Tastes of Tokyo and Tuscany (TAIPEI Quarterly 2025 Winter Vol.42)Post date：2025-12-10
221
TAIPEI #42 (2025 Winter)
Tastes of Tokyo and Tuscany
Taipei Restaurants That Have Recently Received Their First Michelin Star
TEXT Jenna Lynn Cody
PHOTOS Courtesy Of Restaurants
A restaurant's first Michelin star is more than an achievement for the establishment; it's a rite of passage for the chef. In 2025, a number of Taipei restaurants were honored with this distinction – offering a range of dining experiences from eco-friendly and sustainable to hyper-local, from bold Tuscan-style to delicate European-Asian fusion, as well as some of the finest Japanese cuisine available in and outside Japan.
aMaze
aMaze is just steps away from MRT Dazhi Station. Its austere façade evokes a Japanese gilt-iron tetsuyu glaze, complemented by bonsai-like twisting trees. The minimalist exterior gives way to an inviting space decorated in warm neutrals, wood, and art by contemporary Taiwanese artists, bringing splashes of cobalt and crimson to the space.
Chef Yang Guang-zong not only creates but also reinvents Chinese cuisine, primarily from the Jiangsu and Zhejiang traditions. His dishes incorporate elements of Western technique, Japanese accents, and local Taiwanese ingredients. The restaurant's recent "Concerto" menu featured fresh mussels from the Matsu islands, green Huadiao bamboo shoots marinated in local wine, and smoked fish in a fusion of Zhejiang and Japanese flavors. The latest menu, "A Taste of Gratitude," continues with premium seafood creations, high-quality wagyu beef, and warming ginger duck, perfect for the colder season.
aMaze was distinguished with its first Michelin star just a year after opening, but Chef Yang is no stranger to Michelin. As a chef at Tien Hsiang Lo in the Landis Taipei hotel, Yang helped that restaurant earn Michelin stars for five consecutive years.
aMaze 心宴
🚩598, Mingshui Rd., Zhongshan Dist.
📞(02) 8501-5980
🔗www.amaze598.com
🕝By reservation only
Chuan Ya
This is a fine-dining restaurant with some of the best views in Taipei. Located on the 46th floor of the Breeze Nan Shan mall, it offers carefully crafted set menus that move between different expressions of Sichuan cuisine – from the hearty comforts of home cooking to the refined dishes once served at official imperial banquets. Chef Jason Wang formerly served as head chef at the local W Hotel's YEN Chinese restaurant.
The Chuan Ya interior is warm and composed, using tones of cream, amber, and caramel with warm wood. This calm space allows the food to take center stage. Windows take up most of the exterior-wall space to take advantage of the views.
One of the signature dishes is the Golden Sour Soup with Crab Meat, Assorted Seafood, Mushrooms and Crispy Rice. This golden-hued sour soup is crafted with abalone, scallops, crab meat, dried mountain jelly greens, and straw mushrooms, with its flavor beautifully balanced by pickled vegetables, tomatoes, and yellow bell peppers. Into this aromatic broth, golden rice, which is first steamed, then fried, is immersed. The rice absorbs the soup's essence while retaining a delicate crunch. Luxurious and layered, the soup delivers a springy texture enriched with depth.
Chuan Ya 川雅
🚩46F, 17, Songzhi Rd., Xinyi Dist.
📞(02) 2722-0303
🔗www.chuan-ya.com
🕝By reservation only
HoSu
This restaurant takes sustainability seriously. Although it earned its first Michelin star this year, it has earned a Michelin green star, given out for "green" or eco-friendly fine-dining establishments, each year since 2023. The restaurant relies on Taiwanese ingredients to reduce unsustainable shipping practices and engages in food composting. It also provides detailed explanations of each dish, enabling diners to grasp the ecological principles underpinning their luxury experience.
The interior reflects the same philosophy: natural materials, a garden courtyard with five-needle pine, and oyster shell paint walls. Everything else, however, evolves with the seasons. Most high-end restaurants change their menus seasonally; HoSu changes its decor as well.
Located interior reflects the same philosophy: natural materials, a garden courtyard with five-needle pine, and oyster shell paint walls. Everything else, however, evolves with the seasons. Most high-end restaurants change their menus seasonally; HoSu changes its decor as well.
HoSu 好嶼
🚩17, Aly. 20, Ln. 300, Sec. 4, Renai Rd., Daan Dist.
🔗 www.hosutaiwan.com
🕝By reservation only
La Vie by Thomas Bühner
Helmed by German star chef Thomas Bühner and Hong Kong-born executive chef Xavier Yeung, La Vie blends European techniques with local Taiwanese produce. Located on the first floor of Noke Mall, walking into the striking dining space is like visiting a modern art museum: bathed in cool neutrals accented with gold, the smooth curves of tablescapes and space-age light fixtures are something out of another world.
