The Michelin Guide runs Taipei Bib Gourmand. But don’t be fooled by the fancy reputation! The Michelin Guide isn’t all about expensive meals. They cover all kinds of places, from fancy restaurants to casual pubs, and everything in between. They even have a special award for affordable eats! See more about the differences between Michelin Stars and Bib Gourmand here.
Since 1997, the Bib Gourmand has recognised restaurants that offer delicious meals without breaking the bank. The exact price limit changes depending on a place’s cost, but the quality stays high everywhere.
Since 2018, Taipei Bib Gourmand recommendations have been lighting up the Taipei food scene, with recommendations of restaurants for the prized Bib Gourmand recommendation increasing exponentially yearly. In reality, this means that the food scene in Taipei is ever-evolving while ensuring strict adherence to the top quality that Michelin expects from any Bib Gourmand recommendation – this has to be positive, right?
Taipei Bib Gourmand might not be as famous as Michelin stars, but it’s a favourite among foodies, and Michelin puts just as much effort into finding these hidden gems. So next time you’re looking for a great meal without spending a fortune, check out the Bib Gourmand list below!
What is Taipei Bib Gourmand?
Some of Taipei’s best restaurants and food stalls are recognized for their great food at moderate prices.
How expensive are Bib Gourmand Restaurants?
You can get a 3-course meal at Bib Gourmand restaurants for around $40USD or €36EUR.
Are Taipei Bib Gourmand Restaurants good?
Taipei’s Bib Gourmand picks offer delicious diversity at budget-friendly prices, providing a great alternative to Michelin-starred experiences with impressive quality for a fraction of the cost.
You can find Taipei Bib Gourmand restaurants for 2024 here
Table of Contents
Taipei Bib Gourmand Picks
阿城鵝肉 A Cheng Goose
A Cheng typifies what Taipei Bib Gourmand is all about – excellent food, at an affordable price. Expect to get a whole meal here where you’re going to walk away feeling more than happy, for way less than the equivalent of $20USD for 2 people. Goose is the order of the day here, but their noodles, rice, and side dishes should not be overlooked for their simple, yet delicious flavours.
Their goose meat is lightly smoked and you can choose whether you’d like it served bone-in or boneless. Pair it with their house special dipping sauce and plenty of finely sliced fresh garlic – winner!
Taipei Restaurant – A Cheng Goose Restaurant 阿城鵝肉, The Delicious Michelin Guide Recommended Place to Be!
鼎泰豐 Din Tai Fung
The fact that Din Tai Fung, an international food brand, is featured in the Taipei Bib Gourmand should come as no surprise. The meticulous nature of the delicately pleated dumplings at Din Tai Fung is mesmerising. The attention to detail here is nothing short of spectacular. I've never had a bad meal here, made all the better for their multi-lingual service.
Their steamed soup dumplings are top notch, featuring a delicately thin skin that encases a pork mix which when opened, reveals a steaming hot soup. Make sure to dip it in the soy and vinegar sauce, and top it with some freshly sliced ginger for good measure - this is a Bib Gourmand recommendation at its very best.
Here are two excellent options if you're looking to head to Din Tai Fung for your next amazing meal- Option 1 & Option 2
Taipei Restaurant – Din Tai Fung 鼎泰豐 Is Spectacular, and It’s 1 Restaurant You Must Eat At!
大橋頭老牌筒仔米糕 Da Qiao Tou Tube Rice Pudding
Mi gao, a delightful culinary creation, is made by mixing glutinous rice flour with sauces and seasoning, then crammed into a metal dish and steamed. It is then adorned with toppings such as dried shrimp, meat, egg, onions, and oftentimes a house special sauce such as the one in the picture above. The unique texture and umami flavours of Mi gao make it an essential dish to savor in Taiwan's vibrant gastronomic landscape, and make it well worthy of Bib Gourmand Michelin recommendation.
Taipei Restaurant – 大橋頭老牌筒仔米糕 Yummy Steamed Rice Cakes in Daqiaotou
一甲子餐飲 Yi Jia Zi
Rice topped with a thick slice of carefully cooked pork belly sits in a bowl with some tofu, spicy radish, and gently pickled cucumber. The layers of flavours in this bowl at Yi Jia Zi are impressive. It's salty, it's spicy, it's sour, it's sweet, it's great. Everything is balanced nicely, but its richness is not for the faint-hearted.
