Top 3 popular breakfast spots in Taipei’s Xinyi District — arrive late and you’ll miss out

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

They say the day begins with a good breakfast, and a delicious one can definitely set a great mood. Though breakfast shops are common across Taiwan, there are three especially popular ones in Taipei’s Xinyi District: Chen Gen Tea Quest, Find Meal 2nd Shop, and Gao Sanxiao Songyan Cultural and Creative Shop. Among them, Chen Gen Tea Quest often sees long queues outside, while Find Meal 2nd Shop is frequently fully booked.


▲ Crispy and flaky Chinese omelet. (Photo / Provided by Xiao Hu’s Dream Food Net)

Chen Gen Tea Quest
The Chen Gen Tea Quest outlet on Zhongjing Road in Xinyi District isn’t very large, but its signature items — Chinese omelets and French toast — are crowd favorites. Unlike typical omelets sold elsewhere, theirs has a delightfully crispy and flaky crust with a subtle hint of burnt aroma. As for the French toast, it's been somewhat “localized”: it’s stuffed with pork floss and mayonnaise, resembling the sandwiches commonly found in local breakfast shops for office workers and students to grab on the go. The toast is dipped in egg mixture, adding an eggy flavor and resulting in a softer texture.

Address: No. 7, Lane 391, Zhongjing Rd., Xinyi District, Taipei City
Phone: 02-2725-3696

▲ The peanut fragments in the “Peanut Butter Pork Chop Cheeseburger” are handmade and stir-fried by the shop, offering a sweet and crispy taste. (Photo / Photo by Huang Shiyuan)

Find Meal 2nd Shop
Tucked away in the alley behind Taipei Medical University, Find Meal 2nd Shop has a simple and unadorned interior, though seating is unfortunately limited. Its menu differs from that of typical breakfast joints. Shop owner Huang Yinghui explains that many items on the menu are specially designed, and over 60% of the sauces and fillings are handmade to ensure better control over flavors — for instance, their caramel is slowly simmered from No. 2 sugar. One of their signature dishes, the “Peanut Butter Pork Chop Cheeseburger (NT$70),” stands out not just for its peanut butter but also for its delightfully crispy and sweet peanut fragments. These are made by finely chopping whole peanuts and dry-frying them with sugar, resulting in that perfect crunchy-sweet texture. Paired with peanut butter and cheese, the flavor becomes even more layered.

Address: 1F, No. 27, Lane 20, Lane 284, Wuxing St., Xinyi District, Taipei City
Phone: 02-27380067

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▲ Pictured: Toast with floral (peanut) sauce and ham. (Photo / Provided by Gao Sanxiao)

Gao Sanxiao Songyan Cultural and Creative Shop
Located in the back alley of Nanmen Market, “Gao Sanxiao Charcoal Toast” is run by two former classmates from Taipei First Girls' High School’s Senior 3 Class Xiao (“Gao Sanxiao”), who simply named the shop after their class for its uniqueness and memorability. The interior is styled like a classroom, giving customers a nostalgic campus vibe as they dine. The Gao Sanxiao Charcoal Toast Songyan Cultural and Creative Shop opened last September (2015).

Gao Sanxiao’s charcoal toast features a distinct grilled pattern. The bread is soft yet surprisingly chewy — it doesn’t get soggy from the heat and carries a faint smoky aroma, with a delightful contrast between crispy exterior and tender inside. Their chicken and pork cutlets are not deep-fried, making them non-greasy and served in hearty, full slices. An added bonus: even when the toast cools down, it remains soft without drying out or getting tough.

Address: No. 8-1, Lane 6, Lane 553, Section 4, Zhongxiao E. Rd., Xinyi District, Taipei City
Phone: 02-2764-9060