If you’ve been looking for a delicious salad in Taipei, then GonnaEat can be your guiding star. The branch that I went to was in Q Square, right next to Taipei Main Station. However, GonnaEat also has branches scattered across different parts of the city. Check out the list of locations here. The lack of salad options frustrated me when I first arrived in Taiwan. Having to get a less-than-average salad in a convenience store was not what I wanted. Since then, great salad options have begun to pop up all over the city, but I think GonnaEat is one of the best.
Well-known for their ancient grain salad bowls, they believe that a balanced diet combined with regular exercise can lead not only to good physical shape but also to greater happiness. They embrace the concept of “Fast Slow Food,” providing quality protein and fresh salad bowls every day! However, be under no illusions – you can also order a big, juicy burger or a plate of tasty sweet potato fries with beet ketchup, too!
Table of Contents
This location is the Q Square branch, and is located right near the entrance to the Taipei Main Station bus station. There are a few outside (indoor) seating areas, but most are found inside. The tables are quite tightly packed inside, which may not bother some, but if you want somewhere where you can talk and relax for a while with close friends, then maybe consider somewhere else.
If you’re here because you’re waiting for the bus to take you somewhere else on the island, check out some of my favourite places in other cities around Taiwan:
1 Day Tainan Day Trip: The Ultimate Traveller’s Guide to Delicious Food and Scenic Spots
Hsinchu City – Some of My Best Picks for 2025 in Hsinchu.
Taichung Restaurant 一人一伴 ともだち Tomo Half – Top Quality Japanese Sandwich Worth Travelling For.
Hualien Restaurant – 055龍蝦海鮮 1 of the best Taiwan Seafood restaurants for lobster!
If you aren't sure how to order or what to do when you arrive at GonnaEat, then this is the post for you. See below for How to Order in Taipei Restaurants like a definitive pro!
3 Fast Tips on How to Order in Taipei Restaurants like a definitive pro!
The Menu at GonnaEat
For the most up-to-date menu, you should check out the pictures uploaded on their website here:
Avocado and beef Kale Salad
I love avocado, I love beef, and I love salad. Therefore, it was a reasonable expectation that I would really enjoy those 3 ingredients mixed together in a bowl, right? Served on top of tender kale, with roasted bell peppers, flaked almonds, and some delicious sauce, I was very happy indeed. I didn't expect the kale to be quite as tender as this was. I've had kale before and liked the flavour but not the texture. The kale used here at GonnaEat is tender, tasty, and there's plenty of it, too!
The avocado and steak are a perfect pairing, and the hit of smoky sweet pepper now and then brought a great freshness to everything. I'll be back for this.
Baja chicken and avocado salad
Sous vide chicken served with ancient grains, avocado, salad, tomatoes, a fried egg, and a lovely jalapeno ranch to drizzle on top was a triumph. When a sunny-side-up egg mixes with salad, magic happens. When you pair that with juicy sous vide chicken and lettuce, you've got one hell of a salad bowl. The extra crunch of those pumpkin seeds bring a great nutty texture to everything, and the ancient grains are of the bulgar wheat consistency - chewy, earthy, but absolutely delicious.
Nothing looks bad in that picture. Sous vide chicken - winner. Avocado in abundance - winner. Fried egg - winner. Smash that all together with a drizzle of their homemade jalapeno ranch - special. The colours pop, the flavours pop, and the textures pop. Everything is great.
You're getting all the protein, vitamins, fats, and carbs that you need in this one meal. It's hearty, it's healthy, and it's delicious. What's not to love?
I am invariably on the hunt for a dessert, especially at the end of a meal. Some may say "Why have a healthy salad and then have a slice of cake to counteract everything?". It's all about balance, as far as I'm concerned. I have a sweet tooth. I like cake. I will eat cake.
The cheesecake looked good, as did that huge doorstop wedge of chocolate cake above. But, I had eyes for only one delicious, sweet treat, and that was the infamous carrot cake. I have travelled far and wide (a little bit of embellishment here) for delicious carrot cake. I have been disappointed countless times before, but I had it on good authority that the carrot cake here at GonnaEat was one of the best around. In this unlikely place full of kale and sous vide chicken, would I really enjoy the carrot cake?
Carrot cake
A big ol' wedge of carrot cake with cream cheese frosting on the top, back, and running through the middle separating the two slices of fragrantly spiced carrot cake, I was intrigued. Topped with a thin slice of candied orange, I got my fork and dug straight in. The carrot cake was moist, only crumbling slightly as I cut through. The ratio of cream cheese to cake was spot on, allowing a perfect balance of sweetness throughout. The spices used in the carrot cake were complementary, subtle, but could all be clearly tasted.
I am happy to say that I have found my favourite carrot cake in Taipei so far. I won't stop looking for more, but I am quite satisfied with this slice right here. Paired with one of those delicious kale salads, and I am quite pleased.
The Bottom Line
Is it worth it? I can say with confidence that GonnaEat has my favourite salad in Taipei. It's reasonably priced, fresh, tasty, and served with a slice of that carrot cake? I'm in.
What is the best dish? When I have spoken so much about the salad, it seems weird to say the carrot cake, right? I think it's difficult to have one without the other. Therefore, I am going to say that the beef and kale salad + the carrot cake.
Are there other places like this? Not that I have found, but I am happy to be told otherwise.