Love being among the first to try new things? A complete guide to 7 newly opened restaurants in Taipei this August

Reported by Huang Shiyuan / Taipei

Taiwan not only boasts a rich culinary scene, but also sees new restaurants opening one after another. For example, in August alone, there are local brands such as Xiang Ji Cheng (Fragrant Chicken City), Dao Dao Song Gang Dian’s Dim Sum Dao (Dim Sum Way), and the nation’s highest buffet restaurant, 50th Floor Café. There are also internationally introduced concepts like Japan’s soup curry GARAKU and Korea’s beloved toast and coffee chain, Isaac Toast & Coffee. In total, there are 7 new dining spots to explore. Want to be among the first to taste them?

▲ One of Hokkaido’s must-try soup curry spots, GARAKU, has landed in Taiwan. The photo shows their signature tender chicken thigh. (Photo / Huang Shiyuan)

Soup Curry GARAKU
Apart from ramen and sushi, another must-try dish in Hokkaido is soup curry. The renowned soup curry spot GARAKU, introduced to Taiwan by the team behind Hutong Yakiniku, officially opened on August 23. GARAKU’s president, Masatoshi Fukuju, explained that the deliciousness of soup curry comes from its broth, which uses a generous amount of chicken bones, beef bones, pork bones, various vegetables, and 21 types of unique spices including turmeric powder. The goal is to recreate the authentic flavors of Hokkaido right here in Taiwan.

What is soup curry? Unlike the thick, sauce-like Japanese curry commonly seen, soup curry is served in a “soup” form, combined with the concept of medicinal cuisine—it’s a unique dietary culture of Hokkaido. Because no flour is used and it contains plenty of vegetables, the texture is lighter and more refreshing.

Address: 1F, No. 28, Songshou Rd., Xinyi District, Taipei City
Phone: 02-8780-5111

▲ The train at Dao Dao Song Gang Dian doesn’t serve sushi, but rather Hong Kong-style dim sum. (Photo / Huang Shiyuan)

Dim Sum Dao
The Fresh Group has stepped beyond Japanese cuisine to explore Hong Kong-style dim sum. This time, they’ve even integrated the track system from their Fresh New Rapid Sushi service to add a fun twist to enjoying dim sum. Dim Sum Dao currently offers over 40 varieties of Hong Kong-style dim sum, most of which are guided by the expertise of Chef Li Jincheng, head chef of Hong Kong’s popular dim sum specialist Lung Tai Zi. Among these, eight classic dim sum items are particularly recommended: Shrimp Dumpling King, Abalone Siu Mai, Traditional Glutinous Chicken, Lava Custard Bun, Silky Fun Flip Cake, Snow Mountain Char Siu Bun, Not Fried Two, and Shrimp Paste-Stuffed Eggplant. You might wonder what “Not Fried Two” is—it’s a delicate rice net wrap filled with shrimp paste, water chestnuts, celery, and crispy fried tofu skin, offering a multi-layered texture. Prices at Dim Sum Dao range from NT$58 to NT$128.

Address: 2F, No. 40, Changchun Rd., Zhongshan District, Taipei City (Entrance on Linsen N. Rd.)
Phone: 02-2511-5598


▲ Dubbed the nation’s highest buffet restaurant, “50th Floor Café” officially opened on August 25. (Photo / Huang Shiyuan)

50th Floor Café
Taiwan’s highest “50th Floor Café” buffet restaurant officially opened on August 25. Covering an area of 400 ping (approximately 1,322 square meters), it features 200 seats. Thanks to its location on the 50th floor, paired with 200 cm-high floor-to-ceiling windows, the breathtaking night views promise to make it a hot dating spot. Moreover, the restaurant has a dedicated parent-child dining area equipped with motorcycle rockers, mini train tracks, coloring boards, and food-shaped plush toys—providing playful space for toddlers under five years old.

The buffet includes sushi and sashimi stations, chilled seafood station, hot stone plate station, sushi and hand rolls, salad bar, appetizer section, Asian hot food area, chef’s signature dishes, hot stone plate dishes, as well as liquid nitrogen ice cream—the first of its kind in a five-star buffet. Over a hundred dishes are served per meal. Pricing: Weekday lunch NT$780 (opening special NT$680), weekday dinner NT$880 (opening special NT$780), weekend lunch NT$880 (opening special NT$780), weekend dinner NT$980 (opening special NT$880)—all under a thousand dollars.

