The food experience in Taipei caters to a wide range of budgets and tastes, from multi-Michelin-starred restaurants and fine dining to local vendors and their food stalls to flagship outlets by major international food chain outlets to small set-ups around every corner of the night markets. Thanks to its discerning populace, particular of the business districts, most of the places to eat in Taipei offer high-quality delicacies even if they are being served in the local restaurants. Consequently, a considerable number of these restaurants have become so popular that they have branched out to other places within the city, or country and in some cases in the world.

Unlike other tourist places, Taipei has a peculiar trend of eating out rather than cooking at home. This means more choice of restaurants with even more establishments being added all the time. When deciding where to eat in Taipei, you would come across the haute cuisine prepared by the Michelin-starred chefs on the one hand and family-run local restaurants on the other.

1. Din Tai Fun

Din Tai Fun at Xinyi is a humble dumpling house but their astute precision with which they can something as simple as the soup dumpling or xiaolongbao is what has attracted the attention of many food lovers from across the international borders. Starting out small back in 1980, the restaurant has four other eateries in Taipei alone, four more in Taiwan, several in Japan, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, mainland China, Australia, and the United States among others. The restaurant offers high-quality delicacies while retaining the traditional Chinese simplicity in both its setting and cuisine.

2. L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon

Another Michelin-star restaurant opened by a highly decorated chef in the international fora is L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon. The restaurant is praised not just for its bread spreads, mouthwatering desserts, and an extensive and modish wine cellar but also for its chic ambiance. The restaurant is set in a dramatic red and black setting with thirty-six roundtables, the hottest being the thirty-two around the central show kitchen. The seating lets you enjoy the food being prepared with precise expertise and presented by the superb service staff. You should not leave without trying the quail stuffed with foie gras, served with potato puree.

3. S.T.A.Y.

If you are looking to spend have an exquisite lunch experience, you should definitely head to S.T.A.Y. The name stands for Simple Table Alleno Yannick and is located in the busy Taipei 101 Mall. It's must-try includes foie gras with passion fruit gelee and poached mahi-mahi. You will, however, need to make a booking well in advance as the place is usually bustling with people.

4. Lan Jia Gua Bao

A trip to Taipei would be incomplete unless you have tried their Bao buns which also happen to be a huge range within the West. But there is nothing like an authentic taste of the Bao bun from Taiwan which you are sure to find at the Lan Jia Gua Bao. The place is famous for its pork belly steamed bun that is sure to make you drool while waiting with the other food lovers.

While it is easy finding where to eat in Taipei, a food that you will find everywhere and that should be on every traveler's list is the stinky tofu, a delicacy the stench of which can seem to be overbearing but the taste of which is sure to melt your taste buds. Go by what the locals say, 'the stronger the stench, the better the tofu.'