Also notable is their steamed bun stuffed with pork belly - Gua Bao. The affectionately named Taiwanese Hamburger Gua Bao has become somewhat of an international icon of Taiwanese food, for very good reason. A steamed bun is opened up, stuffed with a peanut sugar, coriander (cilantro), a slice of braised pork belly, and then topped with pickled vegetables. There's something about the richness that is then cut with the fresh hit of coriander that just works in harmony. I cannot get enough of these, especially from Yi Jia Zi.
Taipei Restaurant – 一甲子控肉飯 Yi Jia Zi, Brilliant Braised Belly Pork That Wins Every Time!
小小樹食 Little Tree Food
Little Tree Food brings bags of flavour to vegetarian food in Taipei. There are plenty of poor imitations of vegetarian food where everything is either tofu or just green leaves. But not here at Little Tree Food, making it stand out as a great addition to the Bib Gourmand Michelin family.
One of the stand out dishes that I had was the Korean fried cauliflower. The batter is crunchy and coated with that yummy Korean coating that you just know and love. It's sweet, tangy, and mildly spicy. With the pop of sesame seeds that are scattered on top, it's a dish to order.
Another dish I really enjoyed was the mixed leaf salad with tomatoes at Little Tree Food. There's something to be said about a good salad in Taipei, as they are not easy to find. But here there's plenty of textures going on in the bowl, the tomatoes are sweet and plentiful, and the little mouthful of avocado here and there is certainly welcomed. Delicious flavours all around at Little Tree Food.
Taipei Restaurant – 小小樹食 Little Tree Food – Great Vegetarian Food in the Heart of the City.
雙月食品 Moon Moon Food
Moon Moon Food specialise in big bowls of soup that overflow with ingredients. I don't really buy into soups in Taiwan. I prefer the western style thicker soups, but these at Moon Moon Food probably show why it has been included in the Taipei Bib Gourmand list. There's lots of variety, fresh flavours, and excellent value for money.
A bowl of filling soup here will set you back no more than $7 USD, which is outstanding value, considering everything you get in your soup. Moon Moon Food certainly stands out for those of you looking for a reliable soup in Taipei.
Taipei Restaurant – Moon Moon Food 雙月食品社 Serves up a Quality Soup Full of Everything Healthy!
源芳刈包 Yuan Fang Guabao
As a hungry walker exploring the Longshan Temple area around Taipei, you're not going to go wrong with making a brief pit stop at Yuan Fang Gua Bao for one of these Taiwanese Hamburgers. Similar in many ways to its neighbourhood competitor Yi Jia Zi, Yuan Fang Gua Bao brings bags of rich pork belly flavours sandwiched in a beautiful steamed bun. The main difference here is that the pork is slightly thinner, and the quantity of pickled veg is slightly more.
Hua Xi Street Night Market 華西街夜市-Yuan Fang Gua Bao 源芳刈包 – Top Quality Steamed Bun Perfection!
雞家莊 Chi Chia Chuang
When you head to a restaurant that has chicken in the name and they serve up their Ma Po Tofu in a chicken pot such as this one, you know you're in for something good.
I don't usually go for Ma Po Tofu, which tends to ruffle feathers with people who I've spoken to about it before. There seems to be a general love for the salty and spicy tofu that I don't seem to understand. However, the delicate nature of this tofu and the balance of the sauce ensures a high level of satisfaction. The chicken is, of course, excellent here, but the Ma Po Tofu is something to behold.
Taipei restaurant – Chi Chia Chuang Chiken 雞家莊-
欣葉小聚 Shin Yeh Shiao Ju
Shin Yeh have many branches across Taipei. The thinly sliced pork with avocado is one of their stand out dishes for freshness and depth of flavour at an affordable price point.
