Taiwan is known for its vibrant food culture, hosting a thriving night market scene where food takes centre stage. The island nation’s cuisine is dominated by salty, braised, and fermented flavours, and some of the traditional Taiwanese recipes that we crave include beef noodle soup, fried chicken, braised pork rice, and, for breakfast, stuffed sticky rice rolls.
We’ve rounded up our favourite Taiwanese restaurants in the city, where we dine when we’re in search of the authentic flavours of Formosa.
The best Taiwanese restaurants in Hong Kong
Art & Taste
Open daily from 8:30AM, popular Taiwanese eatery What to Eat has recently rebranded as Art & Taste in Central with a fresh, brightly lit interior. The menu, which earned it a coveted Bib Gourmand award for seven years in a row, has (thankfully) remained the same. A true Taiwanese spirit courses through this spot. We keep coming back for heavy-hitters like the meat floss and cheese egg roll (HKD38), tomato beef noodles (HKD88), braised pork with rice (HKD35), and bentos (from 68). There are plenty of side dishes to keep things interesting, from Taiwanese fried chicken fillet (HKD35), to Taiwanese garlic sausage (HKD78), to century egg and tofu (HKD46).
Art & Taste, Shop A, G/F, Carfield Commercial Building, 75–77 Wyndham Street, Central, 5247 4461
Check In Taipei
Check In Taipei provides a colourful, fun, and modern touch to Taiwanese cuisine at their branches in Causeway Bay, Tsim Sha Tsui, and Yuen Long. The signature crispy chicken (HKD128) is a must-order, and we love the salted egg yolk taro balls (HKD78), mentaiko mochi egg crepe (HKD98), and soft-shell crab mapo tofu noodles (HKD238) for more inventive flavour combinations. The eatery’s extensive beverage menu includes tea-infused cocktails, with the Drunken Bubble Tea (HKD98), boozed up with oolong vodka, our tipple of choice.
Check In Taipei, multiple locations across Hong Kong
Yuan Is Here
Recently launching a third location at BaseHall in Central, Yuan Is Here is arguably the most beloved of the Taiwanese eateries on our list. The Taiwan-born owner injects a buzzy night market feel to this Bib Gourmand restaurant. The dishes worth queuing for include the braised pork rice (HKD43), oyster omelette (HKD42), and Jiufen taro balls (HKD40) sweet soup, served warm or cold, a classic Taiwanese dessert.
Yuan Is Here, multiple locations across Hong Kong
Tai Tsai
Tai Tsai is another spot founded by a Taiwanese expat longing for a taste of home. The restaurant’s braised pork rice is as legit as it gets, showcasing hand-diced pork belly slow-cooked with soy, sugar, and aromatics; the scallion braised pork rice (HKD58) takes this dish up another savoury notch. The basil fried chicken (HKD73) and danbing with pork floss and cheese (HKD40) are also tops here.
Tai Tsai, G/F, 99 Hoi Pa Street, Tsuen Wan, 2428 0868
Liu Liang San
Taiwanese beef noodles are the selling point of this humble spot, where the MSG-free soup base is slow-cooked for at least 10 hours in order to concentrate its peppery, beefy richness. Liu Liang San’s locally made noodles are particularly noteworthy, renowned for their thick and chewy texture. We’re partial to the collagen goodness of the braised beef tendon noodle soup (HKD85), along with a side of an onsen egg (HKD15) and a refreshing winter-melon tea (HKD20) for sipping.
Liu Liang San, G/F, 3 lchang Street, Tsim Sha Tsui East, 3462 2140
Liu Liang San, Shop 2, 4/F, Kwok Kee Group Centre, 107 How Ming Street, Kwun Tong, 3620 3696
Duan Chun Zhen
A well-known Taiwanese chain with five branches in Hong Kong, Duan Chun Zhen blends traditional Taiwanese braising techniques with the fiery flavours of Sichuan. The beef noodles with shank, tripe, and tendon (HKD94), crafted with fermented bean paste and more than 20 Chinese medicinal herbs, is the pungent bestseller here. Diners have their choice of two types of noodles: wide handmade noodles and traditional thin vermicelli. Other Duan Chun Zhen noodle dishes we enjoy include the rich chicken broth noodles with deep-fried pork chop (HKD78) and Taiwanese dan dan noodles with minced pork (HKD62).
Duan Chun Zhen, multiple locations across Hong Kong
Formosa Autumn
Down an alleyway near Quarry Bay MTR station, you’ll find this hole-in-the-wall Taiwanese eatery, Formosa Autumn, where the friendly staff dish out generous portions of authentic Taiwanese eats. The beef noodle soup (HKD72), scallion noodles with chicken chop (HKD76), bitter melon with salted egg yolk (HKD82), and three-cup chicken (HKD134) are amongst the homestyle favourites here.
Formosa Autumn, Shop B, G/F, Tak Fat Building, 13 Finnie Street, Quarry Bay, 2563 9388
Mu Taiwan Noodle
In addition to scrumptious beef soup noodles (HKD76/HKD79), no-frills Mu Taiwan Noodle is the talk of the town for its braised pork rice and Taiwanese omelette known as danbing. The egg omelette with pork floss and cheese (HKD49) is our go-to, along with the mala spicy braised pork and spring onion rice (HKD42) and sides of garlic-laden Taiwan sausage (HKD32) and fried sweet potato with plum powder (HKD42).
