Hong Kong's best Taiwanese restaurants

This stylish 38-seater on Hollywood Road seeks to spin traditional Taiwanese cuisine in a more contemporary and sophisticated direction, starring the restaurant's signature crispy chicken. A Taiwanese night-market staple, these deep-fried chicken tidbits marinated in soy sauce and five-spice powder, paired with truffle mayo and yuzu mayo, are what McNuggets can only dream of becoming. Round out your feast with a cocktail by award-winning Taiwanese mixologist, Shin Chiu. Our personal favourite is the drunken bubble tea, made with earl grey tea infused with vodka, Baileys, tapioca, and burnt cinnamon.

Yuan is Here is a successful street-food chain that has a huge following in Taiwan. The appeal of this restaurant is in its simplicity – there’s nothing fancy here, just a traditional style of home cooking, designed to take odds and ends and turn them into mouth-watering meals. You can chow down on dishes such as the crowd-favourite fatty minced pork on rice, which comes either on its own or with an egg and some veggies. 

Settle down at Zhongxiao East Road in Isquare and tuck into plates of authentic, hearty Taiwanese fare. The braised pork rice, beef noodle soup, and oyster omelettes are the stars of the show here, but the dessert menu shouldn't be overlooked either. Fusing Taiwanese elements into its waffle and ice cream combos, these scrumptious sweet bites are the perfect way to round off your meal. The restaurant's casual and modern vibe, featuring a whimsical mural by famous Taiwanese illustrator Miss Cyndi, also makes this spot an ideal place for a laidback afternoon with your pals.

This Taiwanese chain does some of the best steamed dumplings and noodles in town. Their famous xiao long bao – steamed, soupy pork dumplings – are no doubt addictive. But if you’re a dandan noodle fan, you’ll be happy to know the ‘double D’ noodles here are definitely worth a try too. Mildly spicy, the thin-yet-firm noodles are neatly rolled and submerged in a thick soup with a strong peanut and sesame base. Garnished with crushed peanuts, the combination is a sweet take on the classic dandan recipe.

This Taiwanese hotpot restaurant is probably best known for its numbing spicy soup broth that takes seven days to ferment. Plating is also a huge feature here at Quan Alley. Ingredients are intricately served on ice atop of beautiful porcelain crockery and plated to look akin to floral art. Try ordering the chicken cartilage, which is made to look like nougat, or the Taiwanese-style fish paste that gets served like a popsicle stick. 

The Night Market is a contemporary Taiwanese restaurant serving high quality, authentic Taiwanese food that could be found in street stalls and market places. No matter what you choose, you can't go wrong here. But if you're looking for a recommendation, the Sanbeiji, 'three cup chicken', is the perfect comfort food. Roughly diced pieces of chicken are tossed in a savoury blend of soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil along with a hint of garlic, basil, and chilli. They also offer delivery services in case you're stuck at home or the office, but the light and airy modern decor will make eating in the restaurant an even more delicious experience.

Hidden within a factory building, this no-frills Taiwanese restaurant is always jam-packed with diners. The authentic beef noodle soup here is a knockout. The broth is rich, wholesome and spicy, and the beef has just the right amount of chew for that authentic Taiwanese experience. This one is a must-try.