Hangzhou Xiaolongbao

Once named the fourth best rated restaurant serving the succulent xiaolongbao (soup dumplings) in Taiwan, Hangzhou Xiaolongbao is also hailed as the wallet-friendly version of Ding Tai Fung. This eatery is well located on Hangzhou South Road, hence the name. All soup dumplings are freshly made to order, and every single flavor is worth a try. The paper-thin skin enveloping perfectly seasoned pork filling and rivers of hot, flavorful soup is a unique art of making xiaolongbao. Some of the most-ordered items include shrimp siu mai and pumpkin cake. Visitors from Japan and Korea see it as a foodie mecca, and major TV news and notable magazines have covered its success, making it one of the must-tries in Taipei.

Behind the seemingly endless energy of this restaurant are the founders — the brothers Huang, who were the apprentices at another prestigious noodle shop forty years ago. Their delicate and delicious noodle dishes soon became the favorites of many, which prompted them to open up an eatery serving noodles themselves.