Food · Taipei · Taiwan
What to eat in Taipei
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define Taipei, and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: 毛貓大少爺, CC BY-SA 2.0
Quick answer
Start with Beef noodle soup, Xiaolongbao and Braised pork rice. Graze through Ningxia or Raohe night markets, sharing small portions of oyster omelette, pepper buns, braised pork rice and taro balls. Eating and drinking are not allowed inside MRT stations' paid areas and trains, so finish snacks before you enter.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Beef noodle soup
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 5
- Tipping
- Tipping is not expected in Taiwan.
- Food experiences
- 4
12 foods to try
Dish
1.Beef noodle soup (Niu rou mian)
Taiwan's signature soup: thick wheat noodles and tender braised beef shank in a soy and star-anise broth (hong shao), or in a lighter clear broth, topped with pickled mustard greens.
Where: Specialist shops across the city, including several on Taoyuan Street near Ximending and around Yongkang Street.
Dish
2.Xiaolongbao
Delicate steamed pork dumplings with a pleated top and a spoonful of hot broth inside. Bite a small hole, sip the broth, then eat with ginger and black vinegar.
Where: Dumpling restaurants citywide, including the original Din Tai Fung on Xinyi Road near Yongkang Street and many smaller local shops.
Dish
3.Braised pork rice (Lu rou fan)
Finely chopped pork belly braised in soy sauce, rice wine and spices, spooned over rice with pickles. It is Taiwan's everyday comfort food and costs very little.
Where: Small diners and night-market stalls everywhere; order a bowl with soup and greens.
Street food
4.Pepper bun (Hu jiao bing)
A crisp bun filled with peppery pork and spring onion, baked on the walls of a cylindrical clay oven and eaten piping hot.
Where: The stall at the Ciyou Temple entrance of Raohe Street Night Market is the most famous; others are found in most night markets.
Street food
5.Oyster omelette (O-a-jian)
Small oysters, eggs and leafy greens fried in a sweet-potato starch batter that becomes gooey and crisp, topped with a sweet-savoury red sauce.
Where: Ningxia, Raohe and Shilin night markets, where specialist stalls fry them to order.
Street food
6.Gua bao
A soft, folded steamed bun filled with braised pork belly, pickled mustard greens, coriander and sweet peanut powder, sometimes called the Taiwanese hamburger.
Where: Night markets and snack shops, especially around Gongguan and Ximending.
Snack
7.Stinky tofu (Chou doufu)
Fermented tofu with a famously pungent smell, deep-fried and served with pickled cabbage and chilli, or stewed in a spicy broth. The flavour is milder than the smell suggests.
Where: Every night market; follow your nose. Ask if the broth or sauce contains meat if you are vegetarian.
Drink · Vegetarian
8.Bubble tea (Zhenzhu naicha)
Milk tea with chewy tapioca pearls, invented in Taiwan in the 1980s. Shops let you choose sweetness and ice levels, and brown-sugar pearl milk is a popular variation.
Where: Tea shops on almost every street; try a local chain and an independent shop to compare.
Dessert · Vegetarian
9.Mango shaved ice
A mountain of finely shaved ice or milk snow topped with fresh mango, mango syrup and sometimes a scoop of mango ice cream, best in the mango season from about May to September.
Where: Dessert shops around Yongkang Street and in the night markets.
Breakfast · Vegetarian
10.Soy milk breakfast (Dou jiang and you tiao)
Warm sweet or savoury soy milk with a crisp fried dough stick, plus egg pancakes (dan bing) and sesame flatbreads. Breakfast shops open early and close by late morning.
Where: Neighbourhood breakfast shops citywide; the busiest have queues from early morning.
Drink · Vegetarian
11.Oolong tea
Taiwan is known for high-mountain oolongs and the roasted Tieguanyin grown around Maokong, brewed gongfu-style in small pots and sipped from tiny cups.
Where: Tea houses in Maokong and tea merchants on Dihua Street, many of which offer tastings.
Dessert · Vegetarian
12.Pineapple cake (Fengli su)
Small, buttery shortbread cakes filled with pineapple jam, Taiwan's most popular gift. Some bakeries use pure pineapple; others blend it with winter melon.
Where: Bakeries across the city and gift shops; many offer a free sample with tea.
Food experiences
Night market crawl
Graze through Ningxia or Raohe night markets, sharing small portions of oyster omelette, pepper buns, braised pork rice and taro balls.
Tea in Maokong
Take the gondola up to Maokong and spend an evening brewing oolong at a hillside tea house overlooking the city.
Taiwanese breakfast
Start the day at a breakfast shop with warm soy milk, fried dough sticks and egg pancakes, the way most Taipei residents do.
Dumpling lunch
Watch chefs pleat xiaolongbao through glass kitchen windows at dumpling restaurants near Yongkang Street.
Quick bites and street food
- Pepper bun — The stall at the Ciyou Temple entrance of Raohe Street Night Market is the most famous; others are found in most night markets.
- Oyster omelette — Ningxia, Raohe and Shilin night markets, where specialist stalls fry them to order.
- Gua bao — Night markets and snack shops, especially around Gongguan and Ximending.
- Stinky tofu — Every night market; follow your nose. Ask if the broth or sauce contains meat if you are vegetarian.
- Soy milk breakfast — Neighbourhood breakfast shops citywide; the busiest have queues from early morning.
Vegetarian options
Of the 12 foods in this guide, 5 are usually vegetarian: Bubble tea, Mango shaved ice, Soy milk breakfast, Oolong tea and Pineapple cake. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- Eating and drinking are not allowed inside MRT stations' paid areas and trains, so finish snacks before you enter.
- Night-market stalls usually take cash only; carry small notes and coins.
- Convenience stores are everywhere and sell good onigiri, tea eggs, coffee and drinks 24 hours a day.
- Many sit-down restaurants add a 10% service charge; it is usually shown on the menu.
- Look for the character 素 (su) for Buddhist vegetarian restaurants, which are common across the city.
Tipping
Tipping is not expected in Taiwan. Many restaurants and hotels add a 10% service charge; elsewhere, simply pay the bill.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Nǐ hǎo | Hello |
| Xièxie | Thank you |
| Duōshǎo qián? | How much is it? |
| Bú yào là | Not spicy, please |
| Mǎidān | The bill, please |
| Wǒ chī sù | I am vegetarian |
Questions travellers ask
+What food is Taipei famous for?
Beef noodle soup, Xiaolongbao, Braised pork rice and Pepper bun. Taiwan's signature soup: thick wheat noodles and tender braised beef shank in a soy and star-anise broth (hong shao), or in a lighter clear broth, topped with pickled mustard greens.
+Is Taipei good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Bubble tea, Mango shaved ice and Soy milk breakfast.
+Do you tip in restaurants in Taipei?
Tipping is not expected in Taiwan. Many restaurants and hotels add a 10% service charge; elsewhere, simply pay the bill.