The menu is prix fixe, and for the most part seasonal, with courses that range from delicate starters – think steamed oysters with horseradish oil and celeriac ravioli – to luxurious mains such as blue lobster, frog leg Kiev, and roasted Hampshire Down lamb rack. Desserts include "ice pearls," hazelnut praline, and petits kougelhof.
Apart from its Michelin star, La Vie has also been recognized for its rich fine-wine collection, spanning different regions and confidently presenting various vintages from top winemakers. Head Sommelier Max Huang and his team earned a prestigious "Best of Award of Excellence," represented by two wine glasses, from the American magazine Wine Spectator in 2025.
La Vie by Thomas Bühner
🚩200, Lequn 3rd Rd., Zhongshan Dist.
📞0937-857-869
🔗www.laviebythomasbuehner.com
🕝By reservation only
FRASSI
Italian styling is rarely understated, and FRASSI takes its cues from the boldness of this design ethos. Geometric gold chairs play against walls of Calacatta marble and accent walls that evoke meteor showers at sunset for a look that's both brash and unique. FRASSI offers especially elegant bar- and family-style seating options that can accommodate individuals, couples, or groups.
Originally from Tuscany, Chef Iacopo Frassi has called Taipei home for several years. He draws on both his Tuscan roots and experiences in Asia to create a memorable contemporary Italian-fusion dining experience. His kitchen cures its own meats, including a ten-day-aged duck that is the stuff of legend, served with earthy beetroot and black apple.
FRASSI offers a multi-course tasting menu and wine pairings. Lobster risotto is served with chive and avocado, followed by white asparagus with koji and parsley. Something special happens when the tagliatelle with rabbit and salsa verde is served, followed by the celebrated aged duck, the neck stuffed with pork, veal, and Parmesan cheese.
FRASSI
🚩299, Lequn 3rd Rd., Zhongshan Dist.
📞(02) 8502-6383
🔗www.frassi.com.tw
🕝By reservation only
Motoichi
One doesn't typically think of Japanese tempura as Michelin-worthy food, but Motoichi manages to surprise at every turn. The team at this tiny space – there are only 16 seats – carefully selects seasonal ingredients for an evening of omakase-style dining. Omakase means "I leave it up to you": it's a Japanese dining experience where the chef is trusted to create a unique tasting menu for each patron.
Tucked away in an alley near busy Zhongxiao East Road, Motoichi's interior is both modern and thoroughly Japanese, blending blond wood, carved elements, and off-white walls with contemporary style. Diners across the two rooms watch the chefs create each dish.
Some might expect the tempura to be heavy or oily, but Motoichi's creations are light, fried in a delicate batter that seals in both juices and flavor. The lightness is achieved by using a unique liquid nitrogen technique that eliminates the moisture and water contained in the flour. Apart from the fresh shrimp, fish, and vegetable selections available one might choose something more unexpected, such as asparagus or even olives. Texture is an important part of omakase-style tempura, and Motoichi has been praised as nailing this element perfectly, earning it its first Michelin star.
Motoichi 元一
🚩11, Aly. 27, Ln. 216, Sec. 4, Zhongxiao E. Rd., Daan Dist.
📞(02) 2778-3380
🕝By reservation only
Sushi Kajin
At first glance, Sushi Kajin looks like every other high-end sushi restaurant in Taipei. You would be remiss in dismissing it, however, as it crafts some of the finest sushi in the city. The ambiance is elegant yet warm, imbued with Japanese minimalism: a counter made of Taiwanese cypress, subdued lighting, lacquerware, and a quiet, focused energy.
The core of the experience lies in its Edomae-style sushi, a sushi preparation method from Tokyo that originated in the city's Edo period. Fish from Tokyo's Toyosu Market is flown in and prepared precisely to enhance the depth of flavor. In some cases, this may involve aging or curing.
Chef Okuchi Taichi, formerly of the Michelin-starred Sushi Wakon in Kyoto, leads the kitchen. His renown is so great that a prominent Taiwanese investor funded his Taipei venture so that he could showcase his skills here, in a city that may not be Japanese but where many food lovers have a list of favorite gourmet sushi restaurants.
The restaurant is known for upholding a philosophy of craftsmanship, such as limiting sugar in the sushi rice, tailoring aging times by fish species, and emphasizing seasonality. In winter, the focus is on delicacies like kobako crab, bonito, and winter yellowtail.
Sushi Kajin 鮨嘉仁
🚩28, Jilin Rd., Zhongshan Dist.
