So you fancy a snack at 3am, but the local 7-Eleven has run out of those oh-so-tasty egg and mayonnaise sandwiches. You could break out the pots and pans, but seriously, who wants to do that? Well, have no fear because Taipei has you covered. The city that quite literally never sleeps offers all kinds of late-night snacks and treats, and here are the places where you’ll find the best.
Speaking of 7-Eleven sandwiches, you’ll find no such similar thing at our first port of call. Panos serves up decidedly delicious sandwiches and bagels. They even have a few pasta dishes on the menu. But best of all, especially for those late-night revelers, are the Belgian beers cooling in the fridge. Fresh tasty food served up with a glass of Belgian beer – that’s what heaven looks like at 3am.
There’s nothing more authentic here in Taipei than beef noodles. Unless of course it’s beef noodles at 3am. This place is a 24-hour beef noodle shop that also sells breakfast stuff. It’s a great place for those who have fully immersed themselves in the local culture and simply can’t resist noodles after a night out. It’s simple, it’s traditional, and it’s the best pre-hangover cure you’ll ever get.
This is really a breakfast place, but the locals enjoy the menu so much so that they stay open 24-hours a day. You’ll have to cross the river into Yonghe for this treat, but it’s totally worth it. Fried scallion pancakes, fried dough sticks on bread, stuffed rolls, and, of course, big old cups of soy milk. There’s no beer here, but who drinks beer with breakfast anyhow.
Okay, so this isn’t a typical dining option, but if you can handle your friends screeching in the background then it’s worth heading to one of the many Partyworld locations in the city for some late-night eats. The menu is pretty basic, but the food is often surprisingly good. There’s lots of fried stuff, and you can even order beef noodles. And yes, they serve beer, too.
Another sandwich place that’s actually not too far from Panos Cafe, Fresh House serves up some really nice thick sandwiches with incredible fillings. If you like your bread cut thick with layers of cheese melted all over it, then there’s a pretty good chance you’ll end up here sometime. There’s no beer, but that’s a good thing since the menu is full of shakes and juices to replenish those depleted energy stores.
Head out past the National Palace Museum and you’ll find plenty of shrimping restaurants where you catch your dinner before throwing it on the barbecue. This particular restaurant is one of the only ones that is open 24 hours a day, and apparently they always stock the pools very well. They serve ice cold beer as well, but, best of all, every taxi driver in the city knows the fastest route to this area.
There are a few of these restaurants located throughout the city, hence the rather odd “Part 1” moniker. All are open 24 hours a day, and all serve up the very best Cantonese-style dishes that a tired soul could wish for at 3am on a Saturday morning.