MICHELIN Guide Inspectors spend all year on the road uncovering the best restaurants to recommend and reveal some of their latest favorite additions monthly ahead of the annual launch event.
Restaurants in Taipei, Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung will be added to the selection monthly, on the second Wednesday of every month. The newly selected venues will feature on both the website and the app. There’s a special entry “New” created for those newly-listed restaurants and those restaurants will be highlighted with a ‘New’ symbol, for easy identification.
Bookmark this page and check back monthly for the latest additions!
August 2023
Eight new establishments are added to the MICHELIN Guide Taiwan selection this month – the last live updates before the annual launch event that is taking place this month.
Among them are quite a few familiar names, including the French restaurant opened by the former chef of two-starred restaurant L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon Taipei, establishment that focus on a new spin on French classics supervised by famous chef Lanshu Chen, an offshoot of the famous Sushi Amamoto, as well as a sister dessert spot by Taichung one-star restaurant Sur-.
It's also worth noting that a restaurant that offers tasting menu that is jointly created by two chefs with Chinese and Western culinary training, as well as a vegetarian restaurant that features refined plant-based cuisine that is artfully plated and with layers of rich flavors.
Taipei
16 by Flo
Look for the blue house in this quiet alley for the atmospheric 16-seat eatery specialising in traditional Burgundy fare. A Robuchon alumna opened this tiny gem in 2023 to showcase her brand of French cooking with a feminine touch. The appetiser of ossetra caviar with scampi tartare, elegantly presented on an antique embossed silver plate, has a buttery, briny sweetness. (hero image: ©16 by Flo)
le beaujour
Consultant celebrity chef Lanshu Chen worked closely with Chef Pili Chiang, an alumnus of the Joël Robuchon Group, on the à la carte weekday dishes, as well as the weekend tasting menu. The culinary focus offers a new spin on French classics, with a lighter taste and a deft, ethereal touch.
Sushi Touryuumon
When Sushi Amamoto became off-limits for non-members, Chef Amamoto opened this offshoot in 2022 so that all food lovers could experience his culinary vision. Run by his protégés, Sushi Touryuumon uses the freshest catch mostly from Fukuoka, Japan, alongside sushi rice from Hualian, Taiwan. The chef’s signatures like crispy deep-fried eel, kombu saba nigiri, and soufflé tamagoyaki made with free-range chicken eggs are also available.
RELATED: The Best Sushi Restaurants in Taipei
Taichung
La Maison de Win
The tasting menu is jointly created by two chefs with Chinese and Western culinary training; dishes are rooted in Taiwanese, Cantonese and Hakka traditions, but jazzed up with Western technique and plating. Rich flavoursome golden chicken broth and Hakka braised Ibérico pork belly with dried mustard greens are both delightful.
MINIMAL
The sister dessert spot of Sur- makes a gustatory and visual splash with its complex layering of flavours and textures. The seven-course menu changes every season; frozen treats like gelato and granita are artfully plated to articulate a theme. In line with wabi sabi aesthetics, the pared-down interior embraces imperfections in its rusted steel siding, restored roof truss and concrete beams.
Tainan
Plum Chang
The owner’s family used to run a plum farm in the neighbourhood. In the 1990s, they opened this restaurant, incorporating the tangy stone fruit into their recipes. Diners’ favourites include plum-scented pork, egg tofu in plum sauce, and stir-fried pork intestines with sour plums. There is a shop selling plums next door and the Meiling Scenic Area nearby is a famous viewing spot for plum blossom in winter.
the FRONT HOUSE
The veteran chef-manager has over 20 years of fine dining experience and his tasting menu relates his life and travels in Europe, Asia and the Americas. His clever use of local produce like starfruit, pickled cabbage and betel leaves adds a unique twist.
Kaohsiung
Xiantaosu
The chef serves three set menus with artfully plated courses that layer rich flavours. Varied techniques, such as fermenting, pickling, grilling, braising and searing, are deftly used to great effect. The vegan braised pork rice uses diced monkey head mushrooms instead of pork, creating light, briny umami.
RELATED: The Best Vegetarian-friendly Restaurants in Taipei and Taichung
Stay up-to-date with the latest MICHELIN-recommended restaurants and news on the MICHELIN Guide Taiwan Facebook Page, MICHELIN Guide Taiwan Website, and on the MICHELIN Guide mobile app (iOS and Android), which enables you to find every restaurant and hotel in the world selected by the MICHELIN Guide.
July 2023
Nine new establishments are added to the MICHELIN Guide Taiwan selection this month. Among them, three establishments are newly added in Taipei, including a dessert lab; as well as a Taiwan outpost by Jean-François Piège of Le Grand Restaurant - Jean-François Piège; and another one by German chef Thomas Bühner.
