18-06-2025
7 Iconic Taiwan Street Foods You'll Regret Missing
Taiwan street food history is as murky as Taiwanese politics, said Katy Hui-wen Hung. Unlike any other countries in the world, Taiwanese food has a rich history of its colonial influences. Chinese and Japanese cuisines have greatly influenced Taiwan street food, but they have their twist, making it one of the most delicious cuisines in the world. Thomas Keller once said, ' Food should be fun.' That's what Taiwan street food culture is all about. If you are a traveller, you must always be connected through eSIM Taiwan to help you stay connected with your loved ones and to plan your itinerary. Lonely Planet has an exclusive site for Taiwan for your reference. In this guide, we shall explore the must-try street foods and what makes Taiwan a paradise for food lovers.
History has the answer; the migration of Hoklo and Hakka primarily from China's southern provinces has brought about the major influence on the cuisine of Taiwan. Over time, the heritage evolved into what is now called the Taiwan food due to the influence of the Japanese rule, American food aid, and the migration of Kuomintang forces after the Chinese Civil War. This has evolved into the current day Taiwanese cuisine. The Taiwan street food costs you around $1.75 to $3.30, which is more affordable and can also give a unique experience. Some popular dishes alone can cost you up to $8, depending on the location. The best way to experience Taiwan's street food is through their Night market, which is one of the famous tourist spots if you visit Taiwan. Let's dive deep into the Taiwan street food world:
Here's a quick overview of the 7 must-try Taiwanese street foods and where to find them: Dish Key Features Where to Try Beef Noodle Soup National treasure; rich broth with tender beef Halal Chinese Beef Noodles, Taipei Stinky Tofu Strong smell, savory flavor; deep-fried or stewed Shenkeng Old Street, New Taipei City Oyster Omelette Gummy texture with starch; fresh oysters & sauce Ningxia Oyster Omelette, Taipei Lu Rou Fan Braised pork rice; soy-based sauce with local spice Wang's Broth, Taipei Bubble Tea Tapioca pearls in milk/fruit tea; global phenomenon Chun Shui Tang, Taichung (origin) Gua Bao Soft bun with pork belly, pickles, peanuts, coriander Fu Pork Belly Bun, Zhongshan, Taipei Fried Chicken Cutlet Large crispy cutlet with juicy center; street food favorite Hot-Star, Shilin Night Market, Taipei
The first on our list is the Niu Rou Mian( Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup) is known as the national treasure, full of heavy flavour and soul-warming qualities. The origin of this Taiwan food traces back to the mid-20th century, brought by Chinese migrants, now being celebrated as a National pride. The dish has a rich broth with melting beef and tasty noodles, making it the favourite for both the locals and the visitors. If you are planning to visit Taiwan, Beef Noodle Soup is a must-try food.
📍Place: Halal Chinese Beef Noodles ( near SYS Memorial Hall), Taipei Young woman traveler walking holding stinky Tofu at Taiwanese street food, Travel lifestyle concept
A very popular Taiwan street food, known for its strong smell. Don't get alarmed by the strong smell; the taste is often described as savoury and cheesy, making it one of the best street Taiwanese foods. Most people think the stinky tofu dish is similar to Chinese food, but this stinky tofu is different from Chinese particularly popular in Taiwan. Stinky tofu can be eaten in different ways, like deep-fried, steamed or stewed, each method gives a completely different flavour.
📍Place: Shenkeng Old Street, New Taipei City (known as Stinky Tofu Village)
A popular Taiwan street food and also famous in most parts of Southeast Asia. These omelettes are often called pancakes due to their gummy texture, are a mixture of fresh oysters and eggs, made as batter with starch-based batter and various vegetables and sauces. The key ingredients are oysters, eggs, starch, either sweet potato or tapioca starch, which gives the gummy texture and also a lot of greens served with dipping sauce, making the dish extremely delicious. The Oyster omelette is not only popular in Taiwan there are other variations of it called Hokkien-style, popular in Fujian and Taiwan, which uses chicken, and in Hong Kong, it's called Teochew-style, made out of duck eggs. Oyster omelette is a delicious and healthy snack, so you must try it while you visit Taiwan.
