Taipei 101 Guide: Dining and Things to Do Nearby

_{Photo: 中岑 范姜, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons}

If you ever visit Taiwan, this is the place you wouldn’t want to miss! The one and only: Taipei 101. The Taipei 101 is a super skyscraper in Taipei‘s business district with a building function that serves as a modern technological marvel, a tourist attraction, and office building. With metro access right beside the building’s location, Taipei 101 is an easy site to visit in Taipei and is also well-connected to the rest of the city. Located in the finest district Taipei has to offer, TAIPEI 101 is the largest engineering project ever in the history of the Taiwan construction business. Supported by a dozen or so domestic businesses, the TFC Corp. was fortunate to have local and international experts in charge of the planning, and world-class architect C.Y. Lee was responsible for the design of the project. The design transcends the uni-body concept and is based on the Chinese number 8, a numeral long considered lucky in Chinese culture. Eight-floor structural units are connected one-by-one on top of each other to form the whole. This kind of rhythmic aesthetic is new to skyscrapers.

The sectional TAIPEI 101 employs a Mega Structure System for disaster and wind damage prevention. As every eighth floor constitutes an autonomous space, wind effects on the surface seen in high-rise buildings are eliminated. The design of the foundation guarantees pedestrian safety and comfort. Resembling the flexible yet persistent bamboo that rises into the sky, the building is a reflection of traditional Chinese building philosophy. Inclining 7 degrees inwards, the structure increases in size as it gets higher. The transparent and non-reflective curtain walls are energy efficient and heat reflective, enabling those in Taiwan’s tallest building to have a clear view of the world around them. High-tech materials and innovative illumination creates a see-through effect with transparency and clarity that facilitates the harmony between the building and its natural environment.

Taipei 101 also has one of the world’s fastest elevators and can take you from the 5th floor all the way to the observatory on the 89th floor in 37 seconds (with top speeds of 37.7 mph). The indoor observatory on 88F–89F (with an outdoor terrace on 91F, open in good weather) is the best way to see the building’s giant tuned mass damper and the whole city; buy tickets on the official Taipei 101 Observatory website or at the 5F ticket counter, and check the latest prices and opening hours there. The Taipei 101 has some alternative names, including the Taipei World Financial Center and the Taipei Financial Center, which was given to the building on account of the building’s owner, The Taipei Financial Center Corporation, before coming to be known as Taipei 101.

A fun bit of trivia: near the top of the building is Summit 101, a private, invitation-only club that is not open to the public. On your next visit to Taipei, why not take a trip to Taipei 101 and see the architectural marvel with your own eyes?

Where to Eat at Taipei 101

Taipei 101 Mall, on the lower floors of the tower, is one of Taipei’s main luxury shopping centers, with a large food court and restaurants on the basement level and upper floors. Restaurants here change from time to time, so check the Taipei 101 Mall website for the current list. Here are two classics:

1. Din Tai Fung Taipei 101 (B1)

The most famous place to try your very first bite of Xiao Long Bao (soup dumplings) is Din Tai Fung, and it has one huge branch right here inside Taipei 101. Din Tai Fung is known internationally for its paper-thin xiao long bao with 18 folds, and The New York Times named it one of the top ten restaurants in the world in 1993. Despite being a chain restaurant with big dining rooms and high turnover, it manages to churn out incredibly tasty dishes.

What to order:

– Spicy pickled cucumber. The cucumber chunks are lightly pickled so that they still retain some crunch, and they’re doused in an oil that has just the right amount of spice to tickle your tastebuds. This dish makes the perfect appetizer and it’s one of the cheapest items on the menu.

– Braised eggplant. This dish takes locally grown Chinese eggplant, cooks it to the perfect texture, and then dresses it with a blend of sauces. The result is a juicy and flavourful appetizer that you’ll love if you like eggplant — and might even change your opinion if you don’t!

– Pork chop fried rice with eggs. The bed of rice, fried with egg and spring onion, soaks up juices from the meat, making it moist and flavourful. This isn’t just your average fried rice.

