Sung Chu Yuan

The story

Sung Chu Yuan Taipei: A Michelin Bib Gourmand Taiwanese Restaurant on Yangmingshan

A Forty-Year Tradition on Yangmingshan

In 1985, founder Her Meirong started Sung Chu Yuan with just ten tables, rolling up her sleeves to build a small eatery from the ground up. Word spread through the neighborhood: here was a place that used only the best ingredients. Over four decades, that reputation has only grown. Perched on Yonggong Road in Taipei’s Shilin District, the restaurant remains a beloved destination for locals and visitors alike, drawn by its commitment to simple, robust Taiwanese cooking.

Honest Taiwanese Cooking

The philosophy is straightforward: use the finest produce, much of it grown or raised by the restaurant itself. The kitchen turns out mountain vegetables and free-range chicken dishes that speak of the land. The menu is a celebration of Taiwanese home-style cooking – no fuss, just deep flavor. Dishes like White Cut Old-fashioned Chicken (白斬古早雞) and Tea-smoked Chicken (茶香燻雞, available in limited quantities) are proof of the kitchen’s skill. The wild greens, stir-fried simply, taste of the mountain air. And the handmade small buns (手工小饅頭) are a comforting, pillowy side.

A Menu of Mountain Flavors

Beyond the classics, the menu offers a deep roster of dishes that show the range of Taiwanese home cooking: salted egg with bitter melon, braised pork belly, spicy stinky tofu, and a selection of hearty soups such as yam chicken soup and winter melon chicken soup. Seasonal items like green bamboo shoot chicken soup appear in summer. Every dish is made to be shared, with the kind of honest intensity that makes you want to order more.

Continuous Recognition

Sung Chu Yuan’s steady excellence has earned it a place in the Michelin Guide. First recommended in 2021, it has been honored every year since, earning a Bib Gourmand for good quality and good value cooking. For five consecutive years, the restaurant has maintained its standing – a testament to founder Her Meirong’s vision and the team’s unwavering dedication to the craft. For anyone seeking authentic Taiwanese food in Taipei, this Yangmingshan institution delivers exactly what it promises: food made with care, from the best ingredients, served in a no-nonsense setting that lets the flavors speak for themselves.