In Tainan, the new additions feature must-try delicacies unique to the city such as beef soup, shrimp rolls, and assorted seafood congee; while in Kaohsiung, a diverse range of cooking styles are included this time around — from restaurants that feature charcoal-grilled dishes, Taiwanese-style home-cooked dishes that demonstrate the chef's mastery of heat, as well as juicy and tender smoked duck that is glazed in cane sugar.
Taipei
Clover
Renowned chef Jean-François Piège’s first venture outside of France is a collaborative effort with the upmarket department store Bellavita. The greatest hits from Chef Piège’s four restaurants in France are available à la carte and on the season-driven tasting menu. Local ingredients are deftly crafted in signature dishes like carbonara of wild squid where shredded squid is used in place of pasta, or lobster stewed in whole pumpkin with a seashell jus.
Hugh
Formerly a private dessert lab open by appointment only, Hugh turned into a sleek, minimalistic restaurant with regular hours in 2021. The 6- to 7- course dessert dining menu includes the best sweets in season, not only exquisitely plated, but also subverting preconceptions. Courses flow elegantly from one to another, presenting a variety of depth and textures.
LA Vie by thomas bühner
LA Vie is managed by German chef Bühner and local investors, while the kitchen is helmed by a Hongkong chef. The single prix-fixe menu showcases refined dishes underscored by European technique but showing strong Japanese influences. Diners can watch the chefs at work through the picture window. (hero image: LA Vie by thomas bühner)
Tainan
Hsi Lo Tien Beef Soup
Its hallmark beef soup is simmered with beef bones, brisket, fat and onion and thin slices of lean beef are added just before serving. Pour on a dash of rice wine for extra fragrance or dip the beef in the fiery home-made chilli sauce for a kick. The assortment soup offers a choice of cuts from beef tendon and brisket to liver and all the soups come with a bowl of steamed rice or braised pork rice.
Huang Chia Shrimp Roll
Shrimp roll is a classic Taiwanese snack and a must-try for all visitors. Huang Chia’s version is stuffed with shrimp and cabbage and is dipped in a potato starch batter before being deep-fried to order, resulting in a fluffy airy crust, with thinly sliced radish on the side for contrast.
Xie Shopkeeper
Its renowned milkfish and assorted seafood congee (more like soupy rice) is lavishly topped with fish skin, fish balls, fish meat, shrimps, clams and cuttlefish, imparting deep seafood umami. Steamed seafood in salt is also popular – try steamed giant grouper for its gelatinous texture.
Kaohsiung
Apis Grill
The veteran head chef is keen on straight-forward, back-to-basics cooking, in which meat, fish and veggies are grilled over a wood fire. The menu changes every few weeks, but New Zealand venison is a firm fixture. Order the abalone if available.
Chao Ming
This well-known landmark of Taiwanese home-style cooking has been in business for over 60 years. Masterful control of heat and a dexterous use of sauces depict the food, most of which comes in three portion sizes. Hallmark dishes include stir-fried pork belly with garlic sprouts and stir-fried clams with mung bean sprouts. Wild-caught marine fish, braised or pan-fried, is also popular.
Lao Ye Mei Shi Guan (Fengshan)
The restaurant has been a landmark of Fengshan’s culinary scene for almost two decades. Its speciality, smoked duck glazed in cane sugar, is a masterclass of flavour and is particularly juicy and tender thanks to the duck breed from China. Pan-fried pork belly with lemongrass is another hit, featuring freshly slaughtered local pork and sustainably grown lemongrass from the owner’s farm, without forgetting the fish soup that cooks for four hours.
Stay up-to-date with the latest MICHELIN-recommended restaurants and news on the MICHELIN Guide Taipei, Taichung, Tainan & Kaohsiung Facebook Page, MICHELIN Guide Taipei, Taichung, Tainan & Kaohsiung Website, and on the MICHELIN Guide mobile app (iOS and Android), which enables you to find every restaurant and hotel in the world selected by the MICHELIN Guide.
June 2023
Seven new establishments are added to the MICHELIN Guide Taiwan selection this month. Each of the new additions in Taipei, Taichung, and Tainan showcases their unique positioning and personality.
A Cut, known for its premium beef cuts, has been re-selected after its relocation. There are also restaurants residing in a hot springs hotel that serve innovative Taiwanese cuisine, allowing diners to have the luxury of enjoying the mountain view, hot springs, and great food all in one place. Also featured is a popular late-night supper spot, flocked to by diners for its braised pork rice that comes with slow-cooked pork belly and an amber-colored sauce. There is also a restaurant where guests can watch the endangered, black-faced spoonbills in Taiwan, while enjoying local seafood delicacies such as milkfish. From north to south, the new additions demonstrate the unique landscapes in each place around the island.
