Taipei Street Food // Top Tips for Finding the Best Eats on the Streets of Taipei

Taipei street food is world-famous, and for very good reason.

Quick answer: The must-try Taipei street foods are oyster omelet, lu rou fan (braised pork rice), da jipai (giant fried chicken cutlet), gua bao (pork belly bun), stinky tofu, beef noodle soup, xiaolongbao, scallion pancake, and bubble tea. Head to Shilin, Raohe Street, or Ningxia Night Market between 18:00 and 22:00, bring cash in small NT$ notes, and expect to pay NT$30 to NT$150 per dish.

Taiwan has one of the most celebrated street food cultures in all of Asia. The concept of xiǎochī (小吃 / little eats) is woven into daily Taiwanese life: affordable, flavour-packed snacks and dishes served from street carts, night market stalls, and tiny shopfronts at all hours of the day and night. It is not just tourist food; locals eat this way every single day.

While Taipei is the natural starting point for most visitors, the culture extends across the whole island. From Tainan’s centuries-old snack traditions to Jiufen’s famous taro balls to Chiayi’s turkey rice, every region has its own street food identity worth exploring.

In Taipei itself, day and night street food markets are a major attraction for both tourists and locals, and a central part of Taipei food culture.

Night markets stay open past midnight, so whether you are hungry after an evening out or just fancy a stroll through the bustle of the city, the markets have you covered.

Want to explore the full world of Taiwanese snacking? Our guide to xiǎochī little eats culture is a great place to start.

The only trouble you will have is choosing which dish to go for first.

Here are some of our favourite street food picks to get you started.

Taipei Street Food – Da Jipai / Fried Chicken Cutlet (大雞排 / Dà Jī Pái)

Taipei Street Food – Small Sausage in Large Sausage (大腸包小腸 / Dà Cháng Bāo Xiǎo Cháng)

Taipei Street Food – Red Bean Cake / Dorayaki (銅鑼燒 / Tónglúoshāo)

Taipei Street Food – Ice Cream Runbing (潤餅 / Rùn Bǐng)

Taipei Street Food – Pig Blood Cake (豬血糕 / Zhū Xuě Gāo)

Taipei Street Food – Sausage on a Stick (烤香腸 / Kǎo Xiāngcháng)

Taipei Street Food – Aiyu Jelly Drink (愛玉 / Àiyù)

Taipei Street Food – Shaved Ice (剉冰 / Cuò Bīng)

Taipei Street Food – Beef Noodle Soup (牛肉麵 / Niú Ròu Miàn)

Taipei Street Food – Oyster Omelet (蚵仔煎 / Ô-á-tsian)

Taipei Street Food – Lu Rou Fan / Braised Pork Rice (滷肉飯 / Lǔ Ròu Fàn)

Taipei Street Food – Stinky Tofu (臭豆腐 / Chòu Dòufu)

Taipei Street Food – Gua Bao / Pork Belly Bun (割包 / Guā Bāo)

Taipei Street Food – Xiaolongbao / Soup Dumplings (小籠包 / Xiǎo Lóng Bāo)

Taipei Street Food – Scallion Pancake / Dan Bing (蔥油餅 / Cōng Yóu Bǐng)

Taipei Street Food – Bubble Tea / Pearl Milk Tea (珍珠奶茶 / Zhēnzhū Nǎichá)

Best Night Markets in Taipei: Where to Find All of the Above

Practical Tips for Eating Taipei Street Food

FAQs

Stuck for where to find these treats?
See below for our list of top Taipei street food markets!

Taipei Street Food – Da Jipai / Fried Chicken Cutlet (大雞排 / Dà Jī Pái)

Not your average fried chicken, da jipai (大雞排 / Dà Jī Pái) is fried chicken with a serious difference.

Da jipai literally means ‘big chicken fillet’, and the name is no exaggeration. These giant deep-fried chicken breast cutlets are flattened and fried until they are larger than a human face, which is part of their famous appeal at night markets across Taiwan.

The fillet is coated in a seasoned sweet potato starch batter, then fried until the outside is shatteringly crisp. It is finished with salt, pepper, and basil leaves, with optional chilli powder for extra heat.

Slightly spicy and deeply satisfying, da jipai is a perfect warmer on cold Taipei winter nights and equally popular on a hot summer evening straight from the fryer.

Not a fan of chicken?

Most da jipai vendors also sell a variety of other fried foods including other meats, fish, tofu, and vegetables, so there is something for everyone at the fryer.

Taipei Street Food – Small Sausage in Large Sausage (大腸包小腸 / Dà Cháng Bāo Xiǎo Cháng)

Yes, you read that right! Small sausage, big sausage!

