Taipei City, Taiwan

Ask Taiwanese people living abroad what they miss most about home, and nine times out of ten the answer is: "The food!" Once you have eaten your way through Taipei, chances are that you might find your stomach arguing against going home.

Chinese food Taiwanese cuisine is known for its seafood dishes and flavorful, slightly heavier sauces. Sweet desserts and bubble tea are also ubiquitous and worth a try. Jingzhao Yin in Zhong Zheng and Wang's Tzungzu in Beitou offer traditional Taiwanese dishes, but the variety of regional Chinese food does not stop there. Ever had a hearty Chinese breakfast? Sung Chiang Hsien Ping Porridge in Tian Mu and Jiang Huang Beef Noodle in Da-An both go beyond dim sum to include northern favorites as well as southern comfort foods often served for breakfast. Many find them are suitable for any time of the day. Cantonese style traditional cuisine is found at Silks House in Zhongshan and the old-school Wanhua I Tion Lung Dumpling House . Taipei's native cuisine with a new twist is a much celebrated phenomenon, with top accolades going to the designer-created Fifi . The whimsically constructed Driftwood is part bar, part restaurant and lots of fun in Songshan, specializing in indigenous cuisine and art. For a complete novelty and a theme that actually works, try Jail , a restaurant in a former correctional facility, where patrons have the option of being handcuffed as they are lead to their tables! Buddhist-inspired Chinese vegetarian cuisine can be found throughout Taipei, including Songshan's Fahua Vegetarian Restaurant . Other regional cuisines from the Mainland include Peking duck, spicy Sichuanese and delicate Shanghainese, all easily attainable. Whatever your favorite style of Chinese, you are sure to find it. Between the top-end restaurants and the night market food stands, there are plenty of inexpensive to moderately priced eateries. If you would like to see and sample a selection of Taipei's best, stop in at Yuanhuan Snack Market around lunchtime. A restaurant's status depends on how crowded it is around 7p, and some places take it as a point of pride to never upgrade their dining rooms, the point being that all the restaurant's attention goes into making high quality food. However a growing number of restaurant owners have put effort into creating attractive dining rooms, usually with an homage towards traditional Chinese hospitality and guest comfort or in chic, ultra modern designs. Be prepared to pay a premium for each. Your best bet may be to not worry about the plastic flowers and faded vinyl floor, but to sit down and focus on the food.

International food It used to be that if you wanted to eat something other than Chinese, the best bet for Western or Japanese food would be in Tian Mu or one of the international hotels. In the past few years, though, restaurants offering food from all over the world have popped up. For great Western food and especially breakfast try Grandma Nitti's Kitchen in Da-An. Jake's Country Kitchen in Zhongshan serves all day Western breakfast and reliably great Mexican food. Do you like Indian? Taipei has several Indian restaurants, including Hindustan in Songshan. There is even a competitive selection of French restaurants, many opened by chefs who trained in that country. If you are in Zhong Zheng, step into Champs Elysees for an unforgettable treat. German and Swiss favorites are found at Chalet Swiss , also in Zhongshan. Patrons looking for Italian cuisine in Taipei are spoiled for choice. A night out at Diamond Tony's Italian Bistro in Tian Mu is something to dress up for. More informally, but prepared with equal enthusiasm, is the home made pasta served up by Cello Pasta 's husband and wife team in Da-An. 86 Cafe in Zhong Zheng has the look and feel of an American diner from the 1950s. Thai and Vietanmese cuisines have a strong following in Taipei, with great restaurants in a variety of budgets ready to fill patrons' cravings for fish curry and noodles. Royal City in Songshan serves both types of cuisine. Janny's Curry House in Zhong Zheng specializes in Burmese curry. With the traffic of Japanese business travelers and tourists, along with the colonial history Taiwan shares with Japan, there is also a wide variety of sushi and teppanyaki restaurants plus lots of tasty ramen stands worth looking into. In Songsan, Kikutsuru is wildly popular. Le Shan Niang Shi Pin Hang has a Chinese name but a Japanese heart in Zhongshan. Lin Sen North Road has several authentic restaurants that originally catered to Japanese travelers. If what you crave is fish and chips in an English pub setting, the long established Pig and Whistle is sure to please. For international cuisine plus an incredible view, stop in at Backyard for dinner over Taipei on a terrace in Shilin.

Department Store Food Courts Want a cheap (NTD150 or less), delicious meal in a lively location with plenty to walk around and see afterwards? Check out the basement food courts in department stores such as Mitsukoshi in Xinyi, Sogo Department Store on Zhong Xiao Road, Takashimaya in Shilin, and Asiaworld Shopping Center in Songshan, New York, New York in Xinyi. The common eating areas are clean and crowded around noon and 7p. Choose between Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Southeast Asian, or McDonald's fare. Ice cream, fruit juice, and crepe stands can also be found. With pictures of the food and prices clearly marked, ordering is quick and easy.

Night market food No trip to Taipei is complete without at least one visit to a night market. Many districts have their own, but the most popular include the Shihlin Night Market , Huashi Night Market , Tonghua and Shi Da . Come join young couples and families browsing and bargaining among clothing and knick knack stalls, then stop and try some of Taiwan's best-known snacks. Chou Do Fu (Smelly Tofu) is similar to blue cheese. Deep friend and covered in hot sauce, it is quite palatable. Many skeptical foreigners end up having a deep affection for it by the time they leave Taipei. You will also find delicious fried and steamed meat-filled buns, oyster-filled omelets, refreshing fruit ices, and a wide variety of things fried or roasted on a stick.

Cafes Taipei's cafes are always clean, attractive (or at least unusual), and typically offer a few simple meals or sandwiches as well as coffee, tea, soda, and juice. For those craving a cup of tea, many places offer a variety of hot and cold teas, including English tea with milk, Chinese and Japanese teas, and herbal and fruit-flavored teas. Mei's Tea Bar has a stellar selection of traditional teas, plus more unconventional ones as well. If you come for lunch, many cafes offer set meals with a drink. As set meals usually cost just a little more than a single drink, consider cafes for a light, inexpensive meal. Bagel Bagel is a home grown cafe chain with several community shops. Adamas Cafe in Da-An is fairly representative for cafe menu selection and service. In addition to the usual cafes, Starbucks and Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf have also become ubiquitous around Taipei.

Bars/Pubs Taipei has many bars and pubs. In addition to neighborhood bars, hotel bars are usually elegant and you'll be able to mix with both local and foreign business people. If you are looking for a piece of home, there are Australian, Japanese, British, Irish and American-style bars like My Other Place in Songshan. Finally, discos, especially those near National Taiwan University and Shi Da (National Taiwan Normal University), combine drink, dancing, and loud music that ranges from rock to alternative to techno. Apocalypse Now is an established stand by for an evening of dancing. A more mellow crowd and live musc can be found at the Blue Note Jazz Bar in Da-An.