A Cut
The restaurant is perfect for business meeting or social gatherings. Set menus featuring premium beef cuts from the U.S. and Australia are served at lunch and dinner. The signature "A Cut" steak, a ribeye cap with even marbling and a tender texture, is the stellar choice. Oenophiles will be thrilled by rare vintages from Bordeaux and Burgundy on offer.
Chinese Cuisine
Breath-taking mountain views and hot spring baths aside, the food alone is reason enough to visit this resort. The head chef has been honing his skills for over 10 years and his set menus and à la carte choices are nothing short of impressive, such as his abalone and pork tendon in a three-cup sauce steeped in deep savoury flavours. The complimentary Taiwanese tea is a nice touch.
Sens
The restaurant is only open for dinner with a single tasting menu that changes according to the season (although the ever-popular pâté en croûte remains a firm fixture). Luxury ingredients are shipped from Europe and diners can sample seafood, poultry, meat and cheeses all at once. (hero image: Sens)
Taichung
Night School Braised Pork Rice
This favourite late night supper spot among many Taichungese stays opens late; in fact, the later it gets, the busier it is. Naturally, braised pork rice is the must-try speciality – slow-cooked pork belly in an amber sauce is melty, but also bouncy; top it with pickles or dried radish with chilli to cut through the richness. Other Taiwanese dishes, such as braised napa cabbage and fried tofu, are also worth a try.
Rong Cuisine
Chef Rong opened this little gem tucked away in an alley in 2021. The eclectic menu covers Taiwanese, Japanese and Western dishes in smaller portions so that guests can sample more variety. Signature items include braised pork rice with sakura shrimps – the hand-diced pork is fatty and melty, Job’s tears and rice that’s rich and creamy.
Tainan
Black-faced Spoonbill Canteen
A must for birdwatchers and seafood lovers, the Canteen is one of the best places to see the endangered black-faced spoonbills in Taiwan. From September to the following May, these migratory birds fly here and feed on the fish in the restaurant owner’s pond. Besides sustainably farmed milkfish and clams straight from his fish farm, the menu also includes other seafood classics, like deep-fried squid in salted egg yolk sauce.
Hao Nung Chia Migao
It has ever been a hit with the locals who can’t get enough of its addictive migao, topped with braised pork sauce, fish floss, cucumber and peanuts. The second-generation owner insists on making migao just like his father did: the sticky rice is soaked, steamed and kept warm in a woven reed tub next to the stove to keep it moist and chewy.
RELATED: Restaurants for Rice-based Dishes in Taipei and Taichung
Stay up-to-date with the latest MICHELIN-recommended restaurants and news on the MICHELIN Guide Taipei, Taichung, Tainan & Kaohsiung Facebook Page, MICHELIN Guide Taipei, Taichung, Tainan & Kaohsiung Website, and on the MICHELIN Guide mobile app (iOS and Android), which enables you to find every restaurant and hotel in the world selected by the MICHELIN Guide.
May 2023
Eight new establishments are added to the MICHELIN Guide Taiwan selection this month. The new additions in Taipei, Tainan, and Kaohsiung are a perfect reflection of the inclusiveness of local cuisine with the evolution of time. Featured in this list of new additions are local delicacies such as stir-fried eel, duck noodle soup made with the Chinese herb dang gui, and heritage dishes from a Taiwanese restaurant that's more than 60 years old. The spotlight also shines on other cooking styles that incorporate Chinese herbs, Taiwanese elements, Hakka touches, aboriginal elements, and even influences from Japan and Italy, displaying the island's innovative gastronomic energy.
Taipei
Cha Cha Thé Cuisine
The room boasts a wall of Pu-er tea bricks as a nod to its past. The 3- to 5-course lunch set offers good value, with only one season-driven tasting menu at dinner. The head chefs excel in preparing local and Asian produce using classic French techniques. (hero image; Cha Cha Thé Cuisine)
Inita
Inita is the portmanteau of Italy, Nippon (Japan) and Taiwan – the food is underpinned by Italian techniques, made with local ingredients and jazzed up by Japanese twists. The duck rice dish Ancora, Ciao Formosa pays tribute to the documentary Beyond Beauty: Taiwan from Above, replicating the bird’s eye view of Taiwan’s countryside on a plate.
