Xinyi District Taipei: Best Things To Do, Eat & Where To Stay (Ultimate Guide 2025)

My first impression of the Xinyi district was one of disappointment, it felt too polished, too expensive and lacked any Taiwanese authenticity, or so I thought.

After spending the first day or two in the shopping areas I began venturing further into the district discovering Wuxing Street, the lanes beside Songshan Park and Linjiang Night Market, it was only then I discovered how awesome Xinyi is.

I discovered that away from the designer shops, big international chain restaurants and hotels were friendly local restaurants serving wontons and sichuan-style dishes that I will not forget, cute cafes to watch the world go by in and rustic alleyways (all shared in this guide of course). If you are looking for the best things to do in Xinyi district or things to do near Taipei 101 this post has all of the neighbourhood highlights.

The Xinyi District is located in Eastern Taipei, it’s known as the commercial and glamorous side of the city with glitzy skyscrapers, luxury shopping malls, busy office workers and home to the country’s most famous landmark, Taipei 101. It’s one of the best places to base yourself in Taipei, due to its proximity to Taipei City Hall Station and Xiangshan Mountain. I loved spending time in Xinyi, and hopefully this guide will help you have a great time too!

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Where To Stay In Xinyi District

Choosing to stay in Xinyi during your Taipei trip is a great idea, it is one of the best areas to stay in Taipei. You will be within walking distance of Elephant mountain, Taipei 101 is always in view, there are amazing restaurants for all budgets and the hotels are very nice. Although accommodation can be pricey, there are a few excellent mid-range and budget options too. Here are some of my recommendations for where to stay in Xinyi.

$: Formosa 101: comfortable rooms, some offer views of Taipei101. Facilities include a shared kitchen for any one looking to save. Breakfast is also included. check availability

$$: CHECK inn: excellent location at the top of Wuxing Street, just a 5 minute walk from MRT. Rooms are modern with flat screen TVs, cheaper rooms do not have a window but standard rooms have floor to ceiling windows. check availability

$$$: Hanns House: opulent 5-star hotel located across from the scenic Zhongshan Park with spacious elegantly designed rooms. The hotel features a gym and a airport shuttle bus. check availability

Now, let’s dive into the best things to do in Xinyi Taipei, starting with its most iconic landmark

Things To Do In Xinyi District Taipei

Taipei 101

Surprise, surprise, the first thing to do in Xinyi District is Taipei 101. Taiwan’s most iconic landmark can be seen around most of Xinyi, often I was sure I was far from it but then I’d walk down a small side street only to see it glistening behind blocks of residential buildings. I will never forget the first time I saw it after leaving Taipei Main City Hall Station making my way to the apartment, it was like a jewel just standing there shining bright. It really ignited my excitement to explore the city.

Resembling a bamboo stalk, Taipei 101 is an impressive 508 meters (1,667 feet) across 101 stories (Taipei 101, get it?). The building features eight segments of eight floors each, this is no coincidence, number 8 symbolises prosperity and good fortune in Chinese culture.

Inside, you can take the worlds fastest elevator to the 89th floor for panoramic views of Taipei. Built by Toshiba, it travels at 1,010 meters per minute (60.6 km/h). For an extra fee, visit the indoor observation deck on the 101st floor and the outdoor Skyline 460 above the 101st floor, though it closes during poor weather conditions. Honestly the views from the 89th floor were impressive enough, we didn’t feel like we missed out on the 101st floor. Along with views there are art installations that make a nice background for photos and cafes.

Also, don’t miss the impressive 728-ton mass damper suspended between the 87^th and 92^nd floors. This stops the building shaking violently during earthquakes and typhoons.

Simple Kaffa

A lesser known alternative to Taipei 101 is Simple Kaffa; a cafe located on the 88^th floor, just one floor below the observation deck.

Prices start at NT$2000 for a window seat table(up to 4 people), NT$3000 for a bay sofa (2 to 8 people), or NT$300 for a general seat (furthest away from the window) per person. This booking fee can also be used to redeem coffee and food during this booking. For an example of the prices; a latte is NT$240, cake is NT$250 and a cocktail is NT$450. In comparison a Taipei 101 ticket starts at NT$600 per person.