📞(02) 2581-8999
🔗www.sushi-kajin.com
🕝By reservation only
🔎
Ian Lee | 李易晏
Tien Hsiang Lo | 天香樓
Jason Wang | 王國政
Yang Guang-zong | 楊光宗
🗺️Click here to see aforementioned spots on Google Map
Tastes of Tokyo and Tuscany
Taipei Restaurants That Have Recently Received Their First Michelin Star
TEXT Jenna Lynn Cody
PHOTOS Courtesy Of Restaurants
A restaurant's first Michelin star is more than an achievement for the establishment; it's a rite of passage for the chef. In 2025, a number of Taipei restaurants were honored with this distinction – offering a range of dining experiences from eco-friendly and sustainable to hyper-local, from bold Tuscan-style to delicate European-Asian fusion, as well as some of the finest Japanese cuisine available in and outside Japan.
aMaze
aMaze is just steps away from MRT Dazhi Station. Its austere façade evokes a Japanese gilt-iron tetsuyu glaze, complemented by bonsai-like twisting trees. The minimalist exterior gives way to an inviting space decorated in warm neutrals, wood, and art by contemporary Taiwanese artists, bringing splashes of cobalt and crimson to the space.
Chef Yang Guang-zong not only creates but also reinvents Chinese cuisine, primarily from the Jiangsu and Zhejiang traditions. His dishes incorporate elements of Western technique, Japanese accents, and local Taiwanese ingredients. The restaurant's recent "Concerto" menu featured fresh mussels from the Matsu islands, green Huadiao bamboo shoots marinated in local wine, and smoked fish in a fusion of Zhejiang and Japanese flavors. The latest menu, "A Taste of Gratitude," continues with premium seafood creations, high-quality wagyu beef, and warming ginger duck, perfect for the colder season.
aMaze was distinguished with its first Michelin star just a year after opening, but Chef Yang is no stranger to Michelin. As a chef at Tien Hsiang Lo in the Landis Taipei hotel, Yang helped that restaurant earn Michelin stars for five consecutive years.
aMaze 心宴
🚩598, Mingshui Rd., Zhongshan Dist.
📞(02) 8501-5980
🔗www.amaze598.com
🕝By reservation only
Chuan Ya
This is a fine-dining restaurant with some of the best views in Taipei. Located on the 46th floor of the Breeze Nan Shan mall, it offers carefully crafted set menus that move between different expressions of Sichuan cuisine – from the hearty comforts of home cooking to the refined dishes once served at official imperial banquets. Chef Jason Wang formerly served as head chef at the local W Hotel's YEN Chinese restaurant.
The Chuan Ya interior is warm and composed, using tones of cream, amber, and caramel with warm wood. This calm space allows the food to take center stage. Windows take up most of the exterior-wall space to take advantage of the views.
One of the signature dishes is the Golden Sour Soup with Crab Meat, Assorted Seafood, Mushrooms and Crispy Rice. This golden-hued sour soup is crafted with abalone, scallops, crab meat, dried mountain jelly greens, and straw mushrooms, with its flavor beautifully balanced by pickled vegetables, tomatoes, and yellow bell peppers. Into this aromatic broth, golden rice, which is first steamed, then fried, is immersed. The rice absorbs the soup's essence while retaining a delicate crunch. Luxurious and layered, the soup delivers a springy texture enriched with depth.
Chuan Ya 川雅
🚩46F, 17, Songzhi Rd., Xinyi Dist.
📞(02) 2722-0303
🔗www.chuan-ya.com
🕝By reservation only
HoSu
This restaurant takes sustainability seriously. Although it earned its first Michelin star this year, it has earned a Michelin green star, given out for "green" or eco-friendly fine-dining establishments, each year since 2023. The restaurant relies on Taiwanese ingredients to reduce unsustainable shipping practices and engages in food composting. It also provides detailed explanations of each dish, enabling diners to grasp the ecological principles underpinning their luxury experience.
The interior reflects the same philosophy: natural materials, a garden courtyard with five-needle pine, and oyster shell paint walls. Everything else, however, evolves with the seasons. Most high-end restaurants change their menus seasonally; HoSu changes its decor as well.
Located interior reflects the same philosophy: natural materials, a garden courtyard with five-needle pine, and oyster shell paint walls. Everything else, however, evolves with the seasons. Most high-end restaurants change their menus seasonally; HoSu changes its decor as well.
HoSu 好嶼
🚩17, Aly. 20, Ln. 300, Sec. 4, Renai Rd., Daan Dist.
🔗 www.hosutaiwan.com
🕝By reservation only
La Vie by Thomas Bühner
Helmed by German star chef Thomas Bühner and Hong Kong-born executive chef Xavier Yeung, La Vie blends European techniques with local Taiwanese produce. Located on the first floor of Noke Mall, walking into the striking dining space is like visiting a modern art museum: bathed in cool neutrals accented with gold, the smooth curves of tablescapes and space-age light fixtures are something out of another world.
