Tainan 台南

Fresh beef soup, beef with rice and stir-fried beef.

Beef soup and minced-beef or braised-meat rice; extremely popular.

Beef soup with rice; arrive very early because it can sell out.

Beef soup and beef hotpot; convenient when exploring Anping.

Milkfish-skin soup, milkfish belly and minced-pork rice.

Milkfish belly, fish skin, fish soup and rice.

Freshly fried shrimp rolls; better-rated alternative to the more famous Chou's.

Squid rice-noodle soup; simple, sweet seafood broth.

A sit-down introduction to traditional Tainan cooking; best with several people so you can share.

Dry-style fried eel noodles.

Casual Taiwanese dishes and local comfort food.

Taiwanese stir-fries and hotpot; better for a group.

A food crawl rather than one meal: rice cakes, soups, fried snacks and market sweets.

Vegan. Indian vegan curries, breads and comfort food.

Vegan. Contemporary plant-based lunch or dinner.

Vegan. Relaxed meal with Asian and Western influences.

Vegan. Affordable local-style plant-based meal.

Vegetarian. Creative dishes in a stylish setting.

Vegetarian. Modern vegetable-led dinner.

Vegetarian. Atmospheric meal inside a heritage mansion; reserve.

Vegetarian. Polished Chinese vegetarian food; good for families or groups.

Japanese. High-value sushi and sashimi; excellent rating for its review volume.

Japanese seafood. Seafood donburi, sashimi and Japanese comfort food.

Japanese. More polished dinner; reservations recommended.

Japanese yakiniku. Lively grilled-meat dinner.

Japanese. Casual salmon, seafood and cooked rice bowls.

Italian–Taiwanese. Creative pasta and risotto with local influences.

French. Special-occasion dinner.

Modern French. Intimate tasting-menu experience; one for serious food travellers.

Refined Chinese. Proper Chinese lunch or dinner in Silks Place.

Thai. Reliable Thai food in the historic centre.

Thai. Contemporary Thai; useful for groups wanting a break from Taiwanese food.

One of the strongest coffee-first recommendations; compact and characterful.

Carefully brewed speciality coffee near Anping.

Espresso-bar experience; sit at the counter and watch the brewing.

Experimental fruit-forward drinks, including the famous guava coffee.

House-roasted single-origin coffee.

Coffee in a hidden alley and an old-house setting.

Books, coffee, cheesecake and lingering.

The exceptionally narrow entrance and historic interior; atmosphere over coffee geekery.

Small, highly rated speciality-coffee stop.

Roasted coffee and a calmer, coffee-focused experience.

Coffee in the afternoon; drinks later.

Design-led retro café in a restored building.

Single-origin coffee by day and cocktails later.

Global brunch. One of the strongest all-round brunch options.

Café and brunch. Breakfast plates, light meals and coffee.

Convenient central breakfast or lunch near the Literature Museum.

French patisserie. Seasonal fruit tarts and individual French pastries.

French patisserie. Cakes, macarons and refined small desserts.

French pastries. Canelés and petite pastries.

Takeaway cakes and baked desserts.

Taiwanese dessert café. Puddings, shaved desserts and seasonal sweets.

Silken tofu pudding and soybean-based desserts.

Historic ice shop. Old-fashioned banana ice, red beans and condensed milk.

Modern ice cream and fruit-based flavours.

Ice cream wrapped in thin crêpe rolls.

Convenient small-batch ice-cream stop near Chihkan Tower.

Dessert café. Elaborate plated desserts and cakes.

The priority cocktail bar: precise, Taiwanese ingredient-led drinks in a tea-house-like room. Asia's 50 Best extended list and Best Bar in Southern Taiwan 2024. Reserve first.

Café-to-cocktail concept; approachable, elegant and distinctly Tainan.

Polished cocktails and excellent bar food; suitable for a full evening.

Intimate speakeasy-style bar; inventive cocktails on Xinmei Street.

Friendly, interactive bartending and custom drinks.

Hidden upstairs inside Yongle Market; gin-focused.

Proper hidden-bar atmosphere around Chihkan.

Moody cocktails and a more experimental evening.

Neighbourhood cocktail bar away from the densest tourist streets.