The queues can be long so make sure to book in advance, especially if you want to secure a window seat at sunset.

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Songshan Cultural and Creative Park (松山文創園區)

This industrial brick complex was once a tobacco factory but has since transformed into a creative hub packed with pop-ups, boutiques, cafes and artisan workshops. You’ll also find the Taiwan Design Museum here showcasing rotating local and international design exhibits. For those hunting unique souvenirs, I highly recommended the Vacanza stall where they craft adorable jewellery using actual flowers. I purchased a purple one and I wear it so much; it’s a lovely souvenir to remember this city by.

When you are finished with some retail therapy, the park has scenic grounds with a serene pond where you might see swans and turtles. There are also a few benches so you could grab lunch or a coffee nearby, and enjoy here outdoors in this peaceful park. I would regularly come here with a coffee from U co and watch the squirrels run around.

Four Beasts Mountain Range

One of the best things to do in Xinyi district is to explore the Four Beasts Mountain Range. These 4 peaks of Xiangshan (Four Beasts Mountains/四獸山) are actually part of the larger Nangang Mountain Range. They form the western section of the range, closest to central Taipei. This is where the famous Elephant Mountain is, but the range goes much higher. 9km total, taking approximately 4-5 hours.

Did you know that the entire Nangang Mountain Range spans approximately 15km from the Four Beasts. These trails offer a more challenging but rewarding experience than the often crowded Elephant Mountain trail.

Hiking the four beast peaks was the highlight of my time in Taipei, I loved it so much I actually did it 3 times. I wasn’t expecting it to be as challenging but the endless stairs and Taipei humidity creates a tough environment. However, amidst my huffing and puffing and non-stop sweating (I was a mess) were paths shaded by bamboo forests, small tranquil shrines and rest points with beautiful views.

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Linjiang Night Market /Tonghua (通化街夜市)

Ok it may be officially located in the Daan district, but it’s on the border of Xinyi and Daan so can easily check it out while in Xinyi. We were very lucky to be staying a stones throw from here. Of all the night markets I visited in Taipei, Linjiang wins the award for the most local vibe. While tourists still visit, there are notably fewer than at Raohe, Shilin and Nangxia.

On first impressions, I thought it was pretty chaotic for such a compact area, motorbikes frequently drive through, stall vendors are shouting, sizzling pans create a smoky path where neon signs boldly flash in the haze. However, once we started eating it was clear that lots of great stalls are packed into the space.

Linjiang night market has 4 Michelin food stalls (Liang Chi Lu Wei, Lo Chi Hsiao Chao, Yakou Spicy Tofu, Yu Pin Yuan Fire & Ice Tangyuan) but these are the stalls I loved. Remember just because they are not recognised by Michelin Bib does not mean they are not delicious.

One thing to note is the street outside the entrance of Lingjiang Night Market has many pet stores with cute puppies and kittens in the window. Although I am not sure how I feel about these kinds of stores, and choose to remain positive on their ethics they are popular in Taiwan and Japan.

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Zhongshan Park (中山公園)

Zhongshan is a large and peaceful park with a lake, a pagoda and scenic views of Taipei 101. In the day many locals come here to practice tai-chi and yoga. I actually consider it one of the best places in Xinyi to photograph Taipei 101, especially at night. Along with Taipei 101, during the spring you can see many cherry blossoms.

Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall is also located here, unfortunately it is currently under construction so you can’t see much as the facade is mostly covered. It’s due to reopen in 2026.

Attend A Baseball Game In Taipei Dome

A fun thing to do in Xinyi that will also immerse you in Taiwan’s sporting culture is to attend a baseball game. Baseball is a popular sport here, the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) may be small with just 5 teams but it has a lot of passion and huge fanfare with dedicated and VERY enthusiastic fans. I am not really into sports, so my expectations were low but quickly lifted once I experienced the chanting, live bands and cheerleaders. The energy is so exciting and participatory, it’s practically impossible not to have a good time. As a foreigner you are also very likely to be shown on the big screen.

