traditional hotpot meals generally cost around NT$300, with smaller dishes for around NT$200. NT$1,000 will return a feast for two, including (non-alcoholic) drinks.
If you can't get a table: the original branch of Vege Creek (and the only branch not inside a shopping mall) is a short walk away, but you might not get a seat there either.
Plants ($$$, Raw, 🌱)
Taipei's only raw vegan restaurant.
Tue-Thu:
11:30-21:30; Fri-Sun: 10:00-21:30; closed Monday.
700 metres south of Zhongxiao Fuxing Station (Exit 3).
Do a U-turn after walking out the exit and then at the intersection turn left
into Fuxing South Road, Section 1. Walk south for 8 minutes then turn left
again into Lane 253 and Plants will be on your right after 50 metres (at the
first corner).
450 metres north of Daan Station (Exit 6) (not to be confused with Daan Park Station, beside Da’an Forest Park).
Continue walking north for five minutes, then turn right into Lane 253 and Plants will be on your right after 50 metres (at the first corner).
Fifteen minutes’ walk northeast of Daan Forest Park.
450 metres north of Daan Station (Exit 6) (not to be confused with Daan Park Station, beside Da’an Forest Park).
Continue walking north for five minutes, then turn right into Lane 253 and Plants will be on your right after 50 metres (at the first corner).
Fifteen minutes’ walk northeast of Daan Forest Park.
大安區復興南路一段253巷10號
Fuxing South Road, Section 1, Lane 253, Number 10
Fuxing South Road, Section 1, Lane 253, Number 10
(02) 2784-5677
Taipei’s only vegan
raw food eatery.
Raw food is always expensive, but prices are lower here than for similar food around the world.
Raw food is always expensive, but prices are lower here than for similar food around the world.
 |
| Taipei's best dessert - rich and filling, but raw and healthy (about NT200). |
For more information please see my pages on Plants Eatery or Raw vegan restaurants in Taipei.
Baganhood ($$$, Western, 🌱)
Vegan cheese, Beyond Meat, Pizza & Western Comfort Foods
11:30-16:00; 17:00-22:00
Six minutes' walk northwest of Taipei City Hall Station (Exit 1)
Five minutes' walk east of Songshan Cultural & Creative Park
Baganhood is usually open for lunch and dinner, but is very busy. Reservations are recommended.
Baganhood is usually open for lunch and dinner, but is very busy. Reservations are recommended.
110台北市信義區忠孝東路四段553巷46弄11號
No. 11號, Alley 46, Lane 553, Section 4, Zhongxiao East Road, Xinyi District, Taipei City
No. 11號, Alley 46, Lane 553, Section 4, Zhongxiao East Road, Xinyi District, Taipei City
(02) 3762-2557
Most cheesy, meaty, vegan food in Taiwan.
Most cheesy, meaty vegan food in Taiwan.
Most cheesy, meaty vegan food in Taiwan.
 |
| Baganhood is the place to go for unhealthy Western comfort foods -- with a Taiwanese twist. |
The company also own Vegan Amore, a new vegan restaurant in Q-Square, beside Taipei Main Station, and Veg Farm in Taichung.
SoulR Vegan Cuisine ($$$, Taiwanese, Fusion, 🌱)
Best date spot in Taipei.
Mon-Wed: 14:00-21:30; Thu-Sun:
11:30-21:30.
Five minutes’ walk northwest of Zhongxiao Fuxing Station (Exit 1).
Continue walking west as you
leave the MRT. Take the fourth road on the right (Lane 217) and then the first
left (not counting a tiny alley) into Alley 1 (at the 7-Eleven). SoulR will be on
your right.
忠孝東路3段217巷1弄6號
Zhongxiao East Road, Section 3, Lane 217, Alley 1, Number 6.
Zhongxiao East Road, Section 3, Lane 217, Alley 1, Number 6.
(02) 2771-1365
Unique, classy
interior.
Owner’s don’t understand the vegan philosophy (see below).
Owner’s don’t understand the vegan philosophy (see below).
 |
| Thai Pasta |
SoulR offers Taipei's finest vegan dining experience, serving exquisitely presented Taiwanese fusion cuisine on to a small number of tables in a comfortable (if somewhat dark), exclusive restaurant atmosphere. Specialties are pasta (with some unique flavours, including Thai and Mexican sauces), but they are most famous for their rich desserts (visit in the afternoon for their waffles). An elaborate meal can easily cost up to NT$1,000 per person, which makes it perhaps the most expensive vegan restaurant in Taipei.