This classic local food has a brilliant name. If that’s not reason enough to grab one, it tastes pretty darn good too.

The name is a literal translation of the Chinese name 大腸包小腸 (Da Chang Bao Xiao Chang) which literally means ‘small sausage in large sausage’.

The name seemingly gives everything away. But think about it, small sausage in little sausage? How does that work..?

The ‘small sausage’ is a sweet pork sausage grilled. The ‘big sausage’ is made from rice and acts as a sticky wrapper around the ‘small sausage’.

This filling snack will have you set for hours. Add soy sauce or wasabi to the mix and you have an explosion of flavour that lasts.

Taipei Street Food – Red Bean Cake / Dorayaki (銅鑼燒 / Tónglúoshāo)

Japanese food, especially Japanese sweet snacks, is very popular in Taipei.

One of the most popular is the sweet red bean cake Dorayaki.

This is a very sweet, fluffy cake-like bun that is fried.

In the middle, you’ll find a sweet red bean paste common in a lot of Japanese snacks.

These sweet pancakes are made fresh right in front of you, and taste best when still hot!

Other variations of this popular food in Taipei also include custard or other sweet fillings.

Taipei Street Food – Ice Cream Runbing (潤餅 / Rùn Bǐng)

Another one for those with a sweet tooth, this ice-cream burrito is perfect for a hot summer’s day, or to give you that energy boost whilst roaming the busy streets of Taipei.

A ‘Runbing’ is a type of burrito/spring roll made out of flour.

It acts as a wrapper, usually in sweet form around vanilla ice cream and topped with crushed peanuts.

For those who prefer a savoury option, the traditional savoury run bing (潤餅 / rùn bǐng) is actually the older, more traditional version. A thin, soft wheat flour wrapper is filled with a combination of stir-fried cabbage, bean sprouts, pork slices, egg, carrots, and tofu, then rolled tightly and dusted with a layer of crushed peanut powder and sugar. The contrast of the soft wrapper, crunchy vegetables, savoury filling, and sweet peanut dust is genuinely unique to Taiwan. During the Qingming Festival (Tomb-Sweeping Day) in spring, eating run bing is a traditional Taiwanese family ritual.

Taipei Street Food – Pig Blood Cake (豬血糕 / Zhū Xuě Gāo)

Less of a ‘cake’ and more just pig’s blood, don’t let the name deter you.

This local food is similar to the British breakfast food Black Pudding.

However, a mix of sticky rice and local seasonings make this pudding rather different from its British counterpart.

It certainly requires an acquired taste and isn’t for everyone, but it’s something for the avid foodie to give a go at least once!

Taipei Street Food – Sausage on a Stick (烤香腸 / Kǎo Xiāngcháng)

This Taipei street food needs little introduction, as the name leaves little to the imagination.

However, it is a sausage unlike you probably know it.

Unlike the average Western sausage, this one is much bigger and contains considerably more fat.

This makes it all the tastier, but all the more unhealthy. Well, when in Rome!

This traditional local food has been around forever, and you definitely can’t skip out on having a bite when roaming one of the Taipei street food markets!

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

Food in Taiwan is full of flavour and variety. Using a base of noodles and rice, with strong flavours and lots of meat (mainly beef and pork) and fish.

Taipei Street Food – Aiyu Jelly Drink (愛玉 / Àiyù)

Fondly known as ‘frog’s eggs’ (don’t worry, it’s not!), this jelly drink is made from the seeds of a certain fig.

It’s then served in a mix of sugary sweet water and a bunch of lemons.

It makes for a great refreshing drink on those hot summer Taipei days and can fill you up as a quick snack in between meals!

Taipei Street Food – Shaved Ice (剉冰 / Cuò Bīng)

Shaved ice, or baobing, is a life-saver in the hot, humid summer months in Taipei.

As the name suggests, it is a bowl of shaved ice! I often used to wonder why you would pay so much for a bowl of shaved ice when it’s just… ice.

Well, this dessert isn’t just ice. It’s so much more!

Topped with various garnishes such as fruits, nuts and syrups, you’ll be hooked from your first mouthful.

A wide variety exists and you can customize your bowl. Condensed milk, tapioca balls, grass jelly, peanuts… The list is endless, and there’s something for everyone.

What’s more, is the ice isn’t just normal ice. It’s specially produced ice for the shaved ice dessert, with air pumped into it to ensure… better taste?

We’re not quite sure, but the ice is special.

A note on regional desserts: If you are travelling beyond Taipei, do not miss the taro ball desserts of Jiufen (芋圓 / yù yuán), served hot or cold in a sweet soup with taro, sweet potato, and grass jelly. Tainan, in southern Taiwan, is also celebrated for its douhua (豆花 / dòuhuā), an ultra-silky warm tofu pudding served with sweet ginger syrup that is completely different from anything you will find in Taipei. These are both worth the trip on their own.

