Taipei’s Top Picnic Picks

Where to Fill Up Your Hamper for Eating Outdoors

TEXT | JAMES BARON
PHOTOS | VISION

Thanks to their sprawling lawn spaces, large parks around Taipei City have become popular picnic spots, especially during the spring. While some prefer to prepare their own outdoor feast, picnickers who favor convenience should look no further than the following list of vendors selling ready-made options.

Huashan

If you’re planning to visit Huashan 1914 CreativePark – maybe for an exhibition or a movie at SPOTHuashan – and want to relax in the adjacent Central Culture Park (also known as the Huashan Grassland) afterward, consider picking up food and drinks at the following places.

TacoJoe

Having proved a hit during its two years at Lehua Night Market in New Taipei City, TacoJoe relocated to this small commercial space on the cusp of Huashan in early 2025. Recognizable by its Day-Glo orange façade and Día de los Muertos décor, it offers Tex-Mex staples, with the mix-and-match taco boxes making an ideal addition to picnic spreads. Vegetarian options are available, as are rice bowls for those who aren’t so keen on the crunchy corn tortillas. Word of warning: Most items are liberally laced with cilantro, so if you’re not a fan of this love-it-or-hate-it herb, make sure to mention it when ordering!

TacoJoe 美墨塔可
7, Ln. 3, Linyi St., Zhongzheng Dist.
(02) 2351-9520
instagram.com/tacojoe.666
11:00am-8:00pm

Coffee & Hard Drinks

NAKA Taipei

Providing an eclectic range of tea, coffee, and alcohol-based drinks, NAKA has your takeout libations covered. While typical Taiwanese drink outlets use fruit infusions in their teas, NAKA has taken the unusual step of extending this to its coffee – the standard black joe comes in orange and pink guava flavors, while the long black-style features lychee, yuzu, and grapefruit options. The cocktails are even more intriguing, with concoctions such as the Blossom Highball (whiskey, oolong, and peach) and the Sake Collins (gin, tea, shiso, and lime) sure to make your openair gathering a merry one. Just grab a cup and enjoy a drink amid spring blossoms and warm weather.

NAKA Taipei
87, Sec. 2, Zhongxiao E. Rd., Zhongzheng Dist.
0988-657-110
instagram.com/nakataipei
Mon-Thu 10:00am-7:00pm
Fri-Sat 10:00am-1:00am
Sun 10:00am-9:00pm

Jasmine & Partners

Picnicking in Taipei’s green spaces might not quite have the idyllic feel of the English countryside, but wherever you are, you can’t go wrong with a great British scone. Aside from its classic scone, made with fine imported ingredients such as French butter, California raisins, and Earl Grey tea, this store offers such seasonal limited-edition items as a double cocoa bean scone and a hojicha (roasted green tea) flavor. Naturally, pots of those most de rigueur of scone accompaniments, clotted cream and jam are also on hand to round out your quintessentially English lazy afternoon experience.

Jasmine & Partners 甜點架式
11-2, Ln. 5, Linsen N. Rd., Zhongzheng Dist.
0911-490-594
jasmineandpartners.com
Wed-Fri 1:30pm-6:30pm
Sat 1:30pm-6:00pm

Daan Park

Daan Park – affectionately called the “lungs of Taipei” – is perfectfor picnics, especially during the azalea season and the Taipei FloralPicnic event at the end of March. It has spaciouslawns, abundant trees, and lively birdsong for entertainment, andluckily, you’ll find several food and drink shops nearby sellingexactly what you need for a joyful afternoon outdoors.

Sandwiches

Double Sandwich

No list of picnic staples would be complete without mention of that tried-and-trusted favorite – the sandwich. Despite the name of this cozy corner store, the baked goods here are more like hot-dogstyle buns. Cooked on a griddle with a smattering of New Zealand butter, a pleasingly crispy exterior is attained, making them slightly more upscale than the average bun. Fillings include Japanese egg salad, Caesar chicken, and – for those who like to spice things up a tad – frankfurters with a bolognaise-style sauce, layered with sliced jalapenos. The cutesy packaging, which allows you to slide the sandwiches in and out like using a drawer, makes these snacks practical picnic items.

Sandwiches are served in drawer-like containers

Double Sandwich 双双三明治
153, Sec. 2, Jianguo S. Rd., Daan Dist.
(02) 2707-2707
instagram.com/double_sandwich_taipei
Mon-Fri 11:00am-7:00pm
Sat-Sun 9:00am-5:00pm

Think 4 Coffee

Coffee shops abound in downtown Taipei, but it quickly becomes evident that this takeout spot is different. Tucked down an alley near the park, its hole-in-the-wall setup reveals an endearingly cluttered interior. Behind the barista station, with its behemoth turquoise-blue coffee roaster, certificates line the wall. These represent qualifications and accolades the owner has accrued. In addition to beans from international coffee stalwarts such as Guatemala and Ethiopia, you can also opt for brews made with coffee beans from Taiwan’s high-mountain Alishan area, as well as a local twist on Espresso Romano.

Think 4 Coffee 想享咖啡
61, Ln. 244, Ruian St., Daan Dist.
0922-587-014
facebook.com/think4coffee
Mon-Tue 11:30am-6:30pm
Thu-Fri 11:30am-6:30pm

Maroco

This local-style bakery has a wide selection of pastries that will be sure to bolster your hamper. Classic Taiwanese tastes come in the form of buns with adzuki-bean paste filling topped with liberal sprinklings of sesame seeds, while more exotic treats include pineapple buns filled with cranberry and cream. You can also buy chiffon cakes and sausage bun. For cold drinks, the shop’s display window features ready-to-go iced coffee, along with house-recipe milk tea and black tea, as well as soybean milk.

Maroco 馬路口烘焙小舖
27, Sec. 2, Jianguo S. Rd., Daan Dist.
(02) 2708-3116
facebook.com/MarocoDaan
Mon-Thu 6:30am-7:30pm
Sat-Sun 6:30am-6:00pm

Freshness is Priority

Fans of raw-foodism will relish this option. Sourcing its produce from all over Taiwan – think Miaoli strawberries, Taitung custard apples, and Taichung grapes – this store cum-restaurant showcases fruit and veg items of relatively rarity in Taiwan. Some examples include beetroot smoothies, with the purple root vegetable grown at an organic farm in Yilan, and a gelato made with figs from Tainan. The ice cream was five years in the making, due to shortages of the sticky fruit, unsuitable equipment, and picky local tastes! For healthy picnic choices, the salads and smoothies are your best bet.