Taipei is a hidden gem among Asian cities, and worth a visit for its amazing food, cultural temples, and super friendly people. After living here for 1.5 years, here are my recommendations to help you make the most of your visit.

Located on the top floor of the Palais de Chine hotel, near Taipei’s Main Station, Le Palais was Taiwan’s only only three-star Michelin restaurant for five consecutive years. Despite hoping the restaurant would live up to the hype given that it’s run by a Hongkonger (aka, my people), it only lived up to three-star standards in price, not in flavor or creativity.

The most anticipated restaurant opening in Taipei in 2023, Chef Alain Huang’s Restaurant A opened late last year and serves fine-dining French food made with Asian techniques and influences.

COAST is a modern restaurant in Taipei, combining Southeast Asian flavor with Taiwanese ingredients. Coast is part of MMHG (MUME Hospitality Group), a group led by Michelin-starred chef Richie Lin that is quickly becoming a favorite in Taiwan. We enjoyed our experience at Michelin-starred Mume last April, and M (wisely) surprised me with a dinner at Coast for Valentine’s.