For true foodies, Tainan is a must-visit on your Taiwan itinerary. There’s a reason why this city is known as Taiwan’s food capital. I spent 4 days (3 nights) in Tainan and discovered many great places to eat or have coffee during that time. Whether you’re planning to try all the traditional food in Tainan or enjoy stylish, modern restaurants and cozy cafes; in Tainan, you’ll find it all.
There’s certainly more to do than enjoy great food, but in this Tainan food guide I share all my tips for where to eat in Tainan. Beautiful restaurants, nice coffee shops, and the best place to try the traditional rice pudding (and other traditional Tainan dishes).
A Day in Shiqu
In Tainan I stayed at the lovely U.I.J. Hotel & Hostel. I highly recommend this boutique hotel with its great design in the West Central District, and I’ll share more about it later. Just around the corner from the hotel is A Day in Shiqu, where I usually started my day.
The interior of this Tainan café is industrial with lots of gray tones but has a nice atmosphere. When you walk into the cafe you see all the freshly baked goodies, both sweet and savory, displayed on the right. On the other side, the team is working hard to make all these pastries. There’s also a breakfast and lunch menu.
A Day in Shiqu is open from 9 am to 6 pm, so you can stop by for breakfast, lunch, or simply enjoy a quiet place to read or work.
Address: No. 5, You’ai Street, West Central District, Tainan City
Henri in the Marsh
Henri in the Marsh is also located in the West Central District of Tainan, about a 20 minute walk from my hotel. A popular area for both locals and tourists, with a mix of old temples, modern shops, and where most of the best restaurants in Tainan can be found. Finding this café can be a bit tricky though. Henri in the Marsh is located above a shop, and there’s no sign outside to let you know where it is. You have to walk through the shop and up the stairs to find the café.
The cozy interior is an interesting combination of modern and vintage, with wooden furniture, cozy seating areas, and lots of greenery. People in Tainan mainly come here for the beautiful cakes and desserts, which are truly fantastic.
Address: No. 28, Xining Street, West Central District, Tainan City
Swallow Tainan
A café that encourages you to have a cocktail at 9 am. Now that’s interesting! Swallow Tainan opened in 2022 in one of the oldest parts of the city, and has since become one of the popular hotspots in Tainan. The industrial interior of this old building, with cozy seating areas is beautiful and very inviting.
During the day, you can enjoy artisanal coffee and delicious cakes. In the evening the bar transforms into a stylish cocktail bar, serving innovative cocktails. They have a special cocktail menu if you’d like a drink between 9 am and 6 pm. Although I was tempted to start day drinking at 9 am, I liked their coffee menu just as much and opted for coffee with cake.
Address: No. 27, Chongan Street, North District, Tainan City
Zyuu Tsubo
The restaurant that impressed me the most in Tainan is Zyuu Tsubo. With space for only 9 guests it can be a challenge to eat here. Since they don’t take reservations, make sure to arrive around 15 minutes before they open for lunch (11.30 am) or dinner (5.30 pm). At least, that worked for me. Just before they open, the friendly owner comes out to chat with the people who are waiting outside. Fortunately, I was able to get one of the 9 seats.
Zyuu Tsubo opened in 2018 and quickly built a reputation as an innovative culinary hotspot in Tainan. Its location was once a rubber workshop and they’ve kept the interior of this narrow space quite simple. Sitting at the long counter, you’ll only have eyes for what’s happening right in front of you where the chef carefully prepares the most delicious food. The menu features refined Japanese dishes with Taiwanese influences, using the best local and imported ingredients. It looks fantastic and tastes just as great. I ordered the ‘donburi’ (Japanese rice bowl) with salmon, scallop, salmon roe, and fresh wasabi. This is definitely one of the best restaurants in Tainan!
Address: No. 22, Lane 158, Zhongyi Road, West Central District, Tainan City
PariPari
Opposite Zyuu Tsubo, you’ll find PariPari, the most popular café in the West Central District. It wasn’t busy when I visited, making it a perfect place to escape the city’s hustle and bustle.
PariPari is more than a café. On the ground floor, you’ll find a design shop with original products and decorative accessories for your home, many handmade by Taiwanese artists. Perfect for a unique souvenir.
