There’s nothing as sacred as a Michelin star in the world or fine cuisine, and it should come as little surprise in a region so passionate about food that Taiwan boasts quite a few. But even at this level of quality, there are some that stand slightly taller than the rest.
Le Palais
Restaurant, Asian, $$$
The Cantonese restaurant located in Datong district is the only restaurant in Taipei to receive the three Michelin star accolade this year. The restaurant is well known for its authentic Cantonese dishes, which are made from hand-picked fresh ingredients. Run by chef Chan Wai-Keung, their Cantonese-style crispy roast duck, lobster and tofu dishes along with baked egg custard tarts are “impressive,” as Michelin put it themselves.
This contemporary Japanese restaurant located in the Zhongshan district is one of the two restaurants that earned the two-star Michelin accolade. Here, diners will find modern Japanese cuisine using Taiwan’s best and freshest produce. Not only that, but seasonal ingredients are flown in daily from Japan so the restaurant can offer traditional kaiseki cuisine. Dining at this place is definitely an experience, with seven- and ten-course menus available.
Located on the 17th floor of the Sheraton Hotel, The Guest House is a fine dining option for travelers in search of great Chinese cuisine from a two-star Michelin restaurant. Here, Hunan and Sichuan dishes are the specialities and are often prepared with a unique Taiwanese twist. Signature dishes include double steamed soups, pork tail braised in red yeast rice, and chicken rice with sesame oil. Although this place may not look as luxurious as our previous two locations, the food is nothing short of fantastic.
As one of Taipei’s most exclusive and famous fine-dining establishments, there’s simply no way you could leave RAW off this list. Run by Michelin-star chef Andre Chiang, RAW is a restaurant that offers a menu comprised of haute cuisine dishes at reasonable prices. The only issue? It’s practically impossible to get a table. But regardless of how long you need to wait for a booking, it’s well worth a visit.
There are three Japanese restaurants in Taipei that have been awarded one star by Michelin, but Sushi Nomura pips the others to this list purely based on the inventiveness and incredible skills of the restaurant’s chef, Yoji Nomura. Diners are constantly wowed by the fare on offer at this restaurant and although it’s a little on the expensive side, the simple décor and straightforward attitude of the staff make it a very homely place to dine.
Ya Ge is a one-star Michelin restaurant located in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. Located on the third floor of the hotel, the restaurant specializes in Cantonese classics and traditional Chinese dishes with personal twist by Chef Tse Man. As far as surroundings go, this place is pure elegance with the décor heavily influenced by traditional Chinese design.
Mume is a modern European restaurant that serves up such wonderful dishes that it sometimes takes months to get a booking. Nevertheless, diners will wait however long it takes to enjoy a meal at this one-Michelin-star restaurant. Always pushing the boundaries, the team in the kitchen are constantly creating new and innovative dishes based on locally sourced fresh produce, and to say it’s worth a visit would be something of an understatement.
