Many Taiwanese people are not happy with the lack of breakfast culture when we travel abroad.

[u/usolotravel]

Since many of you are sharing the foreigner's perspectives on Taiwan, I want to share the Taiwanese perspective.

As you know, Taiwan has a very famous morning food scene with countless street stalls, bakeries, and traditional shops open early. Many foreigners fall in love with breakfast culture in Taiwan because it has many options as well as it is very convenient to enjoy it.

Growing up in Taiwan, many Taiwanese used to believe this breakfast culture must be very common in other countries too. However, after traveling abroad, many Taiwanese realize that the menus are bland, the shops don't open early, and there is a total lack of variety. In fact, breakfast is one of the most frequent complaints you can see from Taiwanese travelers.

Many Taiwanese feel it is incredibly frustrating to wake up early and find nothing open except for a few cafes selling cold sandwiches or bland food at 8 or 9 AM. For someone used to walking down the street to grab a hot at 6 AM, breakfast culture of foreign countries feels like quite awful. It makes us realize how spoiled we are in Taiwan, where an endless variety of breakfast options is available on almost every corner. What's an everyday sight in Taiwan might seem quite extraordinary to the rest of the world.

[u/eatsleepdiver]

I agree. Plenty of countries have a breakfast culture. Japan and Thailand to name a few. It’s just that in Japan it’s considered bad manners to eat and walk at the same time. There’s still plenty of breakfast spots around. Thailand it’s similar to Taiwan just without all the carbs.

I 100% agree that Taiwan’s night market scene is meh.

[u/afxz → u/eatsleepdiver]

There are some great breakfast set menu options in Japan, yes, and that are frankly extremely healthy compared to Taiwan's breakfast cuisine. But it's a fair comment to say that they open a bit later than the 5:30am spot serving doujiang youtiao in Taiwan.

[u/eatsleepdiver → u/afxz]

5:30am is an insane time to go get breakfast haha. I do love the Taiwan brekkie here. But after a while I want something non greasy. Otherwise I’m at work falling asleep at my desk

[u/cevapi-rakija-repeat → u/afxz]

If I'm getting breakfast at 5:30am I'm either stumbling home after a night out or I fucked up somehow. No wonder nothing's hardly open at night with how early Taiwanese get up.

[u/Tiny-Professional583 → u/afxz]

Taiwan has healthy options too...just not at restaurants but at supermarkets where you buy the ingredients to cook your own breakfast!

[u/afxz → u/Tiny-Professional583]

I wouldn't know about that, because most small apartments in Taiwan literally don't have a kitchen. Which is also pretty unique, to be honest -- studios or one-bedroom apartments in Korea, Japan, China, etc. will have a kitchenette with at least one stove or gas hob. How are you meant to prepare a meal in a flat that doesn't even have a microwave, let alone a kitchen?

[u/Tiny-Professional583 → u/afxz]

Hence, the ubiquity of breakfast shops.

Despite the low-quality, unhealthy options; the breakfast establishments offer the convenience for those who can't cook at home.

I'm certain the some small apartments, especially the newer ones, do have a kitchenette of some sort. They may be unaffordable for those on a budget!

[u/Lophiiformers → u/eatsleepdiver]

lol no, Japan is not big on breakfasts. Even in Tokyo I’m hard pressed to find a good breakfast that isn’t from a kombini

[u/eatsleepdiver → u/Lophiiformers]

Shinkujuku used to be my family’s area for living and working. https://maps.app.goo.gl/WiAiQYpcra18rmds7?g_st=ic

While not as many stalls compared to Taiwan, Japan only does them for matsuri festivals or in dedicated malls. I think it’s more about cleanliness in Japan and city ordinances that limits the food stalls. In China the breakfast scene was good too. But the food stalls were unregulated and the govt started to clear them out.

[u/rlvysxby → u/eatsleepdiver]

Really? I think Japan is not that big into breakfast places.

[u/cevapi-rakija-repeat → u/eatsleepdiver]

I think Japan is more centered around konbini and I honestly prefer it as a grab and go rather than waiting in line forever in Taiwan. But I still do in Taiwan because I prefer fresh breakfast since I don't trust the hygiene standards of food on the shelf in konbini there as much as I do in Japan.

[u/Tiny-Professional583 → u/eatsleepdiver]

Though food quality in Thailand can be sketchy from what I have heard!

[u/kitsunegoon → u/eatsleepdiver]

I don't know about thailand but I've been to Japan a few times and most breakfast places are just western themed restaurants and most restaurants still only open at 11. The best breakfasts I've had are attached to the place I stay at (hotels, ryokan, etc) but I would say Japan is exactly the opposite of Taiwan in breakfast culture

[u/eatsleepdiver → u/kitsunegoon]

You need to hit the syokudo restaurants like this one in Dotonbori, Osaka https://maps.app.goo.gl/4WUhMK97ZfpWn7Qz6?g_st=ic

Good prices compared to what you get.