Food in Taiwan

Unfortunately, no photos (barely found one) because I almost never take pictures of food — only when I’m feeling particularly melancholic (or need to flex a steak) or if it’s part of a friendly ritual. But so far, everything has been purely practical.

TL;DR: The food here is great, but a bit peculiar. Surprisingly not spicy (for me, at least), though you can always ask for heat if you need it. And if all else fails, you can just stick to some default “Italian cuisine” or whatever — Taipei has no shortage of restaurants.

So, the food:

1️⃣ About spiciness — They love deep flavors, sauces, slow-cooked stuff, but not that face-melting spiciness you might expect. The weirdest spicy thing I’ve seen? Mustard in bubble tea. But that’s only if you ask for it. They won’t force anything extreme on you, thank god.

2️⃣ Street food is top-tier. Especially in terms of safety. Sure, some things smell a bit funky, but way less intense than in Malaysia or Thailand. Also, I trust the hygiene here more — Taiwanese people are generally very clean and detail-oriented. Lots of braised meat everywhere, and they are obsessed with soups. I’m not a soup fan, but I sometimes eat street food here, which is rare for me. And guess what? Still alive. Knock on wood.

3️⃣ The Cult of Tea. Taiwanese love tea. Bubble tea, traditional tea houses, tea shops in every mall — this place is tea heaven. Not surprising, since GABA tea was invented here. Planning to visit some tea plantations soon (they’re nearby), but for now — WORK. And lots of tea.

4️⃣ Sweet tooth central. Like many Asians (except maybe the Japanese?), Taiwanese love sugar. Sweetened tea is the default. Sweet bread, sweet soup, even sweet meat sometimes. But strangely, there aren’t many obvious desserts everywhere — regular food is just sugary by default. Thankfully, you can find non-sweet versions too, if you look.

5️⃣ Some exotic stuff. Beyond mustard bubble tea, there’s stinky tofu — and yes, it stinks. You will smell it before you see it. It’s an experience. Not necessarily one I recommend.

6️⃣ Lots of vegetarian places. Even if you’re not looking for them, you’ll notice vegetarian cafes everywhere. I have like 2–3 just near my place, which is a lot. I’m not a huge fan, but I eat a decent amount of greens here.

About regular groceries

Everything you need is available. Tons of supermarkets, deliveries, etc. For food delivery, there’s Food Panda and Uber Eats, and you can also order groceries there.

Convenience stores? 7–11, Family Mart, and PX Mart (bigger, cheaper). Berries are ridiculously cheap right now, maybe it’s the season — I’m eating them by the kilogram. Nom nom nom. Found a low-sugar yogurt too, now I eat it like crazy.

Fruits and vegetables? Excellent and affordable.

Alcohol? Varied and available anytime. No time restrictions. Popular choices: Chinese baijiu, Korean soju, lots of Japanese and Taiwanese beer. I’m not drinking now, but I had my fair share of beer here — it’s solid.

So yeah, Taiwan is a foodie’s paradise, even if you need to adjust a little at first. Just beware of unexpected sugar, and maybe… skip the stinky tofu.