Taipei Street Food – Beef Noodle Soup (牛肉麵 / Niú Ròu Miàn)

Beef noodle soup is arguably Taiwan’s most iconic dish, and you will find it everywhere from hole-in-the-wall restaurants to dedicated night market stalls.

A rich, slow-braised beef broth is loaded with thick wheat noodles, tender chunks of beef shank, and a scattering of pickled mustard greens on top.

The broth style varies: the Taiwanese version is typically a deep, soy-based red braise (紅燒 / hóngshāo) rather than the clearer northern Chinese style. Every vendor has a secret recipe passed down through generations, so tasting different versions across the city is a delicious mini adventure.

Where to find it: Any major night market or the dedicated beef noodle lanes around Zhongshan District.

Taipei Street Food – Oyster Omelet (蚵仔煎 / Ô-á-tsian)

The oyster omelet is one of Taiwan’s most beloved street food classics and a staple at every major night market.

Fresh oysters are folded into a gooey, chewy batter made from sweet potato starch, then pan-fried with egg and leafy greens. The whole thing is finished with a generous drizzle of a sweet and tangy red sauce.

The texture is unlike anything you will find outside Taiwan: crispy at the edges, sticky and chewy in the centre. It is rich, savoury, and deeply satisfying as a late-night snack.

Where to find it: Shilin Night Market and Raohe Street Night Market both have famous oyster omelet stalls.

Taipei Street Food – Lu Rou Fan / Braised Pork Rice (滷肉飯 / Lǔ Ròu Fàn)

Lu rou fan is Taiwanese comfort food at its finest. Finely chopped or minced pork belly is slowly braised in soy sauce, rice wine, and spices until it becomes a glossy, deeply savoury topping ladled over a bowl of steamed white rice.

A soft-boiled soy egg and pickled vegetables on the side complete the picture. Bowls typically cost under NT$60, making this the best-value meal on the street.

It is found across Taiwan from breakfast through to midnight, and you will struggle to find a night market stall that does not serve some version of it.

Taipei Street Food – Stinky Tofu (臭豆腐 / Chòu Dòufu)

You will smell stinky tofu before you see it. The sharp, pungent aroma drifting through a night market is actually a good sign: it means a vendor is frying a fresh batch.

The tofu is fermented using a brine of vegetables and sometimes seafood, then deep-fried until the outside is golden and crisp while the inside stays soft and creamy. It is typically served with pickled cabbage and a chilli sauce.

First-time visitors are often hesitant, but stinky tofu is genuinely one of the most rewarding dishes to try. The flavour is far milder than the smell suggests.

A local tip: The smellier the stall, the fresher the batch.

Taipei Street Food – Gua Bao / Pork Belly Bun (割包 / Guā Bāo)

Gua bao is sometimes called the ‘Taiwanese hamburger’, and once you try one it is easy to see why it has become popular far beyond Taiwan’s borders.

A soft, pillowy steamed bun is folded around a thick slice of slow-braised pork belly, pickled mustard greens, crushed peanuts, and fresh coriander. The combination of rich pork, sweet bun, sour greens, and crunchy peanuts in one bite is outstanding.

It is a must-try at Raohe Street Night Market, where some vendors have been making gua bao for over 30 years.

Taipei Street Food – Xiaolongbao / Soup Dumplings (小籠包 / Xiǎo Lóng Bāo)

Xiaolongbao are steamed dumplings filled with seasoned pork mince and a small pool of hot broth that forms as the dumplings cook. The skill is in eating them without losing the soup.

The technique: pick up the dumpling gently with chopsticks, rest it in a spoon, bite a small hole in the side, let the soup flow into the spoon, then eat the whole thing with a dip of ginger-infused black vinegar.

While Din Tai Fung is the world-famous name, excellent xiaolongbao can also be found at night market stalls and local dumpling shops across Taipei at a fraction of the restaurant price.

Taipei Street Food – Scallion Pancake / Dan Bing (蔥油餅 / Cōng Yóu Bǐng)

Scallion pancake (蔥油餅 / cōng yóu bǐng) is one of Taiwan’s most beloved street food staples, eaten from breakfast through to late-night snacking.

Flaky layers of dough are folded with sesame oil and a generous handful of spring onions, then pan-fried on a flat griddle until golden and crisp on the outside with a chewy, layered interior. Many vendors crack an egg directly onto the pancake as it cooks, folding it in for extra richness.

