TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Modern Mediterranean street food chain Miznon has opened its first Taiwanese outpost in Taipei, marking a new step in the brand’s expansion across Asia following its debut in Singapore.
Founded in 2011 by Israeli Michelin-starred chef Eyal Shani, Miznon quickly won over diners with its philosophy of “putting the street spirit into pita.” It now has more than 25 branches worldwide in cities including New York, Paris, and Melbourne.
The Taipei store, a key location after Singapore, brings this Mediterranean-inspired dining style to Taiwan and aims to make it part of the city’s daily life.
Miznon’s culinary philosophy is rooted in Mediterranean traditions, centering on the use of spices, olive oil, herbs, and fire-roasting techniques. The brand translates this heritage into a direct and vibrant flavor profile, emphasizing freshness, seasonality, and minimal processing to preserve each ingredient’s character.
Miznon Taiwan is led by Israeli chef Yuval Rajmiel. The chef emphasized, “Respect the ingredients, avoid excessive processing, and let the food speak for itself.”
Rajmiel defines Miznon’s culinary core with the term “BITE” — an explosion of flavor in every mouthful, with surprises drawn from the richness of olive oil, the brightness of herbs, or the sweet release of fire-roasted tomatoes. The restaurant features an open kitchen that encourages close interaction between chefs and guests, with vibrant music creating a lively, warm, show-like dining atmosphere.
Miznon designs distinct menus for lunch and dinner to match different dining habits. The lunch menu focuses on quick, intuitive, street-style dining, offering eight to nine pita options that showcase the brand’s street food soul.
Lunch pita highlights include Miznon’s globally popular signature caramelized brisket pita, which uses overnight slow-cooked brisket that is melted to tenderness and then caramelized for a sweet-and-savory richness — a blend of modern culinary technique and street spirit.
The lamb kebab uses well-balanced lamb belly, charcoal-grilled to concentrate smoky flavors within the warm pita, complemented by pickles, tomato, and chili sauce to showcase the robust, intuitive charm of Mediterranean cooking.
In the evening, the restaurant shifts to a Mediterranean-style dinner atmosphere focused on sharing and enjoying time together. All-day and dinner dishes are infused with cultural markers and local creativity.
The classic hummus is prepared in a traditional way for a creamy, silky texture using tahini, lemon juice, and iced water for emulsification. Finished with high-quality olive oil and spicy seasoning, it serves as the pure, essential starting point on the Miznon table.
Designed exclusively for the Taiwan store, the fried ruby chicken thigh uniquely retains the bone and uses free-range chicken from Sun Moon Lake. Lightly coated and deep-fried to golden perfection, its large size and thick texture highlight the simplicity and strength of home-style cuisine.
The classic Middle Eastern dessert malabi is also given a local twist. Miznon uses fresh Taiwanese roselle to create a vibrant syrup that pairs the soft, milky base with bright floral notes and crunchy toasted pistachios, extending the warm memory of this dessert with local ingredients.
Dining and Cooking