6 Taiwanese Breakfast Spots To Start The Day Right
Visiting Taiwan, but not sure what to grab for breakfast? Choosing breakfast in Taiwan is an adventure, because there are so many options at every street corner. Come taste test 6 different restaurants with me that sells typical Taiwanese breakfast food in Taipei and Taoyuan, and you’ll never wonder what you’ll have for breakfast in Taiwan again!
Taiwanese Breakfast – High Protein, High Carbs
Taiwanese breakfast has many savory options, and often combines a high-carb base with a main protein. So, for breakfast, we eat anything from egg pancakes to noodle soup. The flavors tend to be simple but filling to keep you going throughout a work day, with various little side dishes that help you supplement your meal.
Breakfast is such an important part of the day in Taiwan that they have Taiwanese “breakfast restaurants”, which often open early in the AM, and close by lunch. They’re so common, it would be hard to miss breakfast in Taiwan!
Starting the Day with Rice Noodle Soup – 來來米干
Noodle soup at 9 a.m.? Trust me, one of Taiwan’s favorite ways to start the day is with a bowl of hot noodle soup. Today we’re getting some breakfast at 來來米干, our first stop every time we come back to Taiwan. This unassuming yet bustling noodle shop in Taoyuan City, Taiwan is not only affordable at 50-70 NTD a bowl, it’s also a breakfast hotspot for locals.
Their specialty is ‘米干‘, or fresh rice noodles, served in a rich chicken and pork broth. For toppings, you can choose between poached or egg flower, and sliced pork and/or liver. Every bite, you get the chewy freshly cut rice noodle here with umami-packed broth, The broth is complex, but light and fresh – perfect for breakfast!
The restaurant also offers other goodies, from side dishes to condiments. They have their own homemade chili oil (like me!), super aromatic and spicy in the soup or dipped with slices of pork. They also offer a big bucket of braised side dishes: seaweed, pork ears, soy eggs, tofu, and more. You can choose your favorite items and they’ll slice it up and pour their house-made sesame sauce over it.
Freshly Fried Green Onion Pancakes 劉家正宗蔥油餅
We took a quick stroll around Zhongzhen market and smelled this little pancake stall – 劉家正宗蔥油餅. With the line of people at their stand, I simply couldn’t resist joining them. They’ve been operational for 30 years and continue to serve freshly fried green onion pancakes every week at 35 NTD for a half pancake. For an extra 10NTD, you can add an egg!
I got my flaky green onion pancake with egg, and I couldn’t wait to take a bite. The layers of crispy pancake with the sweetness of Taiwanese green onions is so satisfying. Sandwiched with the egg in between, this is a breakfast I would definitely grab on the way to work.
If you loved the fresh ones, you can even take home some of their frozen green onion pancakes!
Filling Up On Potstickers at Bafang Dumplings
One of the most common chain restaurants you see around Taiwan is Bafung Dumplings 八方雲集. They’re a one-stop dumpling shop – with potstickers, dumplings, wontons, and dumpling soup. We had these potstickers for an afternoon snack, but Bafung is actually more popular as a brunch spot!
We ordered 4 plates of dumplings to share. Can you believe that each potsticker is only 6-7 NTD, or 20 USD cents each? They also have six different flavors: classic, chives, kimchi, curry chicken, corn, and vegetarian, so you get to pick and choose your flavors. Occasionally, they have creative limited time flavors as well. It is a cheap, super satisfying breakfast for 7/10!
It’s so hot today, I also decided to order my favorite side dish to eat on a hot day: tofu and century egg. It’s the perfect bite when you need to cool down! Bafung Dumplings has a few other side dishes you can order along with your dumplings. I love doing a mix and match meal here every time!
Yummy Grab-and-Go Black Pepper Buns – 日初胡椒蔥餅早餐
We started a daytrip to Daxi by grabbing some quick breakfast at 日初胡椒蔥餅早餐, a small breakfast stand in Taoyuan, Taipei. For an average of 35 NTD per item, this popular breakfast shop offers simple grilled buns and egg pancakes. They’re busy with morning commuters, but lines move super fast.
My mom, sister, and I each got a soymilk and a black pepper green onion bun with egg (胡椒蔥餅夾蛋). The buns have many layers and some sesame seeds on top, like 燒餅, but it’s also includes a generous amount of green onions. The fried egg, also covered in green onions, can be added as an extra, and I always do! You also have the option to add cheese to your bun. The bun itself tastes peppery, fluffy, and super aromatic – a 9.5/10!
This little shop always has a long line, and it’s only opened in the morning until 10:30 AM! Many people buy in bulk to take advantage of their buy 10 buns get 1 free deal. This is possibly the BEST to-go breakfast you can grab when you’re in the area, so don’t miss out when you visit Taoyuan!
Soup Dumplings For Breakfast at 李記湯包館
Soup dumpling sounds like a fancy meal, but Taiwanese people actually love them for breakfast too. This soup dumpling restaurant, 李記湯包館, just opened up near me, so for breakfast, we just had to check it out. They freshly wrap their soup dumplings right in front of you, and everything is made to order. It was our first time here, so we decided to try a little bit of everything.
Obviously, we had to get soup dumplings, or xiaolongbao (小籠包), which comes in a basket of 7 at 90 NTD. These little pockets of happiness explodes in your mouth with warm flavorful pork broth. The dough is tender and so delicate. Wrapping it fresh honestly makes such a huge difference, and you can taste it! I swear I can eat 20 of these in one sitting.
We also ordered their Combo Braised Chicken and Pork Rice ($65 NTD). It combines two classic Taiwanese flavors, and it’s delicious! Their Green Onion Beef Wrap ($110 NTD) is also super yummy, with a crispy green onion pancake wrapped around flavorful slices of beef and cucumber. This shop’s food is fresh, delicious, and affordable. It’s an 8/10 for me!
Classic Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup at 范姜川味牛肉麵
Before visiting the Taipei Flower Market, we decided to get Taiwan’s national dish – beef noodle soup – at 范姜川味牛肉麵 for brunch. I will always be ready for a bowl of beef noodle soup even in super hot Taiwan weather. My dad actually recommended this place because he used to come here all the time during his lunch break.
The store has a cabinet with an array of sides you can grab for 30 NTD each. We got a dish of tofu and seaweed, and spicy cucumbers. We also ordered their specialties: Dried Noodles (60 NTD), and Beef Noodle Soup (140 NTD). Even after so many years, he said the flavor is still the same: chewy noodles, big tender chunks of beef, and rich beefy broth. It is so hearty and so satisfying.
This beef noodle soup restaurant is at the entrance of a traditional market. It’s next to a stinky tofu stall that works with the restaurant, so you can also get another Taiwanese classic at the same time! Don’t miss out on this local beef noodle soup shop – because it’s an 8 out of 10!