The dan bing (蛋餅 / dàn bǐng) is the softer, egg-crepe cousin of the scallion pancake. It is a common Taiwanese breakfast item: a thin, chewy egg crepe rolled around a filling of tuna, cheese, corn, or ham.

Both are cheap (usually NT$30 to NT$60), filling, and available from morning street carts and night market stalls alike.

Taipei Street Food – Bubble Tea / Pearl Milk Tea (珍珠奶茶 / Zhēnzhū Nǎichá)

Not feeling a cup of refreshing frog eggs, but need something to quench your thirst?

Bubble tea (珍珠奶茶 / Zhēnzhū Nǎichá), also called boba or pearl milk tea, is Taiwan’s most globally recognised drink export and is available on virtually every street corner in Taipei.

The original Taiwanese version is a cold, sweetened black or green tea blended with chewy tapioca pearls (the ‘bubbles’). Dozens of flavour and milk combinations exist, from taro to brown sugar to matcha.

The drink was invented in Taiwan in the 1980s and the country takes it seriously. You can customise sweetness level (0% to 100%) and ice level at most shops. A cup typically costs between NT$50 and NT$80, making it one of the best-value drinks in the city.

Look out for chains like Chun Shui Tang (the originator), 50 Lan, and Gong Cha, as well as countless independent shops. For more detail, see our full guide to Taiwan bubble tea and boba.

Best Night Markets in Taipei: Where to Find All of the Above

All of the street foods above can be found at Taipei’s famous night markets. Here are the top spots to explore.

Shilin Night Market (士林夜市 / Shìlín Yèshì): The largest and most famous night market in Taipei, located in the Shilin District. The underground food court is particularly popular for oyster omelets, stinky tofu, and da jipai. Open from around 17:00 to midnight.

Raohe Street Night Market (饒河街觀光夜市 / Ráohé Jiē Guānguāng Yèshì): A compact, manageable market in Songshan District that locals rate highly. Famous for pepper pork buns (胡椒餅), gua bao, and beef noodle soup. Open from around 17:00 to 23:30.

Ningxia Night Market (寧夏夜市 / Níngxià Yèshì): A smaller, more local market in Datong District and one of the best for traditional Taiwanese dishes including lu rou fan, oyster vermicelli, and taro balls. Open from around 17:30 to 01:00.

Huaxi Street Tourist Night Market (華西街觀光夜市 / Huáxī Jiē Guānguāng Yèshì): Located in the historic Wanhua District near Longshan Temple, this is one of Taipei’s oldest markets. Known for snake soup, seafood, and traditional Taiwanese snacks.

Other markets worth exploring include Xi Men Ding (西門町), Jing Mei (景美夜市), and Shi Da (師大路夜市).

For a full breakdown of the best night markets in Taipei with maps and transport tips, see our guide to the best night markets in Taipei.

A few practical tips before you go:

• Most stalls are cash only; bring small NT$ notes (NT$100 and NT$50 coins are useful)
• Peak hours are 19:00 to 22:00; arrive early for shorter queues at popular stalls
• Most stalls display prices clearly; expect to pay NT$30 to NT$150 for a single street food item
• Pointing and holding up fingers is a perfectly acceptable way to order if your Mandarin is still a work in progress

TOP TIP || 夜市 (Yèshì) in Chinese is Night Market. You’ll see it a lot in Taipei!

Found any others you’d recommend? Leave a comment below!

Inspired to come and see what Taipei is about? See what our friends Tobias and Mikkel thought about their time in Taipei.

Practical Tips for Eating Taipei Street Food

If this is your first time navigating a Taiwanese night market, a few quick tips will make the experience much smoother.

Cash is king: The vast majority of street food stalls are cash only. ATMs are easy to find near every major night market entrance. Bring a mix of NT$100 and NT$500 notes, and hold onto your NT$50 and NT$10 coins for exact change.

Ordering without Mandarin: Most stalls at tourist-frequented markets have picture menus or the food on display. Pointing, holding up fingers for quantity, and smiling goes a long way. If you want to go deeper, LTL’s Mandarin courses cover food ordering in practical, real-world contexts.

Prices to expect: Street food in Taipei is genuinely affordable. Single snack items typically range from NT$30 to NT$80 (roughly USD 1 to USD 2.50). A full evening of grazing across four or five dishes will usually cost less than NT$400.

Food safety: Taiwan’s street food scene is generally very safe. Look for stalls with high turnover (long queues are a good sign) and food cooked fresh to order. If something smells off (beyond the intentional funk of stinky tofu), trust your instincts.

Timing: Night markets get very busy between 19:00 and 21:30 on weekends. Arriving just before 18:00 means shorter queues and the freshest first batches from the fryer.

Taipei Street Food || FAQs

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