Taipei 3-Day Itinerary 2026: Zhongshan Cafe & Ximending Eats

4-Day, 3-Night Taiwan Trip

Day 3 Itinerary

Taiwan Trip: Day 3 of 4

1:00 PM 3:00 PM 4:00 PM 5:00 PM 7:00 PM 10:00 PM

Zhongshan Cafe Street Jiā Fèn Hot Pot Ximending Shopping Rest at Accommodation Jinchenmei Rechao

Zhongshan Cafe Street

Zhongshan Cafe Street felt completely different from Ximending and Yongkang Street.

It's a charming area reminiscent of a tree-lined boulevard, where you'll find an array of delightful cafes and unique boutique shops.

More than 70% of my photos from this 4-day, 3-night Taiwan trip were taken on Zhongshan Cafe Street, a testament to the abundance of beautiful photo spots everywhere.

It was incredibly hot, but every alleyway was so charming that I simply couldn't pass them by.

Famous cafes like Bukpungsa, Melange Cafe, and Libo Cafe all had long waits, so I just popped into a nearby cafe that caught my eye.

It was a place where you could also enjoy coffee and light brunch, and although I briefly considered it, I decided to stick with just coffee since I was planning to have hot pot next.

Perhaps it was the heat, but the coffee was reeeally delicious!

It wasn't the cafe I originally planned to visit, but the coffee was great, the owner was friendly, and it was a perfect spot to escape the heat.

Ximending Must-Try Restaurants

I visited a trendy hot pot spot, Jinchenmei (famous for its home-style dishes), and even a budget-friendly bar, famously known as a '100-won bar' for its incredibly low prices (with items typically converting to around ~$0), all in one day!

Jiā Fèn Hot Pot

After searching, I found there were so many hot pot restaurants, but most of the famous ones were all-you-can-eat and quite pricey.

After some deliberation, I discovered Jiā Fèn Milk Hot Pot, a true gem in Ximending.

✔️ Address

No. 34號, Lane 17, Section 4, Zhongxiao E Rd, Da’an District, Taipei City, Taiwan 106

✔️ Business Hours

Mon-Fri 12:00 PM ~ 10:30 PM

Sat, Sun 11:30 AM ~ 10:30 PM

Korean menu not available

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Recommended Menu

No. 4 Cream Sauce with Spicy

You choose your sauce, meat, and noodles/sides, while the basic toppings are set.

It’s served in individual portions, making it a great spot for solo diners too.

Anyone who loves Mala Tang will surely enjoy this, so if you're curious about milk hot pot, it's definitely worth a visit.

Jinchenmei

✔️ Address

108 Taiwan Taipei City, Wanhua District, Lane 25, Kangding Rd, 42之一號1樓

✔️ Business Hours

Daily 11:00 AM ~ 9:00 PM

✔️ Break Time

2:00 PM ~ 5:00 PM

I ordered their most famous dishes: stir-fried minced pork with chives and fried egg tofu. Unfortunately, the pork had an unpleasant smell, so I couldn't finish it all...

The seasoning itself was deliciously savory and truly a 'rice thief' (meaning it makes you want to eat a lot of rice), but the more I chewed, the stronger the smell from the meat became, so I had to give up ㅠㅠ

The fried tofu was a total hit!

It was incredible how they managed to fry such soft tofu.

Perhaps I had too high expectations, but this place was a bit disappointing.

There were many reviews saying it was better than Kiki Restaurant,

so I visited with high hopes, but...

Next time, it's definitely Kiki Restaurant for me!

If you purchase a voucher on Kkday, you can make a reservation and enter without waiting,

and even order set menus not available on-site.

Keep in mind that reservations for popular time slots fill up quickly!

👉Book Kiki Restaurant here

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Luchao

✔️Address

No. 69, Section 2, Changsha St, Wanhua District, Taipei City, Taiwan 108

✔️Operating Hours

Daily 16:00 ~ 02:00

Luchao is a popular spot among locals, offering affordable snacks priced from 100~300 TWD, making it perfect for a casual drink.

I discovered it when I was looking for light snacks, as I was already quite full.

It's only about a 5-minute walk from Ximending's main street,

so if you're looking for a good value pub near Ximending, I highly recommend it.

There's no separate Korean menu, so you'll have to choose by looking at the pictures,

and with so many dishes, it was tough to decide!

I ordered Mapo Tofu, stir-fried clams, and shrimp fried rice. The Mapo Tofu was delicious,

the shrimp fried rice was ordinary, and the stir-fried clams had a strong spice flavor.

It might not be for everyone, but I absolutely loved it!

Soaking in the local vibes with an 18-day beer? Pure happiness!

If you want an authentic local experience, this is definitely the place to go.

Ximending Shopping

I did most of my shopping at Carrefour the day before, and in Ximending,

I only bought Saint Peter Nougat Crackers and keyrings.

✔️Address

No. 25, Lane 27, Chengdu Rd, Wanhua District, Taipei City, Taiwan 108

✔️Operating Hours

10:00 ~ 17:00

I really wanted to visit the popular Taiwanese nougat cracker spots these days, like Atelier and Mimi Cracker,

but I didn't feel confident doing an "open run" early in the morning, so I gave up.

Instead, I stocked up on Saint Peter Nougat Crackers of all kinds.

Since it's a chain, there are multiple branches, and you don't have to wait in line.

Best of all, these nougat crackers are 1000% my favorite!

If you're not a fan of green onion flavor, I highly recommend Saint Peter's coffee flavor.

They pair perfectly with a drink and make for a great office snack.

A keyring I bought just because it was cute when I passed by.

It's a bubble tea keyring, a symbol of Taiwan, and the moving bubbles were so adorable,

I bought three to share with my siblings.

The only downside? It's surprisingly heavy! But it's so cute, I'll let it slide.

Of course, I couldn't miss getting a photo at the iconic Rainbow Crosswalk,

and explored Ximen Red House and Beer Street.

3-Night, 4-Day Taiwan Trip

Day 3 wrapped up with plenty of delicious food and fun! -!