In Xinyi the place to watch a game is Taipei Dome, a large stadium (with AC!!) that can seat up to 40,000 people. Check the schedule here, you will need to filter the stadium to “TPD” to find games in the dome. There are 2 Taipei teams Fubon Guardians (富邦悍將) & Wei Chuan Dragons (味全龍) while CTBC Brothers (中信兄弟) are Taichung, Rakuten Monkeys (樂天桃猿) for Taoyuan and Uni-President Lions (統一7-ELEVEn獅) for Tainan. The Taiwan baseball season runs from March to October, it is split into 2 seasons with each season winner competing in the Taiwan Series championship.

In terms of where to sit I recommend infield seats or hot zones to truly get involved with all the chanting and dancing. There are also some great food options in and outside of the stadium; however you are also allowed to bring your own food and drink in which is excellent for anyone on a budget.

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Shopping

Xinyi is one of the best districts to shop in Taipei. Many of the shops are concentrated into a pedestrianised area making it easy to explore along with a bridge way between Taipei 101 and Att4Fun. For international tourists a tax refund is available for purchases over NT$3,000. I’ve spent countless afternoons wandering between these malls, and each time I still discovered new shops (not so great for my purse though) and new food stalls (CookieUp was my favourite).

At night there are a few clubs and it can become lively, you might even be handed a free shot as you pass by! I am not so much a club girl but there is a small Draft Land counter which has a nice vibe as people spill out onto the streets with a few beers.

In terms of local shops I recommend checking out NET and Life8, clothing brand that’s very affordable, 三花SUN FLOWER has high quality underwear (male).

Department Stores

44 South Military Village (四四南村)

This retro neighbourhood in the Xinyi District started as basic housing for soldiers and their families who fled mainland China after the KMT lost the civil war in 1949. About 2 million people made the journey across the strait which is pretty crazy to imagine.

The village itself consists of just a few narrow alleyways with homes cobbled together from whatever materials were available at the time: wooden planks, bamboo walls, and those corrugated metal sheets as roofs that make that tapping sound when rain hits them. What I love is how they’ve repurposed into cafes, little shops selling handmade stuff, and these exhibition spaces telling stories about the families who lived here.

Wuxing Street + Market

Wuxing Street is a less glitzy but much more authentic and raw side of the Xinyi district. Once you step foot on Wuxing Street the luxury shopping malls and skyscrapers are replaced by a colourful, somewhat gritty narrow road lined with local restaurants (with local prices), cafes, street stalls and of course lots of bikes. Unlike the air-conditioned malls nearby, here you’ll breathe in the aromatic aroma of sizzling street food and spices. Intimidating at first with the sounds of street vendors shouting, pans sizzling along with loud motorbikes passing but it quickly became my favourite street for affordable food. Additionally, a busy morning market is also located here, with breakfast foods, fresh fruit/veg and household goods.

Beef noodle aficionados should add this street to their itinerary, some of the city’s most flavourful bowls at half the tourist area prices are located here.

Cafe Ogawa (小川) is a small cafe does a delicious latte and has a cute outdoor seating area along with a bench out front to watch the local life.

Where To Eat In Xinyi District

Bandao Beef Noodle (半島牛肉麵)

Declared as champions of the best beef noodles in Taipei is the modest family owned Bandao Beef Noodle Restaurant. Tucked away down a backstreet, just a few minutes walk from Breeze Shopping area, you’ll find both locals and tourists in this no frills restaurant. Greeted by two friendly ladies, we were handed an English menu to fill out.

On the menu is a variety of different beef noodles, we ordered the classic beef noodle soup but you can order beef tendon noodle soup, noodles with XO sauce or just soup no noodles. There are also dumplings and blanched vegetables. You can help yourself to pickled cabbage and sauces.

The beef noodles were, as expected, absolutely delicious. The broth was rich, the noodles were fresh with a firm texture and the beef was succulent, it was cooked to perfection. We also ordered Pork and coriander dumplings, these were the most flavourful pork dumplings I have had in Taipei!

