Food in Taipei || Top 6 Foods You Simply Cannot Miss

6 Of The Very Best Taipei Treats You Need To Devour

• What is Taipei food really like?
• What Taipei food should I look out for?
• What flavours are in Taipei food?

Taipei is a food lover’s paradise, known for its rich culinary traditions and incredible street food culture.

From comforting bowls of beef noodles to the bold flavours of stinky tofu, the city offers a diverse range of must-try dishes.

Whether you’re starting your day with a traditional local breakfast or indulging in a late-night bowl of braised pork rice, there’s no shortage of delicious options to explore. In this guide, we’ll take a closer look at some of the best foods in Taipei and what makes them so special.

(Veggies, we’ve got a few links for you at the end!)

Food in Taipei || Intro to Taipei Food

Food in Taipei || Beef Noodles (牛肉面)

Food in Taipei || Stinky Tofu (臭豆腐)

Food in Taipei || Taipei Breakfast (早飯)

Food in Taipei || Dumplings (小籠包)

Food in Taipei || Taipei Sandwich (割包)

Food in Taipei || Braised Pork Rice (卤肉饭)

Food in Taipei || FAQs

An Introduction to Taipei Food

Taipei food contains lots of influence from mainland Chinese cuisine, especially so in the South of China. One that is particularly notable is the cuisine of Fujian province.

However, influence from all over China and its many diverse provinces can be found throughout the country.

Much like the food of the mainland, there is a strong presence of MSG in dishes too – but if you’re worried, let us debunk the myths. Dishes are often less spicy too than snacks you can find in Western China.

Due to the period of Japanese rule, a strong influence of Japanese cuisine can also be found in much of the food in Taipei.

Read below for some of our favourite foods not to miss in Taipei, all of which wash down well with a cup of traditional Bubble Tea (Boba) that can be found in Taipei and all over the island.

Food in Taipei: Beef Noodles (牛肉面)

There are two different varieties of this popular dish, and they are very easy to tell apart.

One soup is dark and more popular.

This soup is often called Red-braised Beef Noodle Soup (紅燒牛肉麵) and is the one you will generally find.

There is also a clearer broth with slightly different flavours called Islamic Beef Noodle Soup, originating in Lanzhou in mainland China.

Beef noodle soup is probably one of the most famous of Taipei foods.

The name is pretty explanatory. It’s beef and noodles, in a flavoursome soup.

The soup broth is slightly spicy, but you can always add more flavours to it to suit your palate or ask for it to be less spicy.

The beef is usually very tender, and the dish is usually accompanied with a side of bok choy to add in those extra vitamins and minerals. It can also then be topped with fresh leek and coriander.

Vegetarians are advised to stay away from this one. It’s *very* meaty.

Chinese Food Culture // The 8 Great Chinese Cuisines

Chinese cuisines have typically been divided into ‘Eight Great Cuisines’ as a means of simplifying this vast and complex tradition.

Food in Taipei: Stinky Tofu (臭豆腐)

The infamous stinky tofu (臭豆腐 chòudòufu) is popular amongst tourists for its particular scent… Or should I say stench?

Many stay away from this at first sight (or rather, smell) but if you can get past it and take a bite, you’ll soon realise that this odour-full delight is actually quite tasty if done right.

Found throughout mainland China and not technically specific to Taiwan, Taiwan is one of the places where it really is done right.

Although not a main meal and rather a snack found in street markets and roadside stalls, you can’t miss this food when visiting Taipei.

Stinky tofu is found in several varieties, but the most common being in its deep-fried form. It is often served with a side sauce and topped with picked vegetables, and generally veggie/vegan friendly.

Food in Taipei: Local Breakfast (早飯)

Breakfast in Taipei is definitely not something you should miss out on by sleeping in. However, saying that, you can often find it throughout the day.

But, these dishes will make you want to get up.

This Taipei food is popular all over the world, and you can find it in street food markets, where vendors will be working away in the early hours of the morning to produce the best, tastiest, albeit not healthiest breakfast around.

This student-friendly priced breakfast won’t have you break the bank either!

There is a great variety of breakfast dishes to suit anybody’s tastebuds. Here are some of the most popular items you can find.

If you’re traveling Taipei or studying in Taipei for a longer period, see how many you can try!

• You Tiao -油条 (fried bread sticks)
• Cong Jian Bing 葱煎饼 (Spring onion pancake)
• Dou Jiang 豆浆 (soy milk)
• Egg Tarts 蛋挞
• Guo Tie 鍋貼 (dumplings)
• Luo Bo Gao 萝卜糕 (radish cake)
• Shao Bing 燒餅 (bread cake)

6 Top Taipei Breakfast Foods To Start Your Morning Right 🤤

Taipei Breakfast Food Worth Getting Up For (Thank Us Later) Taipei Breakfast Food – Yummy! Breakfast food is a big part of Taipei food culture, and definitely something that is worth getting out of bed for. Even if you’re usually…

Food in Taipei: Dumplings (小籠包)

Yes, Xiaolongbao may be especially associated with Shanghai as it has its origins from there, but you can get some darn good Xiaolongbao in Taipei that you shouldn’t miss.

This includes trying some of these juicy steamed dumpling treats from the world’s most famous restaurant selling them – Din Tai Fung, which first started out in Taipei. It now has branches all over the world.

These dumplings are very unique, and although it is a ‘dumpling’, they’re very different from the rest, and are also known as ‘soup dumplings’.

This is because inside the soft exterior (handle with caution so as not to break it) there is both soup and yummy dumpling fillings.

A food in Taipei not to miss, as Tobias and Mikkel show you here…

Food in Taipei: Taipei Sandwich (割包)

This food in Taipei is known more affectionately as Taipei’s hamburger.

It follows the traditional hamburger style by conforming to the style of meat within two bread buns.

But this one is different from what you’ll find in McDonalds!

The bread containing braised pork belly meat is Chinese style, slightly sweet bread.

This bread is similar to the bread used for baozi or mantou.

The meat inside is pork. You then have the choice of how much fatty and lean pork you want. A 50/50 is a good bet for the best flavour!

Food in Taipei: Braised Pork Rice (卤肉饭)

We don’t need much explanation for this dish, since the name gives it away; braised pork with rice, often accompanied with boiled eggs or other accompaniments.

The general main ingredients remain the same for this food in Taipei.

Ground pork marinated and boiled in soy sauce, on the top of steamed rice.

There is a debate on where the original origins of this dish lie, mainly between Shandong and Taipei.

Eager to prove their entitlement, the Taipei government launched a huge campaign in 2011 handing out 1000 free bowls of this tasty treat to the public, claiming ownership of the dish.

Taipei 7-Eleven ❤️ Your Insider’s Guide + Things You Never Knew

Taiwan 7-Eleven is a unique feature of life in Taiwan, and a great one-stop-shop for visitors and locals with a huge range of products and services.

Feeling Hungry? Fancy Learning More?

So, that’s it folks! Who else is hungry?

Special shout-out goes to the recent social media sensation puppy ice cream which originated in Taipei.

Read more about these life-like-looking yummy puppies via our blog.

You may well be asking where can I find all of these delicious foods?

Keep tabs on our blog for plenty more content on Taipei food, where to find them, the best eateries, and so much more!

Watch this space

PS – Shout-out to our other blog for foodies; the LTL School blog. We pick our Top Chinese Traditional Foods. It’s one not to be missed!

If you are vegan or vegetarian, or suffer from allergies and you worry about what you can eat, we’ve also got you covered!

Taipei Food – FAQs

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