Restaurant in Taichung, Taiwan
Wine-serious Spanish dining, surprisingly easy to book.
DNA Spanish Restaurant in Taichung's Xitun District holds a Star Wine List 3-Star accreditation (2026), making it the most wine-serious Spanish restaurant in the city. Book here when a strong Spanish wine list matters as much as the food. Booking is rated Easy, so you do not need to plan far ahead.
DNA Spanish Restaurant sits in Xitun District, Taichung, and carries the kind of credential that matters if wine is part of why you eat out: a Star Wine List 3-Star accreditation (2026), one of the most demanding wine-list recognitions in the world. That award is not handed to Spanish restaurants in mid-sized Taiwanese cities without reason. If you are the type of diner who treats the wine list as co-equal to the menu, DNA deserves your attention. If you are only here for the food and wine is an afterthought, there are easier and cheaper options in Taichung.
This is a Spanish restaurant in Taichung's Xitun District, operating in a city that has built a genuine fine-dining ecosystem over the past decade. The 3-Star accreditation from Star Wine List — the same programme that credentials serious wine operations globally — signals a list built with real sourcing ambition: breadth across Spanish regions, depth in key producers, and the kind of by-the-glass programme that lets you explore without committing to a full bottle.
Spanish cuisine in Taiwan is a narrow category, and DNA appears to be among the more committed practitioners in the city. For a wine-and-food enthusiast visiting Taichung, the combination of Spanish kitchen focus and a formally recognised wine programme is the clearest reason to prioritise this booking over other options. The sourcing angle here cuts both ways: a kitchen with this level of wine credibility is almost certainly sourcing food ingredients with similar intent, though the specific menu and chef details are not publicly confirmed data we can state here.
The room in Xitun is not the hyperactive downtown-bar environment you will find at some of Taichung's younger restaurants. The sensory register tends toward the composed: a setting that allows the wine programme to function properly, meaning you can hear the list being explained and the conversation that surrounds a good bottle. For explorers who find loud, energy-forward rooms exhausting during a long meal, DNA's atmosphere is a point in its favour.
Star Wine List's 3-Star rating is awarded to lists that demonstrate exceptional range, intelligent pricing, and genuine curation , not just length. At the global level, 3-Star holders sit alongside properties like Le Bernardin in New York City and Atomix in New York City in terms of list seriousness. In Taichung, this puts DNA in a category of its own for wine depth. If your occasion calls for a bottle of real Spanish wine , Rioja Gran Reserva, Priorat, or Albariño from a serious producer , the list here is more likely to deliver than at any comparable restaurant in the city.
For context on how rare this is regionally: Taiwan has a small but growing number of Star Wine List-accredited venues, concentrated mostly in Taipei. DNA holding a 3-Star award in Taichung makes it the most wine-credentialed restaurant in the city for this category. That matters for trip planning: if you are already visiting Taichung for restaurants like JL Studio or Sur-, adding DNA for a wine-focused dinner is a logical complement, not a redundant stop.
Booking difficulty is rated Easy. For a restaurant with a serious wine credential in a mid-sized city, this is good news: you are unlikely to face the 4-6 week waitlist typical at Taipei's most awarded venues like logy in Taipei. Standard advance booking of 1-2 weeks should be sufficient for most dates, though weekends and holiday periods in Taichung's restaurant scene can tighten availability. Phone and website details are not confirmed in our current data, so approach booking through the address directly or via local restaurant booking platforms.
DNA is at 1F, No. 36, Huizhong 7th Street, Xitun District , a residential-commercial area of Taichung that is navigable by taxi or ride-share without difficulty. Price range is not confirmed in our data, but the combination of Spanish cuisine, a 3-Star wine list, and Taichung's positioning as a serious dining city suggests mid-to-upper pricing relative to the local market. Budget accordingly and treat the wine programme as a core part of the spend, not an optional add-on.
See the comparison section below for how DNA sits against Taichung's other serious dining options.
For a broader view of what Taichung's food scene offers, see our full Taichung restaurants guide. If you are planning a longer Taiwan trip, GEN in Kaohsiung and A Cun Beef Soup in Tainan are worth noting for different meal types. For accommodation, the Taichung hotels guide covers where to stay near the dining district. Taichung's bar scene and experiences guide round out the city picture.
| Venue | Cuisine | Price | Booking Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| DNA Spanish Restaurant | Easy | ||
| JL Studio | Modern Singaporean, Singaporean | $$$$ | Unknown |
| Sur- | Taiwanese contemporary | $$$ | Unknown |
| L'Atelier par Yao | French Contemporary | $$$ | Unknown |
| Oretachi No Nikuya | Barbecue | $$$ | Unknown |
| YUENJI | Taiwanese | $$$$ | Unknown |
A quick look at how DNA Spanish Restaurant measures up.
DNA is a Spanish restaurant in Taichung's Xitun District with a Star Wine List 3-Star accreditation — the kind of credential that signals the wine list is taken as seriously as the food. Booking difficulty is low, so you can plan closer to your visit than you'd expect for a wine-credentialed venue. Come with an appetite for Spanish cuisine and an interest in exploring the list; that's where DNA earns its reputation.
Specific dietary accommodation details aren't documented in available data for DNA, which is common for Spanish kitchens where meat, seafood, and cured products are structural to the menu. check the venue's official channels before booking if you have strict requirements — Spanish cuisine can be challenging for plant-based or allergen-specific diners.
For Michelin-recognized fine dining in Taichung, JL Studio and L'Atelier par Yao are the benchmark alternatives. Sur- is the choice if you want a more intimate, chef-driven format. Oretachi No Nikuya suits groups focused on quality meat over wine depth. YUENJI is the option if you want a Chinese dining register rather than European. DNA is the clear pick when the wine list is part of the decision.
Yes, especially if wine matters to the occasion. The Star Wine List 3-Star accreditation puts DNA's list in a category that can anchor a celebratory meal in a way that most Taichung restaurants can't match. Booking is straightforward, so you're not fighting for a table the way you would at Michelin-starred alternatives in the city.
Booking difficulty is rated Easy, meaning a few days to a week out is likely sufficient for most evenings. That said, for a fixed date — anniversary, birthday, business dinner — book at least a week ahead to avoid any friction. The relaxed booking window is one of DNA's practical advantages over higher-profile Taichung venues.
A Spanish kitchen with a serious wine list is a reasonable solo choice, particularly if you're comfortable eating at a counter or small table and want to work through an interesting wine selection without coordinating a group. Specific seating arrangements aren't documented, but the easy booking profile and Spanish format generally support solo visits.
Specific menu items aren't documented in available data, so dish-level recommendations aren't possible here. What is documented is the wine list: DNA holds a Star Wine List 3-Star accreditation, which means pairing wine with your meal is the high-value move. Ask the team for wine pairings — that's where the venue's credential translates directly to your experience.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