The menu is prix fixe, and for the most part seasonal, with courses that range from delicate starters – think steamed oysters with horseradish oil and celeriac ravioli – to luxurious mains such as blue lobster, frog leg Kiev, and roasted Hampshire Down lamb rack. Desserts include "ice pearls," hazelnut praline, and petits kougelhof.
Apart from its Michelin star, La Vie has also been recognized for its rich fine-wine collection, spanning different regions and confidently presenting various vintages from top winemakers. Head Sommelier Max Huang and his team earned a prestigious "Best of Award of Excellence," represented by two wine glasses, from the American magazine Wine Spectator in 2025.
La Vie by Thomas Bühner
🚩200, Lequn 3rd Rd., Zhongshan Dist.
📞0937-857-869
🔗www.laviebythomasbuehner.com
🕝By reservation only
FRASSI
Italian styling is rarely understated, and FRASSI takes its cues from the boldness of this design ethos. Geometric gold chairs play against walls of Calacatta marble and accent walls that evoke meteor showers at sunset for a look that's both brash and unique. FRASSI offers especially elegant bar- and family-style seating options that can accommodate individuals, couples, or groups.
Originally from Tuscany, Chef Iacopo Frassi has called Taipei home for several years. He draws on both his Tuscan roots and experiences in Asia to create a memorable contemporary Italian-fusion dining experience. His kitchen cures its own meats, including a ten-day-aged duck that is the stuff of legend, served with earthy beetroot and black apple.
FRASSI offers a multi-course tasting menu and wine pairings. Lobster risotto is served with chive and avocado, followed by white asparagus with koji and parsley. Something special happens when the tagliatelle with rabbit and salsa verde is served, followed by the celebrated aged duck, the neck stuffed with pork, veal, and Parmesan cheese.
FRASSI
🚩299, Lequn 3rd Rd., Zhongshan Dist.
📞(02) 8502-6383
🔗www.frassi.com.tw
🕝By reservation only
Motoichi
One doesn't typically think of Japanese tempura as Michelin-worthy food, but Motoichi manages to surprise at every turn. The team at this tiny space – there are only 16 seats – carefully selects seasonal ingredients for an evening of omakase-style dining. Omakase means "I leave it up to you": it's a Japanese dining experience where the chef is trusted to create a unique tasting menu for each patron.
Tucked away in an alley near busy Zhongxiao East Road, Motoichi's interior is both modern and thoroughly Japanese, blending blond wood, carved elements, and off-white walls with contemporary style. Diners across the two rooms watch the chefs create each dish.
Some might expect the tempura to be heavy or oily, but Motoichi's creations are light, fried in a delicate batter that seals in both juices and flavor. The lightness is achieved by using a unique liquid nitrogen technique that eliminates the moisture and water contained in the flour. Apart from the fresh shrimp, fish, and vegetable selections available one might choose something more unexpected, such as asparagus or even olives. Texture is an important part of omakase-style tempura, and Motoichi has been praised as nailing this element perfectly, earning it its first Michelin star.
Motoichi 元一
🚩11, Aly. 27, Ln. 216, Sec. 4, Zhongxiao E. Rd., Daan Dist.
📞(02) 2778-3380
🕝By reservation only
Sushi Kajin
At first glance, Sushi Kajin looks like every other high-end sushi restaurant in Taipei. You would be remiss in dismissing it, however, as it crafts some of the finest sushi in the city. The ambiance is elegant yet warm, imbued with Japanese minimalism: a counter made of Taiwanese cypress, subdued lighting, lacquerware, and a quiet, focused energy.
The core of the experience lies in its Edomae-style sushi, a sushi preparation method from Tokyo that originated in the city's Edo period. Fish from Tokyo's Toyosu Market is flown in and prepared precisely to enhance the depth of flavor. In some cases, this may involve aging or curing.
Chef Okuchi Taichi, formerly of the Michelin-starred Sushi Wakon in Kyoto, leads the kitchen. His renown is so great that a prominent Taiwanese investor funded his Taipei venture so that he could showcase his skills here, in a city that may not be Japanese but where many food lovers have a list of favorite gourmet sushi restaurants.
The restaurant is known for upholding a philosophy of craftsmanship, such as limiting sugar in the sushi rice, tailoring aging times by fish species, and emphasizing seasonality. In winter, the focus is on delicacies like kobako crab, bonito, and winter yellowtail.
Sushi Kajin 鮨嘉仁
🚩28, Jilin Rd., Zhongshan Dist.
📞(02) 2581-8999
🔗www.sushi-kajin.com
🕝By reservation only
🔎
Ian Lee | 李易晏
Tien Hsiang Lo | 天香樓
Jason Wang | 王國政
Yang Guang-zong | 楊光宗
🗺️Click here to see aforementioned spots on Google Map
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