Beautiful Dim Sum Brunch at SocialPlace

We’ve always been suckers for dim sum, but we’d lying if we said we had a place we really loved in Taipei. We’re lucky enough to live near a 24-hour dim sum place which is our usual go-to, and although it’s reasonably good, it’s also pretty standard. We’d been dying to find the one dim sum place that blew our minds, that we’d always want to return to no matter what. When we first discovered SocialPlace (on Instagram — where else, right?) we had no idea what was in store for us. It looked like almost any other aesthetically pleasing Taipei restaurant, and we probably wouldn’t have even visited if we didn’t check their Google reviews by chance one day. They were surprisingly promising, so we decided to get a group together and check it out.

SocialPlace is originally from Hong Kong, but in Taipei is part of the Shin Yeh restaurant group. There were originally two branches of SocialPlae — one in Dazhi and one on Civic Boulevard — but unfortunately only the Dazhi branch remains open today. The restaurant is modern and airy, and more than capable of holding relatively big groups of diners. On one side is an open kitchen where the dim sum is prepared and steamed, and the rest of the restaurant is occupied by comfortable seating. Already impressed by the space, we were excited to start eating.

The first dish to arrive was the charcoal custard buns ($138). These gorgeous steamed buns were brushed with edible gold paint and were almost too beautiful to eat. We each spent several minutes photographing them and trying to capture the way they shone in the light. Although at first we were nervous that they wouldn’t taste as beautiful as they looked, they were fantastic. The custard inside was creamy and sweet, with an elevated flavour that had hints of vanilla. We highly recommend trying them.

Next up was the pear-shaped dumpling with crab meat ($138). This turned out to be another fast favourite of ours, despite several people at our table not being the biggest fans of crab. The crispy exterior and the gooey interior made for a nice mixture of textures. The crab was mild but delicious, just the ticket for pickier eaters.

Another fantastic dish was the spicy xiaolongbao dumplings ($98). These xiaolongbao were everything you’d imagine them to be and more. The broth was packed with flavour, and the filling was just as good. We’re huge fans of the crab roe and pork xiaolongbao at Din Tai Fung and would probably vote it our favourite in the city, but these come a close second.

A great, but sadly forgettable menu item was the shrimp dumplings ($168). They were very tasty and delicately made but failed to make the same impression as some of the other dishes we ordered. These dumplings are best if you want to stick to the basics rather than experiment.

The shredded radish in rice roll ($128) was a surprising win for us, as we had no idea what to expect. It ended up having a nice crunch and a great sauce. We definitely recommend this if you like radish.

The barbecued pork in rice rolls ($128) was pretty standard but still worth ordering. It was a delicious dish that didn’t leave any room for disappointment.

One thing that kept coming up in conversations long after we left SocialPlace was how awesome the “flamin-pple,” the pineapple with seafood ($298) was. It was basically just a pineapple filled with a fantastic seafood curry and set on fire. Gimmicky, yes. But absolutely worth it — the flavour was incredible.

A basic dish that didn’t let us down was the green beans with minced pork and mustard leaves ($188). You could order this at almost any dim sum place in Taipei, but they were still great.

One dish that we didn’t feel lived up to the high expectations set by SocialPlace was the steamed truffle shiitake buns ($138). We were looking forward to these because they looked cool, but in reality, they were a little too bland for our tastes. Perhaps we would have enjoyed them more if we’d eaten them first, but after all the other excellent dishes, this paled in comparison.

The dish that’s guaranteed to show up on a social media search of SocialPlace is the coconut pudding in piggy shape ($98). We ordered this for laughs (and to see what all the fuss was about) but it was actually a great, light little pudding. It had a creamy, mild coconut taste with a soft texture, which was complemented by the cream drizzled on top. It was a great way to finish off our meal.

Check out their full menu here:

Overall, we were massive fans of SocialPlace. Any misgivings we had that the food would be cute, bland, and expensive were quickly dispelled, and we would confidently call this one of our favourite brunch places in Taipei. While it’s true that a big part of the appeal is the aesthetic, and it’s not the cheapest dim sum in Taipei, the quality is so good and the price is so reasonable that we can’t name one dim sum place we actively prefer.

If you like tasty, creative food, this is a great spot — just remember, the more people you bring, the more you get to order! We were glad we went in a big group because we were easily accommodated and there was no shortage of dishes we wanted to try on the menu. Just don’t forget to make a reservation! (FYI, if your party size is four or under, you can make a reservation in English here for the Civic Blvd branch, and if your party is under eight, here for the Miramar branch.)

What’s the vibe?

Chic, modern dim sum with a creative flair. Customers were pretty varied — lots of families and groups of friends.

Worth it?

In our opinion, it’s a huge yes. Everything was fun and delicious and looked great to boot. If you like simple, unfussy food, then you may not be as easily impressed, but the quality was still evident despite the aesthetics.

Would you go back?

There’s no doubt in our minds that we’ll be back, and sooner rather than later! This is our favourite dim sum restaurant we’ve tried in Taipei.

Last updated September 2019.