Few cultures treat food as passionately as the Taiwanese do. Every region boasts a dozen night markets; dozens of variety TV shows reveal the secret recipes and heartrending stories behind popular local establishments; quirky food inventions are met with wholehearted enthusiasm.
Do you drink boba, or bubble tea? This world-famous drink came from Taichung city in Taiwan. Tried oyster omelette or pork buns? Yep, they’re common Taiwan street snacks too. If you’re travelling to Taiwan, trying its food is a must – and this guide will share everything you need to know. We’ve even got a Taiwan street food checklist you can download for your trip!
IN THIS GUIDE
Why does Taiwan have so much street food?
Taiwan is famous for its xiaochi (small eats), which are snack-sized dishes designed to fill the stomach while one is going about their day. Even in ancient Chinese dynasties, xiaochi were sold at street markets located near temples, since this was where folk congregated. But amid the soaring wealth and working hours of Taiwan’s 1950s-1980s economic boom, yèshì (night markets) mushroomed across cities and towns.
Today, Taiwan boasts dozens of night markets – these are the most popular.
Is Taiwan street food safe to eat?
Taiwan’s street food is definitely safe to eat. I’ve eaten at local shops, street stalls, and night market stalls dozens of times, and never gotten sick. If you’re worried about cleanliness, especially at older-looking shops, look out for vendors who wear gloves and face masks when handling food.
Top 10 Taiwan street foods to try
Oyster omelette
Mee sua
Stinky tofu
Fried chicken cutlet
Chuobing (snow shaved ice)
Tianbula (fried snacks)
Download the full Taiwan food checklist (52 dishes!)
Where to find street food in Taiwan: night markets
Night markets are a unique element of Taiwanese city life. As the sun sets and the workday comes to an end, the streets transform into lively walk-through kitchens where you can treat yourself to a good meal.
These are, in my opinion, the best night markets in Taiwan that you should visit:
In Taipei: Raohe Night Market
Forget Shihlin Night Market’s touristy size and prices. Raohe Night Market is much smaller and easier to navigate, and it’s also located right next to a traditional temple – I was very lucky to witness a temple procession during my visit! If you’d like to go shopping before or after dinner, Wufenpu garment wholesale market is a 10-minute walk away.
In Taichung: Fengjia Night Market
Fengjia Night Market, located next to Fengjia University, claims to be the largest night market in Taiwan. Indeed, it doesn’t just occupy one or two streets: instead, it snakes through an entire neighborhood where, instead of having stalls, the shops on either side of the street extend their awnings to form the night market.
Fengjia Night Market is so spacious that it’s very comfortable to walk in. You’ll have no trouble finding both traditional and trendy dishes – I had a serving of bangers n’ mash, salt-and-pepper fried chicken, and even a surprisingly tasty stinky tofu that was tangy and refreshing compared to the stinky tofu in Taipei, which is more savory.
Because we’re talking about Taichung, the land of bubble tea (a.k.a. boba), be prepared to encounter plenty of beverage shops. You’ll find lots of creative smoothies and mocktails here, and most stalls allow you to customize your drink’s toppings, ice level, and sugar level. These should be reserved for dessert as they’re really indulgent.
In Kaohsiung: Ruifeng Night Market
Ruifeng Night Market is the largest night market in Kaoshiung, but roughly half of the night market is dedicated to retail and game stalls where you can buy cheap iPhone cases, t-shirts, and the like. There are also more “trendy” street food stalls here selling dishes like extra-long french fries, rather than more traditional snacks.
Where to find street food in Taiwan: old streets
Some Taiwan street food can only be found in designated old streets, or lăojiē (老街) .
New Taipei: Jiufen Old Street
Jiufen Old Street is known for its yuyuan (taro ball dessert).
Tainan: Anping Old Street
Don’t come here if you’re allergic to prawns! Anping Old Street (安平老街) is filled with dozens of stalls selling prawn/shrimp crackers, and nearly every stall will provide samples to help you choose between them.
Anping’s shrimp crackers come in two varieties, fried and air-popped, and often you can see the air-popped crackers being spat out from a machine and packed before your eyes. Because of this, you’re unlikely to find them at souvenir shops or airports outside of Anping Old Street – trust me, I’ve tried!
Tips for trying street food in Taiwan
Go From Light to Heavy
The best way to get as many different kinds of food into your stomach is to, of course, start from smaller and less filling dishes. An example “menu”:
- Xiaolongbao
- Stinky tofu
- Fried chicken cutlet
- Stuffed sausages
- Mango shaved ice
…you get the drift. Remember, starchy foods and liquids make you feel full more quickly than meat and small sugary treats.
Share Portions
If you’re traveling in a group with friends and family, a potluck-style street food jaunt at a night market will be much more rewarding than going it alone, especially if you’re a small eater like me. Takoyaki, sushi, waffles, sweet potato fries, oyster omelette, etc. are easy to portion out and share.
Prioritize
So much good food, so little time. To get more time for eating, plan ahead by researching on what you want to eat. If you find stinky tofu absolutely vile or believe that peanut brittle ice cream is a must-try compared to chicken cutlet (because it’s commonly found in Singapore as well), then forget about the convention that desserts only come after a main course. Above all, don’t go into a night market asking each other “What shall we start with?”
Don’t Read Reviews
This seems contradictory to the above, but it really isn’t. Thanks to food bloggers, Instagram, and social networks (even TripAdvisor), everyone’s trying to find the “best” beef noodle soup or bear paw buns. I discourage this for 2 reasons: firstly, you may end up spending a lot of time traveling out of the way and queuing at these famous establishments, and secondly, most local food will be tasty enough for your inexperienced palate anyway.
Of course, you can still check out where to eat if you plan to be visiting a specific area. Check out A Hungry Girl’s Guide to Taipei – it’s a little messy but full of reviews on cafes, restaurants, and street food stalls in the capital city.
Get Takeaway
Finally, the best way to enjoy Taiwanese delicacies if you don’t have enough time or tummy space: buy it for later enjoyment in the comfort of your hotel/hostel room. In fact, my first street food experience came from a friendly airport limo driver who made a detour to buy me some red bean cakes – gratis – before dropping me off at the hotel! Your snacks will be less fresh, but you’ll be able to sit down and much with a good book or movie.
Taiwan really has some of the most amazing street food around (not to mention restaurant cuisine and tea) and it’s worth gaining a little weight to enjoy all the delectable snacks on virtually every street. At least you’ll probably be doing a bit of walking while eating.
WHAT’S NEXT?
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