When you go upstairs, you’ll find the café on the first floor. The fact that PariPari is owned by a group of designers is immediately apparent. They’ve created an atmosphere of a retro Japanese coffee house, with a mix of vintage furniture and modern accents. I very much enjoyed my coffee, sitting at the long table by the large windows, alternating between writing in my travel journal and gazing outside.
Go up another floor, and you’ll find ParPari apt with two rooms that you can book for an overnight stay.
Address: No. 9, Lane 158, Zhongyi Road, West Central District, Tainan City
Yi Wei Pin for Tainan food specialty ‘wagui’
All the Tainan restaurants and cafés I’ve mentioned so far are very modern. Since I’ve been traveling around Taiwan for a while, I’ve already tried quite some traditional Taiwanese food by now (for example during a food tour in Taipei). However, there’s one Tainan food specialty I saved for this moment, and that is the Taiwanese savory steamed rice pudding ‘wagui’.
According to the Michelin Guide, Yi Wei Pin is the best place to eat this local specialty. They even received a Bib Gourmand for it.
Would I recommend it? In terms of the experience: definitely! I loved sitting on a stool among the locals. As for the dish itself, I was less enthusiastic. The texture, made out of rice milk, shrimp, pork and a pork sauce, is quite fatty and gelatinous. It helps to stir it a bit and add some soy sauce, garlic, and/or wasabi. But if you want to try all the local Tainan food specialties, you should definitely go here.
Address: No. 177, Guohua Street, West Central District, Tainan City
Other Taiwanese food in Tainan you should try
As the food capital of Taiwan, Tainan is the perfect place to try traditional (street) food. You’ll find street food vendors everywhere specializing in one or more dishes. My stay in Tainan was more about modern restaurants and cafés, but if you would like to try more of Tainan’s food specialities, then keep an eye out for these traditional Taiwanese dishes.
Danzai noodles
These are small bowls of noodles with a light broth, garnished with minced pork, shrimp, and cilantro. This dish was invented over a century ago in Tainan. When it comes to typical food in Tainan, this is the classic dish you should try, which locals mainly eat for breakfast. According to the Michelin Guide, the best Danzai noodles in Tainan can be found at Small Park Danzai Noodles, which has been awarded a Bib Gourmand.
Address: No. 321, Ximen Road, West Central District, Tainan City
Coffin bread (guan cai ban)
A thick slice of (Western) bread that is fried and hollowed out, filled with a creamy stew/soup of seafood, pork, and vegetables. The name comes from the shape of the dish, which resembles a small coffin. According to the Michelin Guide, the best is found at Chikan Coffin in the Tainan Kangle Market.
Address: No.180, Jhongjheng Road, West Central District, Tainan City
Milkfish
Tainan is famous for its milkfish dishes, which range from milkfish soup to fried or stewed milkfish. In the Anping district, you can even visit a Milkfish museum! The fish has a firm texture and a mild, slightly sweet taste. For the best milkfish in Tainan, go to Yung Tung Milkfish, A Xing Shi Mu Yu, or Kaiyuan Road No Name Milkfish, all of which have been awarded a Bib Gourmand.
Oyster omelette
A thick omelette made with fresh small oysters, eggs, and (sweet) potato starch, often served with a sweet red sauce. It’s a popular snack at the night markets.
Beef soup
I already had this soup in Taipei, but Tainan is especially famous for it. A simple but delicious soup with thinly sliced beef and a clear broth. If you go to Shang Hao Chih Beef Soup, the Michelin Guide’s recommendation with a Bib Gourmand, make sure to arrive before 11 am, so it’s not sold out. Another tip (also with a Bib Gourmand) is Hsi Lo Tien Beef Soup.
Address: No. 6, Beian Road, North District, Tainan City
Shrimp rolls
These deep-fried shrimp rolls (combined with other ingredients) are a true Tainan food specialty. They resemble Japanese tempura, crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Huang Chia Shrimp Roll (Bib Gourmand) has been around for years and combines the shrimp with cabbage.
Looking for more Taiwan travel tips & inspiration? Check out my Taiwan travel guide.