Tainan
Eastern Castle Noodles
On the bustling Dongmen Traffic Circle, this simple shop has been serving stir-fried eel since opening its doors in 1970. The ‘dry’ version highlights the natural flavour of the fish with smoky wok hei and sweet and sour seasoning. E-fu noodles with stir-fried eel is a must for most regulars.
RELATED: Stories about Taiwanese Cuisine
San Hao Yi Kung Tao Angelica Duck
Now into the second generation, the family business still attracts a loyal fanbase thanks to its duck noodle soup made with the Chinese herb Dang Gui (a.k.a. Chinese angelica root). The amber broth has rounded flavours, a lingering aftertaste and a hint of bitterness. With freshly slaughtered duck and al dente noodles, it makes for a wholesome meal.
The Temple-front Eatery
Formerly in front of Shatao Temple, this 60-year-old bolthole is barely more than a seafood cart in a no-frills space. It serves rustic, traditional Taiwanese cooking at frugal prices until late.
Kaohsiung
Erge Shih Tang
The menu features Taiwanese home-style cooking, that is lightly seasoned and in smaller portions. The signature grilled Pacific saury in honey sauce is braised until the bones are tender and edible, perfect with a bowl of steamed rice, pork lard rice, or braised pork rice.
MU
The 10-course tasting menu changes every 6 weeks, inspired by Taiwanese, Hakka and aboriginal recipes and demonstrates a flair for local Chinese herbs and spices. Most dishes are cooked over charcoal and the reduced sauces are free of starch.
Temperature Studio
The owner-chef has over 10 years of experience in haute cuisine. He opened this 6-seater in 2021 because he believes temperature is at the core of all good food. The down-to-earth multi-course omakase menu uses European, Japanese and Taiwanese techniques to create dishes that are homely but layered with flavours and textures.
Stay up-to-date with the latest MICHELIN-recommended restaurants and news on the MICHELIN Guide Taipei, Taichung, Tainan & Kaohsiung Facebook Page, MICHELIN Guide Taipei, Taichung, Tainan & Kaohsiung Website, and on the MICHELIN Guide mobile app (iOS and Android), which enables you to find every restaurant and hotel in the world selected by the MICHELIN Guide.
April 2023
Seven new establishments are added to the MICHELIN Guide Taipei, Taichung, Tainan & Kaohsiung selection this month. The new additions celebrate a diversity of gastronomic experiences such as a menu based on European tradition but heavily influenced by South Asian and Tibetan cultures; a restaurant that features Latin American cuisine; an establishment that celebrates indigenous Taiwanese flavors; and stalls that offer local rice-based delicacies that cannot be missed.
RELATED: Restaurants for Rice-based Dishes in Taipei and Taichung
Taipei
Hosu
The owner-chef pledges his love to his homeland on the menu, making reference to the seasonal changes in Taiwan’s mountains, seas, rivers and plains. Dishes pivot around his childhood memories using mostly produce from sustainable sources.
Xiang Se
That the owner is also an antique dealer explains the abundance of exquisite pieces dotting the room. The young chef creates only one fixed price menu based on European traditions, but heavily influenced by South Asian and Tibetian cultures. (hero image: ©Xiang Se)
Zea
The Argentinian chef named the restaurant after the Latin word for maize because the food crop is equally important to both latam and Taiwanese cuisines. The 12-course tasting menu embodies the passion and vibrancy of the continent’s food cultures without missing the finesse of haute cuisine.
Kaohsiung
Ibu Kitchen
Ibu Kitchen specialises in Aboriginal Taiwanese cuisine made with produce from the Bunun owner-chef’s hometown in Mount Tengzhi. The menu is dominated by healthy options like fried egg tofu in plum sauce, steamed millet dumpling with pork and sakura shrimps, and free-range chicken braised in plum sauce with shiso leaves.
Kuca Seafood
The family business, run by a father and son, stands out with a unique sense of humour in dish naming and the incorporation of Western produce in recipes like squid ink fried rice, which impresses with its strong, earthy aromas of truffle oil. Another popular dish, silky scrambled egg with sea urchin roe bursts with briny sweetness.
Liao Chi Migao
This no-frills shop near the train station has been famous for their migao, or rice cake, since 1955. Glutinous rice mixed with dried shrimps and shallot is steamed in ceramic ramekins as opposed to bamboo tubes. The rice cake is then turned out onto a serving plate, drizzled with braised pork sauce, topped with pork floss and pickled cucumber.
Mi Yuan Tzu Steamed Glutinous Rice
After selling sticky rice in a market for 10-plus years, the owner couple opened this shop in 2021. The signature boneless duck sticky rice entices with its sesame oil and ginger aromas, while taro pork rib soup boasts starchy tuber infused with meaty flavours.
