I am back from Taiwan, so excited to share all of my plant based finds with you. First off, let me state that being vegan in Taiwan is incredibly EASY! Due to the primary religion being Buddhism, there are countless vegetarian/vegan restaurants all over the country. I was amazed at the long, long list that came up when I opened my Happy Cow app. It also helped that both my mum and sister are vegetarian, so there were never any arguments about where to eat. We spent the first three days in Taipei and the remaining week in Taichung where my sister is actually living at the moment. I will divide this post between the two locations and share my favourites. Needless to say, I never went hungry!
TAIPEI:
KAYA KAYA CAFE
Located in the Da’an District, the Kaya Kaya Cafe is wonderful for vegans, due to the menu clearly stating what items contain dairy and eggs. I ordered this vegan banana and flaxseed muffin, which was warm and fluffy. The staff are incredibly friendly and always happy to assist with any dietary questions you may have. If you are looking for somewhere to eat breakfast, I would highly recommend checking out this hot spot!
OOH CHA CHA
You can find this 100% plant based and organic cafe on Nanchang Road. Most of the items are predominantly raw, but I ordered the Tofu Banh Mi, which comes with a tahini side salad. They also sell nutritious smoothies and desserts. If you are looking for healthier, lighter options, visit Ooh Cha Cha and enjoy the variety!
i VEGAN SUPERMARKET
Yes, there is an all vegan supermarket and it’s huge! Located in the Wenshan District, you can easily find it by following the signs. I was in absolute heaven walking through the cruelty-free store, picking out lots of snacks. If you are staying in a place that has a kitchen, or even living in Taiwan, there is no need to go out for food. This supermarket literally has it all.
DIN TAI FUNG DUMPLING HOUSE
Quite possibly my favourite meal in Taipei, the Din Tai Fung Dumpling House have chain stores in several countries, recently including Melbourne. You will find this two-storey restaurant in the Xinyi District. Vegans can enjoy the Mushroom Vegetable Dumplings (pictured), Red Bean & Taro Buns. I ordered them all! As a dumpling enthusiast, I’ve tried many in my time, but none have compared to these. I’m hoping the Melbourne counterpart is exactly the same.
*QUICK TIP!*
If you are ever stuck for food (which I highly doubt you will be) there are stores called Family Mart all over Taiwan. You will literally find one on every street. Inside, they sell whole baked potatoes. They are beyond delicious. I had several of them for breakfast when I was on the go.
BÜGEL BAGEL
This shop is located inside the large and beautiful Taipei Train Station. There are several flavours that are completely vegan, one of them being Sweet Potato, which I bought two of. There are literal chunks of steamed sweet potato inside. Need I say more? If you have time, pay this place a visit!
TAICHUNG:
VEGES M
This was definitely one of my foodie highlights on the trip. It wasn’t so much for the food (although it was delicious) but rather for the experience. Located in the Xitun District, this cafe is also 100% vegan. You begin by grabbing a small green basket and picking from an array of green vegetables. Then you move to the protein station (tofu, taro, mock meats) and finally finish off by picking your carbs (noodles etc.). You hand your basket to the chef and he cooks your selection, either as a soup or dry. The end result is pretty darn delicious!
HOT POT – QING JINGZE
Without a doubt, this was the best meal of my entire holiday. The Taiwanese name of the restaurant is listed above. It is a beautiful and large Hot Pot restaurant. It is not 100% vegan, however, if you ask for the vegetarian option (minus the egg) you will receive the colourful harvest pictured above. If you aren’t familiar with Hot Pot, you have your own cooker to pour of all of your ingredients inside until they are cooked. Once soft, you eat them in a broth with rice and vegan sauces. It was the tastiest, most satisfying meal. I was so full from all of the food, I didn’t eat until lunchtime the next day!
FU SHI WU
Let me just say: YUM! This restaurant was located on Zhongmei Street, which was conveniently next to our hotel. It is 100% vegan and serves the most amazing ramen. The only thing to be aware of is the menu is completely in Chinese and the staff do not speak English. We were lucky to have a translator but even if you pick a random item, you will still get a vegan dish.
*QUICK TIP*
There are fruit vendors literally everywhere, so invest in healthy, fresh fruits for breakfast or snacks. Also, Taiwan is known for its delicious pineapples, so try them whilst passing through!
I hope you enjoyed yet another vegan foodie travel post. There were so many other delicious things I ate but I just wanted to list the best in this post. I don’t believe I will be travelling again until my honeymoon later in the year, so stay tuned for that and as I mentioned earlier, Taiwan is beyond vegan friendly. It’s a beautiful country, that is very accommodating.
The food in Taiwan sounds so delicious. That muffin looks like it has a lot of goodies in it 😀 I am a fan of Din Tai Fung and had their dumplings in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. Mushroom dumplings are one of my favourite dumplings. I have yet to try red bean and taro dumplings. Guessing they taste sweet 🙂
Looking forward to catching up on your videos soon <3
Thank you Mabel! Din Tai Fung is fantastic! If you ever want to eat there together at the Melbourne Emporium we can go! Red Bean and Taro are so delicious and sweet. xx
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