Address: Floors 48 to 50, Breeze Center, No. 16, Xinzhàn Rd., Banqiao District, New Taipei City (next to Banqiao Mitsukoshi)
Phone: 02-7705-9700

▲ Thai Spicy and Sour Seafood Noodles / Rice Vermicelli. NT$250. (Photo / Huang Shiyuan)

Lemongrass Little Kitchen
The new brand “Lemongrass Little Kitchen,” co-created by Chef Ah Ming (Li Ming?) and Breeze Group, officially opened on August 15. It mainly offers quick and convenient Thai noodle dishes for office workers, featuring six flavors. These include familiar options like Thai Spicy and Sour Seafood Noodles and Northern Thai Spicy and Sour Chicken Noodles, along with Lemongrass Shrimp and Pork Noodles, Green Curry Coconut Pork Noodles, Lemongrass Mushroom and Vegetable Noodles, and Thai Braised Beef Noodles. Chef Ah Ming mentioned that the Thai Braised Beef Noodles are his fusion take on Taiwanese beef noodles, and the most special part is his self-developed lemongrass pesto, which is mixed into the noodles before eating.

Address: B2, No. 16, Songgao Rd., Xinyi District, Taipei City

▲ The first permanent Isaac Toast & Coffee store in Taiwan is set to open on August 6. (Photo / Tsai Wenjun)

Isaac Toast&Coffee
The popular Korean-style sandwich chain “Isaac Toast & Coffee,” known as the “Korean beauty and beauty” in its home country, will open its Taipei Xinyi ATT4Fun branch on August 6. The secret behind Isaac Toast & Coffee’s sandwiches lies in the “sauces”! When speaking to media during a pop-up event, distributor Lin Lunqing shared that all sauces used are directly shipped from Korea. There are four types of sauces, along with the authentic Isaac sauce, each matched to different sandwiches—with meat-based options receiving special sauce pairings. This is the biggest hallmark of “Isaac Toast & Coffee.”

Address: 4F, No. 12, Songshou Rd., Xinyi District, Taipei City

▲ The classic hand-pulled chicken from Xiang Ji Cheng is truly unforgettable. (Photo / Huang Shiyuan)

Xiang Ji Cheng
After a 20-year hiatus, the Fragrant Chicken City is finally making a comeback in style. Run by the third generation of the family, this new-age Fragrant Chicken City is located on Bali’s Left Bank in New Taipei City and will begin its trial operation from August 6 to August 31. Chen Qiaoyu, the third-generation operator and brand manager of Fragrant Chicken City, said that the hand-pulled chicken features locally raised Taiwanese chickens, brushed with the classic barbecue sauce passed down from their grandfather. What's different this time is the upgraded grilling technique—incorporating multiple steps along with French-style low-temperature cooking to lock in all the juices. Additionally, the pepper salt seasoning has also been inherited and specially blended from the grandfather’s original recipe.

Besides the classic hand-pulled chicken, there are also other creative new menu items, such as Hungarian Spiced Grilled G-Leg Chicken, marinated with Hungarian pepper, garlic, parsley, and other spices; Spicy Salt Chicken Skewers, made with chicken thigh meat, paired with the family’s signature barbecue sauce and spicy salt blend, with the skin seared at high temperatures; and Cuban Roast Pork Belly, inspired by the Cuban sandwich featured in the movie Chef, where grilled pork slices are stuffed inside Cuban bread and served with sofrito.

Address: No. 39, Guanhai Boulevard, Bali District, New Taipei City

▲ Constellation Bear Themed Restaurant Officially Opens!(Photo / from the Facebook page of Constellation Bear Themed Restaurant BluesBear Café)

Constellation Bear Themed Restaurant
Taiwan’s themed restaurant craze shows no signs of slowing down. Following in the footsteps of Rilakkuma, Kumamon, and Little Bear School, yet another bear-themed eatery has opened its doors. The "Constellation Bear Themed Restaurant BluesBear Café," which boasts over 700,000 online followers in Taiwan, officially launched on August 13, with a giant Constellation Bear mascot welcoming guests at the entrance.

In addition to the regular menu, Constellation Bear also offers hidden dishes tailored to different zodiac signs. Recently, they introduced a special Leo-themed set meal. Anyone born between July 23 and August 22 can enjoy the Leo-exclusive set for just NT$480, which includes an appetizer, soup, a bear-shaped egg cake, a main dish, plus a Leo constellation special drink (ID required for staff verification). Can non-Leo customers enjoy it too? Yes, but the price is NT$580 without any discount.

Address: 1F, No. 16, Lane 19, Section 1, Da’an Road, Da’an District, Taipei City
Phone: 02-2776-2755