This guide covers the best restaurants, street food, and dining experiences in Taiwan.
For more recommendations, see the full guide.
When people think of Kaohsiung's hot springs, many immediately picture the Liouguei Baolai Hot Spring Area, but even more overlook the small eateries tucked away next to bathhouses and along mountain roads. These restaurants don't chase five-star elegance—instead, they win hearts with authentic mountain cuisine and warm hospitality. This is what makes southern Taiwan's hot spring dining scene so enchanting. Unlike the refined course meals commonly found in northern hot spring areas, Kaohsiung's hot spring restaurants feel more like waypoints along mountain roads, offering travelers a warm, home-cooked meal for the soul.
Kaohsiung's hot springs are primarily concentrated in the Baolai Hot Spring Area in Liouguei District and along the Laonong River in Taoyuan District. Baolai Hot Spring was developed earlier, offering a wider variety of dining options—from roadside native chicken restaurants to traditional snacks at the hot spring cooperative. Taoyuan District is relatively more pristine, with restaurants mostly clustered around tribal communities like Qinhe and Fuxing, specializing in indigenous mountain cuisine. Following recent renovations to the Baolai Hot Spring Area, several new hybrid spaces combining hot springs and dining have been added, expanding post-soak dining choices.
Recommended Spots:
Baolai Street No. 36 Soy Sauce Chicken is a popular spot on Baolai Hot Spring Street, famous for its fried soy sauce chicken. The proprietress hand-mixes the marinade daily, resulting in crispy outside and tender inside chicken that can be enjoyed for just NT$80. The shop also serves braised dishes and sour plum drink, perfect as an afternoon snack after a hot spring soak. No fancy decor here, yet it's a hidden favorite among locals and regular customers.
Camellia Tea House is located at the entrance of the Baolai Hot Spring Area, a rare hybrid space combining hot spring foot soaking with tea service. The owner is a tea farmer, and the tea leaves come from their own plantation. You can choose to drink tea beside the foot soak pool or grab a hot cup to take into the hot spring area. Spending roughly NT$60-120, it's an affordable option. The shop also sells tea as souvenirs, perfect to bring home.
Taste Mountain Soup Hot Pot is located on the mountain road leading to Taoyuan District, serving individual pot hot pot meals. The broth uses local hot spring mountain spring water, seasoned with native mountain vegetables. The cabbage in the vegetable plate is sourced directly from nearby farmland, priced between NT$250-350—quite reasonable for a mountain area. During winter, they also offer limited-edition flavors with yam broth base.
Namaxia Youth Cuisine is located in Namaxia Township, Taoyuan District—one of the few restaurants offering traditional Bunun tribal dishes. The proprietress is well-versed in tribal wild vegetable knowledge; the fiddlehead fern, pteridium, and stream fish on the menu are all freshly foraged the same day. The signature roast wild boar is slow-cooked over firewood, with crispy skin and tender meat, priced at NT$280. There is no menu—what you eat depends entirely on what was foraged that day. This "eat-by-luck" experience is precisely why travelers keep coming back.
Flowering Season Resort Hotel Restaurant is one of the few options offering more formal dining within the Baolai Hot Spring Area, belonging to a hot spring resort's attached restaurant. The menu combines Western cuisine with local ingredients, such as hot spring vegetable salads and seasonal bamboo rice. The plating is more refined. Individual main courses cost roughly NT$380-580, suitable for travelers who want a proper dining experience alongside their hot spring soak. Its advantage lies in the comfortable environment, ideal for families or couples.
Practical Information:
To reach Liouguei Baolai Hot Spring Area from Kaohsiung city center, drive along National Highway 10 and connect to Route 27, approximately 1.5 hours. Alternatively, take KTC Bus Route 602 to Baolai Station at Kaohsiung Train Station, though bus frequency is limited—it's recommended to check the schedule in advance. Taoyuan District is farther with winding mountain roads, so driving is more convenient. Most restaurants in the hot spring area accept cash only; be sure to bring enough cash. Some hot spring bathhouses have attached restaurants, but seating is limited, so waits may be necessary during peak holiday times.
Travel Tips:
Kaohsiung's mountain weather is 3-5 degrees cooler than the city area, especially with heavy fog on winter evenings—bringing a light jacket is recommended. Baolai Hot Spring Street is compact; parking is available at public lots or roadside white-line areas, but these fill up quickly on holidays, so it's best to depart early. The route to Namaxia Township may experience landslides during rainy season—check road conditions with locals before heading out. For a combined hot spring and dining experience, departing in the morning, having lunch, then visiting a hot spring bathhouse afterward makes for the smoothest itinerary.