Zhoujia Tofu Roll (周家豆腐捲)

We’ve had the best beef noodles in Taipei, and now I will make a bold claim, Zhoujia Tofu Roll have the best scallion pancakes not only in the Xinyi district but in all of Taipei. Yes, even better than Tian Jin on Yongkang Street. Zhoujia is a breakfast restaurant, these are common in Taiwan, usually open early in the morning and closed by lunch.I stumbled upon Zhoujia Tofu Roll while I was wandering down some backstreets, there was an amazing smell coming from this stand, the only encouragement I needed to join the queue.

We got very lucky, we arrived just before closing time, although we only ordered a tofu roll and one vegetable shao bing they threw in an extra shrimp one for no extra cost.

Burger Out

The crispiest, most flavourful chicken in the Xinyi district has to be Burger Out. Extremely popular among the younger population, this small restaurant specialises in fried chicken. The menu is small, you choose a burger based on the sauce, from sichuan and Korean hot sauce to wasabi mayo. The chicken is tender with a delicious crunchy coating, it is then generously drenched in a sauce of your choice. If you sit at the counter you can watch the chicken being freshly breaded and fried. Along with burgers they also serve wings, thighs, and fries.

Onigiri Planet (飯丸屋-台北松菸店)

I eat my fair share of onigiri in Taiwan, usually it’s from 7-11 (chicken rice flavour is my go-to), but everyday I would see a large queue form outside Onigiri Planet, so I had to check it out. Feeling like I was betraying 7-11 I sheepishly got in line. Serving up Okinawan style onigiri, which is a bit different from the usual triangular shaped onigiri. Instead, Okinawan onigiri is more like a rice sandwich covered in a sheet of seaweed and filled with a slice of tamagoyaki (egg omelette), spam and then other topping like goya or shrimp.

Onigiri planet takes things a bit further with their toppings think curry croquette, shrimp tempura, and deep fried peanut better chicken. I had the latter which was truly delicious. I’d never had peanut butter in an onigiri, but I would recommend as the rice with the crispy chicken and the sweetness of the peanut butter works so well together. Additionally, the portions are huge, my takeaway bag felt like a little brick.

Along with onigiri they are known for their Okinawa Taco Rice. This is beef mince, lettuce, and cheese on rice. Yum!

There is a small seating area, but if there are none when you arrive I recommend get it to-go and enjoying it in Zhongshan Creative Park, which is just a few minutes walk away.

Din Tai Fung (鼎泰豐)

With 119 restaurants around the globe, Din Tai Fung is certainly no hidden gem. In recent years they have become a viral sensation with their delicate and super tasty xiaolongbao known across the world.

The first ever Din Tai Fung restaurant is located on Xinyi Road, close to Yongkang Street, it dates back to 1972. Unfortunately it is takeaway only, but if you would like to sit down you can find branches in 8 locations around Taipei including Taipei 101 shopping mall, Ximen, Nanxi and Fuxing.

I highly recommend the xiaolongbao and juicy spicy shrimp wontons.

If you book with Klook you not only receive a discount but also get to skip the line, and there is ALWAYS a queue

Falafel King (中東蔬食料理)

Just a 10 minute walk from Taipei 101 is a member of royalty, the self-titled Falafel King. A two-storey cosy and casual restaurant, with, as you may have guessed, a menu full of falafels.

The concept it simple, decide whether you want your falafels in a pita or in a bowl with rice, simple but the food is anything but. What is served is an amalgamation of deep Mediterranean flavours. The hummus is fresh, the zhug packs a spicy punch, the falafels are crispy, and the pita tastes like it’s just been baked.

I found it so hard finding hummus in Taipei. Sometimes you just need your comfort food, and for me, that’s hummus and falafel. Any vegetarians or travellers looking to eat something different, Falafel King is the answer.

Stand Up PLZ BBQ (新村站著吃烤肉)

As the name suggest this a no seat, standing only Korean BBQ restaurant, that is insanely popular. Attracting a mostly young crowd with lively music and a casual vibe. There is normally a queue, but once you are in it’s a quick experience. As you enter you grab your sides, pick your meats, pay and then stand up at your table and eat! There is also someone who will grill your meat at the table. Simple, fun and very tasty.

