Taiwan is definitely a paradise for foodies.
From roadside stalls to grand hotels, there are many delicious foods on this island.
But what must-eat foods are there in Taiwan?
Read on to find out which Taiwan food you must try, so you won’t miss it when you come to Taiwan.
Taiwan Must Eat Food
Beef Noodles | 牛肉麵
Beef noodle is a famous dish made of stewed beef, beef soup, and noodles.
Beef noodles were cooked by veterans and their families living in Kaohsiung to miss the taste of their hometown.
Now you can taste various flavors, such as braised beef noodles, clear soup beef noodles, tomato beef noodles, and so on.
Where to eat:
- Lin Dong Fang Beef Noodles（林東芳牛肉麵）is most well-known. It won Taipei 2018 Bib Gourmand recommended. The original price is NT$230 ($8.05), and you can check HERE to get at least 10% off. (Map)
- Tien Hsia San Jyue （天下三絕） serves premium beef noodles and is loved by many celebrities. It even won the Taipei 2019 & 2020 Bib Gourmand recommendation. The original price of a set of two is NT$1,089 ($33.49), and you can check HERE to get a 12% discount. (Map)
Soup Dumplings | 小籠包
Soup Dumplings or Xiaolongbao is an exquisite dish.
With a thin tender flour skin to wrap the seasoned pork filling, when steamed, the steamed pork filling will melt into the fragrant soup that is locked within the dumpling, so be careful, it will explode in the mouth when you first bite!
Where to eat:
- Din Tai Fung（鼎泰豐）is widely known for their XiaoLongBao. People always make a line to taste the amazing dumplings with 18 folds delicate skin and juicy filling. Once you try it, you will know how they take the signature dishes so seriously. (Map)
- Jin Ji Yuan (好公道金雞園) serves 60 varieties of pastries at a reasonable price, you can taste XiaoLongBao at half the price of Din Tai Fung but good taste. (Map)
- Hangzhou Xiaolong Bao（杭州小籠湯包）is also popular with locals. It even won the Taipei 2019 & 2020 Bib Gourmand recommendation. You can book a package HERE and enjoy at least a 9% discount. (Map)
Braised Pork Rice | 滷肉飯
Braised Pork Rice (Lu Rou Fan) is a local Taiwanese dish that is a generous amount of rice in a bowl with tender braised minced pork spread out on the top, when the meat melted into the hot rice below make this dish mouth-watering.
It is considered Taiwan’s “national dish”, and you can find it at any restaurant and street food stalls around Taiwan.
Where to eat:
- Jin Feng Braised Pork Rice (金鋒滷肉飯) might be the most famous braised pork rice in Taipei. If you want to try, it is best to avoid peak hours because there will always be long queues. (Map)
- Wang’s Broth（小王煮瓜） is a well-known queue food shop, the signature braised pork rice and steamed minced pork with pickles in broth are must-eat, it has attracted more people after being selected in one of the Michelin Guide Taipei 2019 & 2020, not only attracts many locals but foreign tourists to come. (Map)
Oyster Vermicelli | 蚵仔麵線
Oyster vermicelli is a kind of noodle soup popular in Taiwan.
Its main ingredients are misua and oysters, or pig’s intestine can also be added.
The soup is thickened with white powder, and then seasoned with vinegar, garlic, parsley, or chili sauce, so it is a special Taiwanese snack with rich ingredients and full of aroma.
Photo by Instagram @croissantqueen
Where to eat:
- Chen ji Mee Sua（陳記專業蚵仔麵線）has opened over 20 years. It is famous among locals and voted the best vermicelli in Taipei. (Map)
- A Hui Vermicelli（阿輝麵線）is located in the Shilin Night Market. It was listed in Michelin Guide Taipei 2018 and 2019 for two consecutive years. The stall is next to the temple, and the pretty cool thing is that you’ll see everyone sitting on the temple step to enjoy the delicious vermicelli due to unavailable seats at the stall. (Map)
Oyster Omelet | 蚵仔煎
Oyster omelet, a famous Taiwanese snack, is made with fresh oysters, vegetables, eggs, and sweet potato starch, and then pan-fried over high heat, It will turn out a dish that crispy outside with full of oysters and vegetables inside, then served with the sweet sauce, the taste is chewy and not greasy.
Photo by Instagram @fuudum
Where to eat:
- Lai Ji Oyster Omelet（賴雞蛋蚵仔煎）is one of the popular vendors serving oyster omelet at the Ningxia Night Market. It is located at the entrance of the night market and there will always be long queues. (Map)
Fried Chicken Cutlet | 雞排
Fried Chicken Cutlet is one of the most famous street snacks in Taiwan and can be found almost in every night market.
The method of making chicken cutlet is to marinate the chicken breast with a sauce, then coat it with tapioca flour, and then fry it until golden.
Therefore, the crisp, juicy and tender taste of the chicken cutlet is very popular among many Taiwanese, which is why Taiwanese can eat 250,000 chicken cutlets a day.
