Taipei is a living, breathing museum; this 300-year-old city is a kaleidoscope of colors and smells. With a mix of Japanese and Chinese cultures, Taipei has a lot to offer to all travelers.
In Taipei most apartments do not have kitchens as eating out is very common due to food being cheap and easily accessible. It’s a true foodie's paradise! With its lanes lined with street food joints and restaurants, you have a variety of food and cuisines to choose from. And guess what?! There’s an assortment of Muslim-friendly restaurants throughout the city! So don’t worry, you can take that Boomerang of yourself slurping on some good hearty noodles!
Here are the 7 best restaurants in Taipei!
Image Credit: Taiwan Halal
You cannot leave Taipei without trying its most iconic dish yet – the Taiwanese beef noodle soup! The country has a festival dedicated to the dish and the best place to get it is at Chang’s Beef Noodle Soup Restaurant.
The restaurant has an understated air of charm about it due to its wooden furniture and traditional interior. They serve generous bowls full of wheat noodles, swimming in hearty clear beef broth, with chunks of tender beef and a sprinkling of spring onions. You can order a side of vegetables for that extra crunch, as well as steamed or fried dumplings as a side dish. You can end your meal with a refreshing soya bean drink.
Cuisine: Taiwanese
Address: No. 21, Yanping South Road, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City, Taiwan.
Opening hours: Mon – Sun: 10:00am – 8:20pm
Price: NT$70 – NT$170
Contact: +886-2-2331-2791
This restaurant offers Ningxia cuisine, unique to the North Central China region. The colorful and welcoming restaurant is run by a Muslim lady so the food served is Halal-friendly!
Their mutton dishes are a real hit, two recommended dishes are the cumin-flavored mutton served with bread which is ideal to have while waiting for your mains to arrive and the other is the succulent Ningxia braised mutton, served with their fiery lentil noodles.
Cuisine: Ningxia Cuisine
Address: No.9, Alley 51, Lane 12, Section 3, Bade Road, Songshan District, Taipei City, Taiwan.
Opening hours: Mon – Fri: 5:30am – 11pm / Sat – Sun: 11:30am – 2pm, 5:30pm – 11pm (Closed on first and third Sun of every month)
Price: NT$140 – NT$280
Contact: +886-2-2577-9851
Image Credit: Ding Xian
Craving some seafood? Head over to Ding Xian 101 for some Halal-friendly, authentic Taiwanese seafood. They offer six set menus tailored to Halal requirements, so you'll have various choices.
Each set menu is priced differently, but not lacking in between each other in taste and presentation. Every set menu is sure to entice you with their rich Taiwanese flavours. Some of their mains are steamed king prawn with garlic, chicken soup, stewed abalone, snow lotus, Taiwanese oyster omelette and simmered golden lobster with basmati rice.
Cuisine: Taiwanese
Address: 86F, No.7, Section 5, Xinyi Road, Taipei City, Taiwan.
Operating hours: Mon – Sun: 11:30am – 2:30pm, 5:30pm – 10pm
Price: NT$1380 – NT$2880 (per set meal)
Contact: +886-2-8101-868
Website: https://www.dingxian.com.tw/
You can find Indonesian cuisine in Taipei, just hop on over to Toko Sakura. It’s a cozy restaurant tucked at the back of an Indonesian mini-mart. It’s a humble little eatery that serves authentic Indonesian food for affordable prices!
Beware that their menus are written in Bahasa Indonesia and Chinese, so you might have to use a translator app on your smartphone! A recommended dish is the Soto Ayam, a chicken soup bursting with flavor and served with white rice. This dish is relatively mild in spiciness, so if you want to add some flare to the dish ask for some Sambal (Chilli paste).
Cuisine: Indonesian
Address: 106, Taiwan, Taipei City, Da’an District, No. 78, Section 2, Xinsheng S Rd, 106
Operating hours: Mon – Sun, 8.00am – 6.00pm
Price: NT$100 – NT$150
Contact: +886-2-2391-6011
Image Credit: Khana Kazana
Who can say no to good ol’ Indian food? If you are craving that Naan or Tandoori chicken head over to Khana Kazana, where they serve authentic Indian fare. You can also get some Bollywood-meets-Hollywood magic here as Khana Kazana provided the Indian dishes for the ‘Life of Pi’ movie! Their food was also enjoyed by the cast and crew behind the scenes.
They serve every type of dish in the Indian cuisine and everything is prepared according to Halal requirements. You can never go wrong with these recommended dishes - Chicken Tikka, Chicken Tandoori and Naan.
Cuisine: Indian Cuisine
Address: No. 366, Section 1, Keelung Rd, Xinyi District, Taipei City, Taiwan 110
Opening hours: Mon – Sunday, 11:00am – 2:30pm, 5:00pm – 10:00pm
Contact: +886 2 8786 9366
Website: http://www.khanakhazana.com.tw/
We can't get enough of spicy Thai food, and luckily for us, you can find good Thai food at Yunus Halal Restaurant. Head over to this family-friendly restaurant that serves a variety of dishes and a humble selection of desserts. The recommended dishes are Tom Yum soup (a must when having Thai food,) stir-fried Kangkong, and Steamed Seabass. The presentation is great, with orchid flowers added in with the garnishings.
Cuisine: Thai cuisine
Address: No. 36, Beining Rd., Songshan Dist., Taipei City 105, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
Opening hours: Mon – Sat, 10.00am – 09.00pm
Contact: +886-2-2579-528
Image Credit: Ice Monster
Last but not least, the most important course is dessert! And what better way than to end your day with some shaved ice?
This dessert is sure to leave you craving for more, and it’s Halal-Friendly! A favorite amongst tourists and locals alike, Ice Monster serves up shaved ice churned with different flavors. They offer a variety of toppings. Feeling fruity? Go for fresh mango, strawberries, or pineapple. Feeling adventurous? Go for their other flavors, such as sweet peanut, pearl milk tea, coffee, and sweet red beans. This dessert is enjoyed by children and adults alike!
Address
Zhongxiao Flagship Shop: No. 297, Section 4, Zhongxiao East Road, Da’an District, Taipei City, Taiwan (Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall Exit 1)
Breeze Song Gao: No. 16, Song Gao Rd., Xin-Yi District, Taipei, Taiwan (Taipei City Hall Station Exit 3)
Opening hours
Zhongxiao Flagship Shop: Sun to Thu - 10.30am to 10.30pm / Fri to Sat 10.30am to 11.30pm
Breeze Song Gao: Sun to Thu 11am-9.30pm / Fri-Sat 11am - 10pm
Price: NT$30 – NT$280
Contact: Flagship Shop (旗艦店) +886-2-8771-3263 / +886-2-8771-3092, Headquarters (總公司) +886-2-2627-5686
Website: http://www.ice-monster.com/
Zhongxiao Flagship Shop
Breeze Song Gao
Taipei is an exciting city with great historical buildings, beautiful parks, and a buzzing lifestyle. It’s sure to keep you on your toes and will leave you ravenous, so be sure to drop by these restaurants for some good food!