Chuan Xiang Si Noodle Restaurant (川香思麵食館)

Specialising Sichuan-style cooking their stand-out dish is dandan noodles, Chuan Xiang Si Noodle Restaurant is a laidback and local restaurant to try this comforting dish. Consisting of minced pork, chewy noodles, tangy pickled veg and a spicy in-house red Sichuan peppercorn chili oil it’s the perfect dinner/lunch. You can choose to have it served dry or with soup, although both are delicious and spicy I recommend the dry version, as I always find soup can dilute the flavour. You can also add more spice to your preference.

Aside from dandan noodles other dishes to try are the wontons in red oil along with braised vegetables.

Wenzhou Fresh Wonton (溫州鮮餛飩)

Wenzhou is a small local restaurant tucked away down an alley. Their area of expertise is homemade wontons. These wontons are perfectly cooked through with a soft texture, there are no hard layers of dough which you is often the case with wontons. The wontons are plump with a juicy shrimp or pork mixture, they are not only delicious but a super satiating meal.

Expect to queue here as this is a very popular restaurant among locals, the prices are also affordable at approximately $NT95 per meal.

Yang Guo Taipei (養鍋)

Hotpot and Taiwan go hand in hand, it’s a delicious albeit huge meal; full tender meats, vegetables, noodles that are swimming in a flavourful broth that cooks on an induction hob your table. Yang Guo is not only a relaxing and friendly restaurant to try Taiwan’s speciality but it’s also very affordable.

We tried the garlic and clam chicken soup base. Relatively new to the hotpot experience we were a little nervous on how to order but the menu is clear and also has some English on it. At the end you can help yourself to some ice-cream.

While exploring the best things to do in Xinyi Taipei, don’t miss the district’s thriving coffee culture.

Coffee In Xinyi District

Coffee by U co.

On my daily morning coffee crawls I was intrigued by a small window with closed curtains and 2 high stools, I am a sucker for hole in the wall cafes. U co is tucked down a peaceful lane beside Songshan Creative Park. The menu has the usual espresso drinks along with flavourful lattes such as honey cinnamon latte and osmanthus along with matcha and wine. If you fancy a sweet treat they do canelé.

I found the coffee to be a medium-bodied chocolaty and nutty bean. It quickly became a favourite of mine. Inside, is also a small art gallery.

Ongu Coffee Roasters

Ongu is Industrial themed cafe with a metalic/stainless steel exterior that grabs your attention as you walk by. Inside it is snug with just a few tables and chairs, soft warm music playing and the delicious smell of freshly roasted beans. Their refined menu includes filtered and hand drip coffee. You can also purchase their in-house beans.

CuppaCuppa

Another hole in the wall joint (I told you, I’m a sucker for them). Outside there is a small seating area for 2, however it can get very busy so it might not be the most relaxing place. CuppaCuppa a no fuss spot, which I kept returning to, the prices are also very reasonable for the area (latte costs NT$130 ). They do a great flat white and a caramel cinnamon latte along with teas and alternative milks. Additionally, their cups have this amazing texture, they feel like velvet.

Ogawa (小川)

Located on Wuxing Street, this little nook was a pleasant surprise on a rainy day. Greeted by a friendly barista and a cute handwritten menu decorated with flowers. The menu is small but well thought out with flavoured lattes, drip coffee and tea. Their milk based coffees were velvety smooth with a chocolatey bean. There is an outdoor terrace behind the building with a few seats to relax but the best seat is at the front of the cafe where you can watch all the busyness of Wuxing Street unfold.

Tropo Coffee

This retro cafe is the ultimate rainy day / workday location. Spread over 2 floors it has a quirky 70’s decor and a soothing ambiance thanks to the warm hues and aesthetic brown tiles. The coffee is also top notch with freshly ground beans that result in a rich full bodies cup that will awaken the sleepiest parts of your soul. They also serve decadent desserts such as a cheesecake, brownie, and tiramisu along with salads for you healthy folk.

Thank you for reading my guide to the best things to do in Xinyi district! 🙂

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