The buffet trend shows no signs of fading—check out the latest all-you-can-eat options for 2018 here

Charred yogurt pork with charred longan sauce is made entirely from Taiwanese ingredients—the pork comes from Fangyuan in Changhua, and the longan from Zhongliao in Nantou. (Photo / 50F Café)

Taiwanese people love seafood, and Taipei Far Eastern Café’s buffet restaurant serves up a “Seafood Feast” every Friday and Saturday night. (Photo / Shangri-La’s Far Eastern Plaza Hotel Taipei)

The “Texas BBQ Night” offers such a wide variety of meats that it’s a real treat. (Photo / Shangri-La’s Far Eastern Plaza Hotel Taipei)

The buffet trend in hotel restaurants remains strong. In past years, the focus was on size and variety, but as 2018 begins, all-you-can-eat restaurants are quietly evolving. Some establishments are now emphasizing traceability, highlighting that their ingredients come from local small-scale Taiwanese farmers—from farm to table. Others are introducing themed days, such as meat or seafood specials, allowing customers to choose their preferred dining day based on their tastes. As consumers become more discerning, businesses that fail to keep up with the times will struggle to stand out in an already saturated food market.

One that emphasizes “eating with love for Taiwan” is the “50F Café” atop Banqiao’s Breeze Center. As Taiwan’s highest all-you-can-eat restaurant, it has long been renowned for its global cuisine and stunning night views. Since opening over a year ago, it has garnered excellent reviews. This year, “50F Café” has partnered with RT-Mart to incorporate more Taiwanese ingredients into its delicious dishes, offering a rich Taiwanese flavor that’s especially recommended for foodies who care about freshness and origin.

These local agricultural products are transformed by the chef’s skilled hands into dishes like Gongliao abalone with five-spice sauce, American ginseng burdock and black fungus spring rolls (a state banquet dish), Nantou fresh mushroom and seaweed salad, grilled chicken breast salad with charred longan salsa, Chiayi purple sweet potato salad, and Kaohsiung chestnut pumpkin with charred longan honey sauce. The flavors are excellent, and the prices are reasonable. Visiting during weekday lunch hours costs just NT$780 + 10%, offering great value.

Those who love all-you-can-eat restaurants may have had the frustrating experience of not finding their favorite dishes amid the dizzying array of options, often feeling the meal wasn’t worth the money. Now, Taipei Far Eastern Café at Shangri-La’s Far Eastern Plaza Hotel Taipei offers themed days throughout the week, including “Texas BBQ Night” on Wednesdays and “Seafood Feast” on Fridays and Saturdays. Customers can choose their preferred dining day to ensure their favorite dishes are on the buffet.

As the name suggests, “Texas BBQ Night” serves up hearty Texas-style barbecue, perfect for meat lovers. Options include American tomahawk ribeye, American bone-in short ribs, and even a massive 60kg American beef leg—all you can eat. There’s also a menu inspired by traditional Mexican flavors, such as smoked cheese avocado chicken salad, Mexican French toast platter, and country-style smoked beef rolls. Meanwhile, the “Seafood Feast” stars lobster, with dishes like curry lobster, spicy American-style stir-fried lobster, and Portuguese-style lobster, all bursting with flavor. Chinese-style dishes like three-cup crispy shrimp, Taitung flying fish dry stir-fry, Port of Taichung seafood fried noodles, and steamed turbot in bamboo steamers are also mouthwatering.

All-you-can-eat meals are usually pricey, but businesses are now becoming more considerate of customers’ wallets. “50F Café” offers weekday lunch at just NT$780 + 10%. “Texas BBQ Night” is NT$1080 + 10% in the evening, while the “Seafood Feast” dinner is NT$1280 + 10%—all reasonable prices for a five-star hotel. It’s worth comparing options to enjoy a satisfying and happy meal.