A trip to Taiwan is not complete without visiting its famed night markets. Put on your comfortable walking shoes and clothes, and be sure to bring some cash and loose change as it is still the most convenient way to pay at the night markets. Now, get ready to indulge in delectable street food, win prizes at game stalls, shop affordable knick-knacks and memorabilia, and experience vibrant local vibes.
The Ultimate Guide to Taipei’s Top 6 Night Markets
The capital city of Taipei is home to many night markets, each with its own unique charm and must-try delicacies. To help you plan ahead, we have rounded up six night markets with MICHELIN-recommend eateries and food stalls.RELATED: Video: 2 Days in Taipei
Huaxi Street Tourist Night Market
Metro Station: Longshan Temple
The three MICHELIN-recommended food stalls within this night market are all located next to each other: Wang's Broth for its “black gold” pork rice and its renowned minced pork with pickled cucumbers; Yuan Fang Guabao for stuffed steamed buns with tender marinated pork belly; as well as the half-century-old Chang Hung Noodles for its signature pork cheek noodle soup.
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As you pass through the famous Bangka Qingshan Temple, you’ll find Yi Jia Zi, the Bib Gourmand restaurant near Qingshui Temple on Kangding Road that has been serving delicious Taiwanese fare for three generations. Some of its must-try dishes include stewed pork belly over rice, braised pork rice, gua bao sandwich, Madou rice cake and pork blood curd soup.
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Nanjichang Night Market
Metro Station: Longshan Temple or Xiaonanmen
At the entrance of the night market, you can kick off your street food experience with a bowl of springy and succulent Shan Nay Chicken rice together with the Chinese angelica chicken broth. As you venture further in, there’s the Bib Gourmand popiah roll stall Wu Wang Tsai Chi, known for tasty spring rolls that are made fresh daily using a special seaweed powder and generous fillings. Don’t miss out on the Unnamed Clay Oven Roll push cart located at the end section of the night market. Its sweet pasty and long shaobing are highly recommended by our MICHELIN inspectors.
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Ningxia Night Market
Metro Station: Zhongshan or Shuanglian
The night market has separate lanes for pedestrians and vehicles to ensure a safe and comfortable experience for visitors. Very tourist-friendly, many stalls can provide English menus, some even accept mobile payments. The night market offers a wide variety of traditional and creative street food options.
Located in the middle section of the night market is Yuan Huan Pien Oyster Egg Omelette, which has received a MICHELIN recommendation for many consecutive years. Its oyster omelette is made with fresh oysters delivered daily from Tainan and a homemade sauce, attracting a constant flow of customers.
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Ningxia Night Market is not far from several MICHELIN-recommended hotels, including the renowned Regent Taipei on Zhongshan North Road, known for its attentive service and complete dining experiences; as well as The Okura Prestige Taipei, which blends Japanese hospitality with European architectural charm. There is also Palais de Chine beside the Taipei Main Station, which is famous for its ornate interior of plush fabrics, imported furniture and antiques. After exploring the night market, you can quickly make your way back to your hotel to relax and unwind.
Yansan Night Market
Metro Station: Daqiaotou
Recognised by Bib Gourmand, Da-Qiao-Tou Tube Rice Pudding takes its steamed sticky rice very seriously: each grain is chewy with structural integrity and never mushy. Its homemade sweet sauce and spicy radish sauce are also not to be missed. Now in its second generation, Shih Chia Big Rice Ball makes its delectable elastic dough with ground year-old, round-grain sticky rice; the savoury glutinous rice balls are filled with juicy pork and vegetable filling and served in a delightful Hakkanese-style bone broth. Venture further into the night market and you’ll find Cabbage Rice and Pork Rib Soup. Mixed with cabbage and shredded carrots, the rice has a refreshing sweetness, while the radish pork rib soup is clear and toothsome.
Shilin Night Market
Metro Station: Jiantan or Shilin
The Bib Gourmand establishment Good Friend Cold Noodles elevates simple noodle dishes with chewy noodles, a sesame sauce with a hint of lemony fragrance, and the sides of pickled cucumber and mustard greens. A long-standing stall at the night market, Chung Chua Sheng Jian Bao serves up pan-fried buns with crispy bottoms and fluffy tops.
Raohe Street Night Market
Metro Station: Songshan
At the entrance of the night market is A Kuo Lu Wei, which offers an extensive range of items braised in a spiced marinade. Its duck wings and pork uterus are very popular, and our MICHELIN inspector particularly enjoyed the crunchy baby sweetcorn. Mochi Baby is a mobile stall specialising in freshly made mochi. A truly satisfying treat, its mochi is soft and chewy and entices with the fragrance of powdered peanut sugar.
Raohe Street Night Market is also not far from the bustling Xinyi area—where you could find a comfortable stay at several MICHELIN-recommended hotels such as W Taipei that features spectacular view as well as its signature W color and vibe; or Humble House Taipei that is famous for its perfect view of the Taipei 101 at the pool, and the art collections at every corner of the hotel.
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In addition to these wonderful night markets, Taipei has plenty other night market street food delights worthy of exploring. Near Shuangcheng Street Night Market is the popular Huang Chi Lu Rou Fan, attracting massive queues of customers wanting to savour its signature braised pork rice that is fatty without being greasy, as well as the thick soup. Over at Gongguan Night Market, Hsiung Chi Scallion Pancake is known for scrumptious pancakes that are crispy on the outside and soft and flaky on the inside.
On your next trip to Taipei, don’t forgot to include night market food adventures in your itinerary!
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The article is written by Hsieh Ming Ling and translated by Iris Wong.
Read the original article here.
Hero image: Raohe Night Market (©Shutterstock)
