Where to eat and drink in Taipei according to a Singaporean who lives there
A Singaporean transplant lets us in on his favourite restaurants and bars in the Taiwanese city.
From a three-in-one bar to a century-old Japanese teahouse, Singaporean product designer Jayson Ong shares his favourite places to eat and drink in Taipei. (Photos: The Glasshouse's Playback and Dasuke by Sakemaru)
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For Singaporean Jayson Ong, weekends are for exploring the city he’s called home since November 2024. The director of product design for e-commerce company Coupang Taiwan moved to Taipei then and has since discovered a handful of favourites that he recommends to friends and family whenever they visit the Taiwanese city. “What struck me most about the dining scene when I first moved here is the hyper-localism and seasonality that contribute to such unique flavours like tea-infused dishes and fermented bean curd desserts,” he said.
His background as an experience designer means he looks beyond the food and drink, paying close attention to every touchpoint at a restaurant or bar. “Everything from the curvature of a bar to the service pacing and even the ply of a napkin says something about the place, the people behind it, and their point of view. It’s the difference between a place that’s just trying and a place that actually gets it,” he added. “If you aren’t curating the vibe down to the fibre, you’re just filling space.”
These are some of his current favourite places to eat and drink:
THE GLASSHOUSE
“The Glasshouse is where I bring friends when I want a proper evening out. It’s three bars in one upscale greenhouse setting, which means you can experience three distinct concepts without hopping from place to place. We start at Tilt, a buzzy Art Deco-inspired space that offers a taste of modern Taiwan with local ingredients like guava, roselle and kaoliang (Taiwan’s traditional sorghum spirit) flavouring its creative menu of cocktails. Then there’s Cooper upstairs, with deep, burnished sofas and an impressive collection of aged spirits. It’s a great spot to catch up and talk over vintage champagnes and spirits, including a delicious Old-Fashioned spiked with hard-to-find Pappy Van Winkle15-year. The menu at Tilt reflects its European decor. So you’ll get snacks like wagyu sandwiches and charcuterie boards. Once we’ve had a couple of drinks and nibbles, I like to head down to Playback in the basement.
Appointed like an American diner, this 50-seat gem is home to some of the best live jazz performances I’ve enjoyed in Taipei. The Japanese-accented cocktails here are always exciting − the Tokyo Drift, with yuzu gin, melon puree, matcha, red bean and cream, is a favourite − as is the food. My go-to order is the negitoro pani puri with Hokkaido uni and the baby corn with miso and shacha sauce. I’m not above a bowl of Playback’s crispy fries with mentaiko emulsion either.
Sidenote: When my friends ask for a hotel recommendation, I point them to The Capella Taipei, which looms just a skip from The Glasshouse. The hotel’s unimpeachable hospitality and Capella Culturists (local historians, concierges, and storytellers all rolled into one) make a stay in my adopted home extra special.”
HOSU
“Hosu speaks to my design background. I love that the space was designed around eco-friendly principles, including five needle pines in the courtyard and oyster-shell paint on the walls. The menu is equally pristine, focused on seasonality and presented with an artistic flair that’s hard to find in Singapore. All this is underpinned by that distinctively gentle Taiwanese warmth that makes dining out in fine restaurants here such a pleasure.”
DASUKE BY SAKEMARU
“Something about this Japanese restaurant takes me back to the bespoke bars I love in Telok Ayer back home. I think it’s the dim mood lighting, limited seating and the fact that I walk in knowing I’ll be rewarded with a great experience. Managed by the well-regarded Sakemaru team (the same guys behind Sakemaru Hideout in Singapore), Dasuke’s incredible selection of rare brews is an excuse for us to linger longer in the dining room, even after enjoying a languorous omakase menu served by friendly and engaging chefs.”
NOON - ARTISAN COFFEEHOUSE
“Leave any thoughts of basic flat whites at the door because Noon is for coffee purists. Among the countless options in this cafe-obsessed city, Noon stands out for its slow-living vibe. Its baristas take a scientific rather than artistic approach to making coffee, so every cup is purposefully brewed, which simply means it takes time. For me, Noon is the ideal mid-afternoon break from the city’s bustle, where I can enjoy a top-tier cup of coffee in a minimalist setting.”
0KM
“This is my favourite place on this list. Essentially a nature-focused cultural space housed in three restored century-old Japanese-era wooden houses, 0KM is one of the country’s best-known “old house/new life” renovation projects situated near Dongmen Station. Its stunning blend of heritage and horticulture aims to bridge the gap between Taipei’s city and mountainous landscapes. Sipping tea at the cafe here feels like stepping back in time, but with all the comforts we expect from the modern world.”
JJ FRIEND SPICY HOT POT
“You can’t come to Taipei and not have hot pot. JJ Friend Spicy Hot Pot takes hot pot to another level with long booth seats, neon decor, a spirits wall and a DJ, all designed to encourage diners to make new friends while they're there. How, you might ask? There’s a Calls to Friends table number chat function that allows you to make and take calls from neighbouring tables. To gather some liquid courage, take advantage of the free flow of cocktails dispensed at the spirits wall. Even if you prefer to keep to yourselves, this is a fun experience, with good food, especially if you’re missing a good, spicy meal.”