– Xiao Long Bao. At least one order of xiaolongbao is a must at Din Tai Fung, regardless of which of the multiple types you choose. The standard pork XLB is always a great option — it’s marked as a recommended dish on the menu — but we like to switch it up sometimes. Crab adds a whole extra layer to the soup, making the broth even more flavourful. If you like crab, you’ll obsess over these, and if you don’t, just stick to the always-delicious pork! Vegetarian options are available too.

Tips: 

Unless you go at very off-peak hours (the middle of the afternoon), Din Tai Fung nearly always has a wait. They don’t take reservations, so you’ll need to physically go to the restaurant to get a number and a spot in the queue. They’ll give you a paper menu so that you can mark your orders while waiting, turn it in ahead of time, and start receiving food as soon as you sit down! Though the waits are long, Din Tai Fung has their queuing system organized down to a science. You can actually check the current wait times for each Din Tai Fung branch on their website or app. Both the website and app conveniently display the queue number currently being called, so you can leave the restaurant and do something else nearby while tracking the queue on the go.

2. Dining with a view on 86F

For a meal with a view, the 86th floor of Taipei 101 is home to a high-end restaurant with sweeping views over the city. Since 2023 it has been run by the Eatogether group as the buffet restaurant “A Joy” (饗 A Joy). It is popular, especially at sunset and on New Year’s Eve, so book well ahead and check the current prices on its official website.

Other things to do around the area

1. Climb Elephant Mountain

_{Photo: Sinsyuan, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons}

This small mountain hike is just the right amount for you to end with a lovely view of Taipei 101 and a dash of romantic sunset. Situated in Xinyi District, an easily accessible Elephant mountain makes for the best place to get panorama views of Taipei. It’s a short and steep hike from Xiangshan metro station, stone’s throw away from the iconic Taipei 101. You can make it up there within half an hour as long as you are physically fit. If you are trying to make it up there for sunset or sunrise, make sure to allow enough time for the hike. There are additional resting stations and viewing stations on the way. The hiking path is covered by trees, so it would be a pity to pass the sunset or sunrise on the stairway.

2. Visit Xinyi Assembly Hall (Four Four South Village)

_{Photo: Hal Maa, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons}

At a corner in Taipei’s high-end Xinyi District, a few low-rise houses sit closely together. These somewhat crowded buildings chronicled the tears and joy of veterans who migrated to Taiwan in the early days. This is the former site of one of Taipei’s first military dependents’ villages, Four Four South Village (四四南村, Sisinan Village), built for workers of the 44th Arsenal and their families. The Hall consists of four symmetrical buildings. The houses that sat tightly next to each other have been converted into an open space for events and exhibitions. The premise now consists of an exhibition hall, Military Dependents’ Village Exhibition Hall, performance hall and community hall. The exterior still retains the unique low-rise and the simple, rustic style of the Military Dependents’ Village. The narrow alleys and footpaths will take the visitors down memory lane. It is a fascinating contrast to the neighboring towering Taipei 101 and surrounding modern buildings, a compelling testimony of Taipei’s urban development.

3. Songshan Cultural and Creative Park

The 6.6-hectares Songshan Cultural and Creative Park in Taipei’s Xinyi District was completed in 1937 as the Songshan Tobacco Factory, which was one of the seed companies of a monopoly system mandated by the Taiwan Governor-General Office. The premises were one of Taiwan’s pioneers of modern industry, as well as the first professional tobacco plant. A gracefully simple Japanese modernist structure, the factory features meticulously crafted tiles, glasswork and bronze fittings that made it arguably a “model factory” at that time. When Japan lost the war in 1945, the Taiwan Provincial Monopoly Bureau took over the factory and renamed it “Songshan Tobacco Factory of Taiwan Provincial Monopoly Bureau”. The factory ceased production of cigarettes in 1998 for concerns over urban planning, regulatory changes in the tobacco and liquor marketing system, as well as shrinking demand. It became a relic of the past after being merged into the Taipei Cigarette Plant.

Explore Xinyi with a local

Taipei 101, Elephant Mountain, Four Four South Village and Songshan Cultural and Creative Park are all within easy reach of each other, so they make a great half-day or full-day walk. Want someone to show you the stories behind them? Find a local guide in Taipei or see our Taiwan page.

Cover photo: 中岑 范姜, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons