Taipei Night Market Food Guide: What to Eat Where

If you had to name the best-eating city in Asia, Taipei would have to be near the top of the list. Night markets are scattered across nearly every district, each with its own signature dish, to the point that a three-day trip still isn't enough time to hit every market you'd want to try.

Which Market to Hit First If You're Short on Time

If you've only got one night, go for Raohe Night Market over the more famous Shilin. Raohe is a single, straight lane, so it's easy to walk start to finish without getting turned around the way you can in bigger markets with stalls spread across several alleys. It's also noticeably less crowded with tourists, which makes for a more relaxed grazing pace. If you have several nights, though, it's worth comparing both.

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Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup, the Dish You Can't Skip

One dish that basically represents Taiwanese food is beef noodle soup — a broth simmered down from beef and spices until it's deeply flavorful, with meat so tender it falls off the bone, served over soft wheat noodles. Every shop has its own take on the broth: some lean sour, others lean into a more medicinal, herb-heavy depth. Trying a few shops back to back and comparing is half the fun.

Original Bubble Tea: Which Shop Is Worth the Line

Taiwan is where bubble tea was born, and several of the original shops are still open in Taipei, at prices well below what you'd pay for the same drink abroad. A simple tell: a shop with a genuinely long line of locals, not just tourists snapping photos, is usually worth the wait. Consider asking for one sugar level down from normal — the traditional recipe tends to run sweeter than what most Thai palates are used to.

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Grilled Skewers, Taiwanese Sausage, and Other Roadside Bites

Walk through any night market and you'll pass grills lining both sides of the lane — Taiwanese pork sausage usually served with raw garlic on the side, skewered fish balls glazed in sweet sauce, and stinky tofu, which takes a bit of nerve the first time. Get past that first bite, though, and it often becomes the dish you miss most once you're home.

Street Food Etiquette Like a Local

Locals in Taipei tend to order a little at a time and keep walking and grazing, rather than buying a big haul from the first stall. Load up too early and you'll be full before reaching the stalls further down that you actually wanted to try. It's also worth carrying small cash — plenty of stalls still don't take card or app payments.

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Getting From Taoyuan Airport Into the City

From Taoyuan International Airport, the Taoyuan Airport MRT runs straight into central Taipei, taking roughly 35-50 minutes depending on whether you catch the local or express train. It's more convenient than switching between multiple transfers and considerably cheaper than a taxi — good news if you'd rather save that cash for more food.

Before You Fly Out to Eat Your Way Through Taipei

To plan a trip that covers every market on your list, click Book a Taipei hotel to check real-time room rates, and try to base yourself near an MRT stop with an easy line out to the night markets. Book through Trip.com and you're set.