I don't usually like pork knuckle, but the one here at Shin Yeh has a great balance of flavour. I am more a fan of the meatier side of pork knuckle than the skin, but the flavours here are irresistible. I found myself going back for more on numerous occasions throughout my meal, I guess that could be one of the reasons why they have been featured as a Bib Gourmand recommendation.
New Taipei City restaurant- ShinYeh Mitsui Outlet Park, LinKou 欣葉小聚
醉楓園小館 Tsui Feng Yuan
A big piece of duck that is first smothered with mashed taro, then coated with batter, and finally dropped in to be deep fried, is something that the vast majority of us will not have had the pleasure of trying. Oh how you are missing out! The result is a variety of textures that pop, crunch, chew, and form an amazing flavour at every bite. It's savoury, it's sweet, it's rich, it's everything that makes this Michelin category great.
小王煮瓜 Wang's Broth
Primarily focusing on soup, Wang's Broth serve up a delicious soup that has depth of flavour beyond many soups that you will find throughout Taipei, earning it a worthy spot in the Taipei Bib Gourmand. But what's more, is that they do deeply rich braised pork over rice, as well as great pork belly over rice with cabbage on the side. Located around the Longshan temple area, you could probably kill two birds with one stone and first check out the Gua Bao at Yuan Fang Gua Bao just up the road, and swing by here to get a soup and some braised pork over rice afterwards. That sounds like a top quality Bib Gourmand Michelin meal to me!
Taipei restaurant – Wanhua pickled melon soup 小王煮瓜（小王清湯瓜仔肉）
雄記蔥抓餅 Hsiung Chi Scallion Pancake
For a street vendor that specialises in green onion pancake to get a Taipei Michelin Bib Gourmand recommendation is surely a hallmark of quality. Green onion scallion pancakes are toasted to meticulous perfection, then filled with either just egg; egg & cheese; or egg, cheese and ham. There's a bit of basil thrown in there for good measure, and a smearing of thick soy sauce and/or spicy chilli sauce. There's nothing much better, in my opinion, when considering what street food to eat around Gongguan.
鍾家原上海生煎包 Chung Chia Sheng Jian Bao
As you see the steam rising from the pan, you're pulled in by the steamed bun smell of these pan fried steamed buns in the Shilin night market. The buns are filled with either a mixed cabbage vegetarian filling, or a pork with sweetcorn filling. They're then put atop a hot pan and lashed with oil. After the oil comes the water and flour mix, then the lid is put on top, allowing the buns to simultaneously steam and pan fry. The result is a fluffy, chewy, crunchy skin, and perfect cooked fillings on the inside. These are seriously great, and incredibly cheap!
Taipei City – Shilin Night Market, 1 of the Most Popular Night Market in Taipei
吾旺再季Wu Wang Tsai Chi
Run Bing/Taiwanese spring rolls are some of my favourite snack-come-meals around night markets because they're so easy, relatively healthy, and amazingly affordable. Stuffed with (normally, at least when I order them) peanut sugar, beansprouts, cabbage, pork, and coriander/cilantro, there is a constant pop of flavour in each mouthful, and it helps to break up the grease or unhealthier foods of the night markets that we all know, love, but sometimes need a break from. This Run Bing place is in Nanjichang Night Market, you can read the following post to learn more about the night market.
The Ultimate Food Lovers Guide to Nanjichang Night Market
都一處 Do It True
You're not going to find many better restaurants doing excellent Chinese food in Taipei than Do It True. The rich, deep flavours throughout every single dish that they have on offer is excellent. You need to get their sesame bread filled pork buns - they're amazing. Finding restaurants like this is what I really love about the Taipei Bib Gourmand. You wouldn't ordinarily walk down the area where Do It True is located, but you will certainly go and check it out now!
The Bottom Line
The announcement of the Michelin Bib Gourmand recommendation in Taipei every year is an exciting time. It showcases some of the best, most affordable restaurants across the city, and lets us know where some of the best eats are. Delicious food is what we are all about, and it's even better when it's as deliciously affordable as Taipei Bib Gourmand.
Taipei Bib Gourmand Food Tour
If you want to be led around Taipei by experts in the food industry, then look no further than this amazing Bib Gourmand Food Tour. So much love for this!
Link to Taipei Bib Gourmand food tour here.