Have a brunch / In an 80-year-old Western-style mansion, experience the tradition and authenticity of high society

Text by Hsia Liang   Photography by You Jia-huan   Excerpted from /Have a delicious BRUNCH！A taste guide to over 100 popular brunch spots across Taiwan


▲ Traditional recipe crêpes, soft French pancakes. Pictured here is a creamed spinach crêpe.

Next to the exit of Zhongshan MRT Station, there is a beautiful white garden villa that officially opened to the public in July 2008 as a European-style restaurant. GALERIE Bistro’s owner, Ely, grew up here. For her, enjoying exquisitely prepared food in this setting was only natural. After returning from studying hotel management in Switzerland and leaving the house vacant for 20 years, she wanted to revive its former glory of hosting elegant gatherings. Following renovations, she reopened the venue, drawing inspiration from many century-old European establishments to provide a comfortable, spacious, and elegant dining environment.

 

Both indoors and outdoors at GALERIE Bistro are predominantly white-themed, including the menu and even the restrooms. The left and right wings on the first floor consist of a casual dining area with an open kitchen and a more formal restaurant section, respectively. On sunny days, you can also enjoy your meal in the courtyard while soaking up the sun. The second floor is currently used for events but will soon feature a boutique home decor gallery. A visit here allows you to dine while appreciating the beauty of this historic building, making you feel as if you're abroad.







GALERIE Bistro aims to offer premium service at the price of a regular restaurant. Most importantly, it showcases the kind of hospitality once reserved for high society. From crisp white tablecloths and imported tableware to personalized napkins, the waitstaff’s attitude and all service procedures are rigorously trained in European style—even the language used meets international standards. Ingredients are imported directly from their places of origin and prepared simply to preserve their original flavors. Even the side coffee is extraordinarily luxurious, with beans costing over a thousand NT dollars per pound—an experience not found in ordinary restaurants.

 

Must Try
French ham sandwich
Made with white bread as the base, topped with sliced Burgundy ham, Swiss cheese, French white sauce, and a sunny-side-up egg made with black chicken eggs. It is served with tomatoes, fresh vegetables, cucumber, and French fries on the side.

French toast
French toast made by frying bread with eggs and butter. In addition to being decorated with seasonal banana or strawberry slices on the outside, it is also filled with fruit compote inside, then drizzled with molasses and sprinkled with cinnamon powder—nothing about it is simple here.

【GALERIE BISTRO】
No. 2, Lane 25, West Nanjing Road, Taipei City
(02) 2558-0096-9 11:00~22:00
Brunch hours: 11:00–14:00