Personally I value originality of food over dining atmosphere, so if I'm going to spend several hundred NT dollars on a meal I look for the more original fare found at the likes of Flourish, Mianto or Blossom Rena, but SoulR is undoubtedly one of Taipei's most popular vegan establishments, among residents (both Taiwanese and foreign) and visitors. Many readers of my book report that it was their favourite in Taiwan.
In late 2017 SoulR began posting photos of designer handbags, made of real leather, advertising them for sale with a vegan hashtag. There was much confusion about why, but it appears its owners do not really understand veganism, however the consensus among Taipei vegans is that the menu here is completely vegan.
Vegan Taipei ($$, International, Vegan Cheese, Desserts,🌱)
Mon-Sat: 11:30-20:30; Sun:
12:00-18:00.
Seven minutes’ walk south of Daan Station (Exit
3).
Make a U-turn as soon as you
leave the exit, then take the first right into Fuxing South Road, Section 2,
walk 400 metres, then turn right into Rui An Street, and Fresh Bakery will be
on your left after 120 metres.
臺北市大安區里安街130號
Da’an District, Rui An Street, Number 130
Da’an District, Rui An Street, Number 130
(02) 2703 2180 (staff speak
English)
Range of Western,
Indian and Taiwanese food.
Moderately expensive, relative to the portion sizes.
Moderately expensive, relative to the portion sizes.
 |
| Taipei's only Calzone (NT270) |
Vegan Taipei is actually a Version 2.0 of the former Fresh Bakery, Taipei's first vegan bakery which quickly became famous for its cakes and other baked delights almost a decade ago. Like its former life as a bakery, Vegan Taipei aims to serve healthy, affordable vegan food to as many people as possible. It serves mostly Western cuisine, including pizzas and lasagne, and is developing a niche around its vegan cheese, which it manufactures on-site. Vegan Taipei also still produces cakes and pastries, as it did as Fresh Bakery.
Dishes mostly cost around NT$200-$300; expect to spend around NT$500 for a satisfying meal and drink.
Herbivore (Taiwanese, Fusion, 🌱)
Taipei City Hall Station (Exit 3)
Also walkable from
Taipei 101
2nd Floor, Shin Kong
Mitsukoshi Building, Number 19, Song Gao Road, Xinyi District
信義區松高路19號2F
Opulent dining space.
Somewhat unique cuisine (but not nearly as unique as at Mianto, Flourish or Blossom
Rena).
Expensive.
Expensive.
 |
| This burger and the fries were good, but nothing (except the atmosphere) to justify the high price tag (NT$400!). |
Herbivore is the only vegan branch of Mia Cucina, a popular "Italian" chain which has virtually no vegan options. It's a posh restaurant inside a shopping mall in the upmarket Xinyi Distruct, a short walk from Taipei 101. If you are looking for a fine meal out in this area, then it's worth considering, but I find that like most vegan branches of non-vegan chains, the food lacks creativity, as if the management had left off the diary and egg dishes from a regular chain, much unlike when a vegan designs their own vegan menu from scratch. As noted above, the same money (around NT$500-1000) would return a much more creative meal at Mianto, Blossom Rena or Flourish, but the atmosphere at Herbivore is more opulent. It is, however, in a shopping mall, so I much prefer the alternatives.
Tian Zhuan Zhai Loving Hut ($$, Korean, Japanese, Taiwanese, 🌱)
Taipei's best Korean food.
Mon-Fri: 11:30-14:00; 17:00-20:00; closed
Sat-Sun.
Seven minutes’ walk east of Xiangshan Station
(Exit 3).
From Exit 3, continue walking
East along the left-hand side of Xinyi Road, Section 5, around a gentle turn to
the left. The first major intersection is Songde Road (松德路). Cross the road, then turn
left and the Loving Hut is a few doors down. Or see the Eastern Taipei Map.
247 Songde Road
信義區松德路247號
信義區松德路247號
Best Korean food in Taiwan.
This Loving Hut lies somewhere in between the fine-dining Guangfu branch (see above) and the traditional, inexpensive Loving Huts found elsewhere in Taiwan and around the world. This branch, which is run by a multilingual Korean lady and her family, serves Korean, Japanese and Taiwanese favourites, and is often overlooked because it's a little further out than other restaurants but only a few minutes walk from Xiangshan Station (the last stop on the red line, one station after Taipei 101). I recommend this to anyone wanting to try Japanese or Korean food or a good, inexpensive meal out. NT$300 will buy a delicious, healthy meal. Free tea and basic sweet soup is available.
Vege Creek ($$, Taiwanese, Chain, 🌱)
For when you need a fast, simple, inexpensive meal inside a busy train station.
500
metres northwest of Sun Yat Sen Memorial
Hall Station, Exit 1 (see
map below).
Yanji
Street, Lane 129, Number 2
大安區延吉街129巷2號
(02) 2778-1969
12:00-14:00,
17:00-21:00
This popular chain applies a traditional Taiwanese concept found in street food and at expensive buffets (such as Fruitful Food - see below) to a vegan store. Diners choose their own fresh vegetables, tofu and fake meats from a rack, and then the talented chef whips boils them in a traditional broth and then whips them up into a one-pot wonder in minutes. The original store, which offers the best dining experience, was started by two young (non-vegan) men after they returned to Taiwan from working holidays in Australia, and they have since opened two new stores, one in the Dunan branch of the Eslite Bookstore (famous for being open 24 hours, but the foodcourt closes around 21:00) and the Song Gao branch in the Breeze Shopping Centre, close to Taipei 101.While Veggie Creek has lost its edge since the opening of so many other vegan restaurants in eastern Taipei, it's still a unique dining opportunity and an inexpensive meal - something which makes it enormously popular with residents and visitors.
A satisfying meal generally costs NT$200-$300.
Veggie Sun ($$, 植日生手作蔬食, Taiwanese, Japanese, Fusion, 🌱)
Good Fusion Food
Tue-Sun: 11:00-20:00; closed Mon.
Four minutes’ walk southeast of Nanjing Sanmin Station (Exit 3).
No. 11-6號, Lane 250, Section 5, Nanjing East Road, Songshan District, Taipei City, 10568
10568台北市松山區南京東路五段250巷11-6號
Great local Taiwanese fusion restaurant.
 |
| Burger sets are good value, and the patties are refreshingly not made with processed fake meat. |
Fruitful Food ($$$, Buffet, 🥚)
Taiwan's best buffet restaurant.
Beside Zhongxiao Dunhua Station (Exit 3)
After
leaving Exit 3, walk ahead 20 metres (crossing one street) and then immediately
take the elevator of the Mingyao Department Store building on that corner to
the 12th floor. The elevator is on the footpath, behind the
“Mingyao” sign, and is not obvious when walking out of the exit.
Weekdays (preferable): Lunch:
11:30-15:00 (NT$600), Dinner: 17:30 - 21:30 (NT$700)
Weekends, Holidays (must reserve
ahead):
Lunch: 11:30-14:00 (NT$600), Afternoon Tea (slightly smaller menu): 14:20-16:20 (NT$500), Dinner: 17:30-21:30 (NT700).
Lunch: 11:30-14:00 (NT$600), Afternoon Tea (slightly smaller menu): 14:20-16:20 (NT$500), Dinner: 17:30-21:30 (NT700).
These hours (and prices) may
change due to the Corono virus scare. Please call or visit the restaurant to
confirm before making a special trip there.
臺北市忠孝東路四段200號12F(明曜百貨)
12th Floor, Mingyao Department Store, Number 200, Zhongxiao East Road.
12th Floor, Mingyao Department Store, Number 200, Zhongxiao East Road.
(02) 277-18832
Best buffet in
Taiwan.
Uses a lot of dairy and egg (but vegan items are consistently labelled).
Uses a lot of dairy and egg (but vegan items are consistently labelled).
While most buffets in Taiwan are inexpensive, pay-by-weight affairs, Buddhists have for years run elaborate, all-you-can-eat buffets, offering diners dozens of dishes to choose from. Most, unfortunately, serve a lot of dairy products and fake meats, and there's usually no way to tell what's vegan, making the whole process very frustrating for vegan diners. Fruitful Food, however, have a clear labelling system and a large array of vegan options, including (usually) Japanese and Western food, cakes and sorbet. Please beware that a few items contain honey, which is considered 全素, the closest equivalent to vegan in Chinese. (For more information, please see Vegan Food Labels in Taiwan.
As a popular spot for wedding feasts and other large gatherings, it's often booked out days if not weeks in advance, but it's usually possible to turn up on a weekday lunch without a reservation, which is what I recommend.
