Taipei Vegan Travel Guide - Where and What to Eat

Taipei is the most vegan-friendly city in Taiwan! While navigating the markets can be tricky, the city offers plenty of dedicated vegan and vegetarian restaurants, serving everything from traditional Taiwanese dishes to international cuisine. You can experience it all without compromising your lifestyle.

Finding vegan food while travelling can be challenging, and in a food-loving city like Taipei, it’s no different. Taipei is known for its night markets and street food. Taiwan is not always the easiest place to find plant-based options among the meat and seafood dishes.

Let’s explore the best vegan dining spots Taipei has to offer!

WHERE TO STAY IN TAIPEI

But first, where to stay in Taipei? This is one of the most important decisions when travelling. We loved our stay at the DoubleTree by Hilton Taipei Zhongshan. The hotel is in a great location. The rooms are spacious and comfortable, they also feel luxurious.

This hotel is in a great location and you will have easy access to top attractions and nightlife in Taipei. The staff is very friendly and the hotel provides a parking garage which is perfect if you are renting a car.

At the DoubleTree by Hilton Taipei Zhongshan, you will experience modern amenities and beautifully designed, spacious rooms.

->Check availability here.

BEST VEGAN RESTAURANTS IN TAIPEI

Being vegan in Taipei can be a bit tricky, as much of the local food contains meat or fish. In a regular restaurant, you might find some side dishes that can be made vegan, but it’s often easier to head straight to a vegan or vegetarian restaurant. Here are some of our top recommendations.

YANG SHIN VEGETARIAN RESTAURANT

This is Taipei’s first vegetarian dim sum restaurant, known for using natural, fresh ingredients. They carefully select local produce and minimise the use of oil, sugar, and salt. The restaurant itself is beautifully designed, with a lovely atmosphere.

Many of the dishes on their menu are vegan, and the attentive staff will kindly point out any non-vegan options if you order them by mistake. The menu is packed with delicious choices, making it a must-visit spot in Taipei.

Our favourite dishes to try are the deep-fried radish cocoon pastry, rice noodle roll, and stir-fried flat noodles.

HEART HOME VEGAN TAIPEI

Heart Home is an inviting vegan restaurant in Taipei, offering a wide variety of dishes such as vegan skewers with mushrooms, ramen, pizza, sandwiches, and much more.

The food here is truly delicious, making it a must-visit spot for vegans in the city. We decided to try their vegan ramen, which comes in four unique flavours: laksa, kimchi, Sichuan spicy, and medicinal herb ramen.

HI-LAI VEGETARIAN RESTAURANT ZHONGXIAO

This popular vegetarian restaurant chain has locations in many big cities across Taiwan, including one in Taipei. They prioritise organic, locally sourced ingredients, and most of their menu is vegan.

Here, you can enjoy a variety of dim sum and other traditional dishes. It’s one of our favourite dining spots in Taiwan, where you can indulge in delicious dumplings, buns, soups, and much more.

VEGE CREEK

Vege Creek offers a unique “build your own noodle meal” experience. You can select from a variety of fresh ingredients such as leaf vegetables, root vegetables, and mushrooms, and pair them with different types of noodles like instant noodles, thin noodles, ramen, or udon.

You can also choose whether to have your dish served dry or as a soup. Everything is fresh and delicious, making it a fun and healthy option for vegans in Taipei.

VEGAN OPTIONS IN STARBUCKS IN TAIPEI

For coffee lovers, Starbucks is a familiar and convenient option, and in Taipei, you’ll find one on almost every corner. They also offer a few vegan snacks worth trying. The best savoury option is the tandoori tofu sandwich, which is tasty and filling.

If you’re craving something sweet, you can try the vegan brownies or a raspberry croissant. We tried the sandwich, and it was a great choice for a quick snack.

THE WHALE

If you’re in search of a vegan breakfast in Taipei, head to The Whale. While most of their savoury breakfast options aren’t vegan, they do offer a delicious vegan smoothie bowl.

They also serve good coffee with a variety of plant-based milk options, making it a great spot for a refreshing and healthy start to your day.

WHAT TO DO IN TAIPEI

There’s so much to do in Taipei that we’ve written a separate guide on the top 8 things to do. For a detailed guide, click here. However, some of our favourite activities include visiting the Taipei 101 observatory, which was once the tallest building in the world, standing at 508 metres. It offers breathtaking views of the city.

Another highlight is hiking Xiangshan, also known as Elephant Mountain, which provides stunning views of Taipei’s skyline. A visit to a night market is also a must in Taiwan, though vegan options are somewhat limited.

For a day trip from Taipei, we highly recommend Jiufen, a charming old town that feels like stepping back in time. Another must-see is Yehliu Geopark, where you can experience one of the island’s most extraordinary natural wonders.

If you want to explore attractions around Taipei, renting a car is a good idea. A two-day rental is perfect for visiting Pingxi Old Street, Shifen Waterfall, and Jiufen on one day, and Yehliu Geopark on the other. We rented our car through Klook and were extremely happy with their service.

->We found the best deals for renting a car in Taiwan with Klook.

When visiting Taiwan we also got to see other parts of the island. If you are visiting more than just Taipei read our guide on the best 8 vegan restaurants in Kaohsiung.

It is a city in the South of Taiwan where you can experience many amazing things. If you want to learn more about what to do in Kaohsiung, check out our guide on the best things to do while visiting the city.