📍Place: Ningxia Oyster Omelette, Taipei
Lu Rou Fan directly mean rice with braised meat, is a very famous Taiwan street food served by local street vendors. The sauce is the star ingredient of the recipe; the most common way of making this dish is by stir-frying the meat with sliced onion and then boiling it in soy sauce. Based on the preference, flavours can be added such as sugar, rice wine, pepper and other spices. The name suggests it is a rice dish, but there are also variations like eating with noodles instead of rice. The dish is such a national delicacy that it has various variations according to the regions around it. Braised Pork Rice is one of the Taiwan street foods that one must not miss trying.
📍Place: Wang's Broth, Taipei Taiwan pearl milk tea with bubble at ximending in Taipei, Taiwan.
As the name suggests, Boba tea is nothing but milk or flavoured fruit tea with chewy tapioca pearls (Boba). The texture of boba is the highlight of the drink, which makes the experience very enjoyable, irrespective of age. The origin of this Taiwan street food was in the early 1980s in Taichung, Taiwan. The drink gained popularity in neighbouring countries like Hong Kong and Japan and spread to North America and other countries. This humble drink, which has its origin in Taiwan, has become a global phenomenon having its fandom.
The classic bubble tea is made from black tea; later, other variations with green tea, oolong tea and fruit-based teas have arisen, and they are popular. Some interesting flavours are coffee-based tea, crazy as they might sound, they are popular in many countries. Try Boba, a classic Taiwan street food, in Taiwan, is a must-try drink at the place of its origin.
📍Place: Chun Shui Tang, Taipei
Soft, fluffy bun filled with lots of flavour is the Gua Bao, a Taiwan Street food known as Taiwanese Pork Bun. The bun is filled with Taiwan-style pork belly, sweet peanuts, sour fried mustard greens, and the freshness of coriander leaves is a delightful bomb in your mouth. This delicacy is a very famous Taiwan food, which can be prepared even at home for kids as a snack. Gua Bao has an interesting name to it; it means ' tiger bites pig' due to the mouth-shaped bun filled with pork meat. Making it one of the must-try Taiwan foods to experience the culture.
📍Place: Fu Pork Belly Bun, Zhongshan District, Taipei
One of the most recognisable snacks in Taiwan street food is the fried chicken cutlet; its strong tastes and seductive textures are well-known. Always a crowd-pleaser, this large, deep-fried treat is crispy, juicy, and bursting with taste. Whether you're cooking this at home or meandering through a busy night market in Taipei, every mouthful of this meal has an amazing crunch. 'Ji Pai' or Fried Chicken cutlet became popular in 1990 as a satisfying street food option. The chicken is pounded thin, marinated with soy sauce with aromatic seasonings and deep fried to golden perfection to make it delicious. This delicacy is one of the famous Taiwan street foods you must try.
📍Place: Hot-Star, Shilin Night Market, Taipei
If you love food, you need to add a visit to Taipei's night market to your itinerary. You've got to check out Taipei's night markets! They're known for their amazing variety of tasty street food from Taiwan. When you think about food from Taiwan, their night market captures the essence of it. The top night markets on the list based on travel advisers are Raohe Street Night Market, Shilin Night Market and Ningxia Night Market. The night market is known for giving a multi-sensory experience for visitors, by providing them with the best Taiwan food and diverse street food, shopping and entertainment. A trip to Taiwan will not be completed without visiting any one of these Night markets. 🚫 To really enjoy a night market experience at your own pace, try to avoid going during the busy times.
💳 Most vendors are small and might not accept credit cards, hence always pack enough cash.
👟 Dress in comfortable clothes and wear casual shoes for simple movement in congested places,
🧼 Practice basic hygiene; wet wipes or hand sanitizers will be quite useful.
🧭 If you are visiting several night markets on one evening, map your path ahead.
Clearly reflecting the history, diversity, and gastronomic inventiveness of the island, the Taiwanese street food scene is every mouthful that exposes local customs, regional tastes, and a great respect for superb cuisine from hot skewers at night markets to warm bowls of beef noodle soup and the crispy delight of popcorn chicken.
Although Taiwan presents a wide spectrum of dining options, from fancy tea establishments to breakfast stores, the street cuisine there most reflects the essence of daily life. Approachable, reasonably priced, and strongly anchored in culture, it welcomes everyone to taste Taiwan.
Try the seven must-try street delicacies included in this book if you are visiting Taiwan; they will be the ideal introduction to the dynamic gastronomic scene of the nation.
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