Photo by Instagram @zoe__wuyijou
Where to eat:
- Hometown BBQ Chicken（家鄉碳烤香雞排）is located in the Shilin Night Market. Different from generally fried chicken cutlets, Hometown BBQ Chicken has chosen to fried chicken first and then charcoal grilled it that would make chicken cutlets less greasy and with more charcoal fragrance. (Map)
- Chi-Ji Chicken Cutlet（赤雞雞排）serves a variety of creative flavors chicken cutlet, like the original flavor of golden skin, the spicy flavor of red skin, the curry flavor of orange skin, the drunken flavor of black skin, and basil flavor of green skin. If you want to try it, book HERE and enjoy a 10% discount. (Map)
Bubble Tea | 珍珠奶茶
Bubble tea, also known as Boba, is a tea beverage containing tapioca pearls.
It has become the most popular drink in Taiwan because it is not difficult to find people drinking a cup of bubble tea everywhere.
So when buying a cup of tea, there are many choices. Here are some of the best you can try.
Where to eat:
- TRUEDAN（珍煮丹）is a chain beverage store brand originating in Shilin Night Market, providing high-quality brown sugar bubble milk tea. If you want to try it, book HERE and at least a 9% discount. (Map)
- ONEZO（丸作食茶） provides daily handmade tapioca pearls, no preservatives added, freshly squeezed teas are also freshly made and do not use concentrates. Let’s check HERE to get a 10% discount. (Map)
Ba – Wan | 肉圓
Ba-wan or Taiwanese Meatball is a specialty snack in Taiwan, the name is derived from the appearance: the translucent round-shaped dumpling made of potato starch and filled with pork, bamboo, and mushrooms inside, and served with a sweet and savory sauce, it tastes very chewy and sticky.
Photo by Instagram @k.honzawa_tw
Where to eat:
- Red Vinasse Taiwanese Meatballs（金枝紅糟肉圓）in Jiufen Old Street is the first one who made red vinasse meatball, it’s famous because they’re careful about making the meatball and choosing the materials, the visitors love the jelly skin and juicy stuffing, that why people come here again and again. (Map)
- Peitou Sheng Meatball（北斗肉圓生）has won the designated snack shop of the President’s State Banquet. The most special thing is the shape, unlike ordinary meatballs are round, but triangular, which is unique in Taiwan. (Map)
Shaved Ice | 刨冰
If you travel to Taiwan in the summer, you may want to try shaved ice.
First, the shops shave the ice into thin flake ice, so that it can melt on your tongue instantly.
Then you can add your favorite ingredients, such as bean, taro, peanut, or fresh fruit, such as mango, strawberry, or pineapple.
Finally, put syrup or sweet condensed milk on the shaved ice to enjoy the best summer dessert in Taiwan.
Where to eat:
- Longdu Iced Fruit Store（龍都冰菓專業家）nearyby Longshan Temple is famous for the signature “Eight Treasures Ice”, consisting of 8 different ingredients from peanut, adzuki bean, red kidney bean, mung bean, taro, tapioca, taro balls, to tangyuan, all of which create an amazing taste. (Map)
- Smoothie House（思慕昔） is widely known for the Mango Mango Shaved Ice and is also recommended by CNN. The mango is fresh, big, sweet, and juicy. It is the most attractive store on Yongkang Street. Let’s try it and check the discount HERE. (Map)
- JINJIN（金金良甜）is a creative shop on Yongkang Street, the signature “Purple Sweet Potato Paste and Taro Paste Ice“, half of the purple sweet potato paste and half of the taro paste looks like a volcanic eruption, it will bring you both visual and taste enjoyment! If you would like to try, buy the voucher HERE and enjoy 10% off. (Map)
Pineapple Cake | 鳳梨酥
Pineapple cake is a famous snack in Taiwan. The outer skin is mainly made of high-gluten flour and milk powder, and the filling is mainly made of fresh pineapple.
It is crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, sweet but not greasy, and has a slight pineapple flavor.
Pineapple cake has become one of the most famous snacks, serving as a souvenir for friends and family.
Where to eat:
- Chia Te Bakery（佳德糕餅）and Vigor Kobo（維格餅家）are famous for making pineapple cake, which has won everyone’s favor because of its good materials, reasonable price, delicious and unique taste. Both stores even won many awards in cake competitions. Undoubtedly, it is the best souvenir choice of going abroad or giving gifts to relatives. You can check out HERE to choose either or both shop’s pineapple cakes as a souvenir before you leave Taiwan.
Stinky Tofu | 臭豆腐
The last famous Taiwanese food, but you may not want to try it, because the name “stinky tofu”, is a kind of fermented tofu, which is really stinky.
Nevertheless, this dish is still a popular Taiwanese food, which can be found everywhere from roadside stalls to restaurants.
Where to eat:
- Yulin Qiaotou Stinky Tofu（玉里橋頭臭豆腐）in Hualien is considered as the No.1 Stinky Tofu in Taiwan. The secret of making stinky tofu different from other shops is to deep-fried each piece of tofu in three oil pans with different temperatures, which helps to remove excess oil and make tofu crisp outside and tender inside. Don’t forget to eat it with kimchi, pickled radish and basil to make it taste better. (Map)
Do you want to know more about Taiwanese food culture? Let’s start by cooking Taiwanese food!
Authentic Taiwanese Cooking Class
- Make authentic Taiwanese cuisine on your own: Xiao Long Bao, Braised Beef Noodle, Bubble Tea, etc.
- Join traditional market tour and pick up fresh ingredients.
- Cook with local professional chef who speak English / Mandarin / Japanese.
Photo Source: Klook
I hope you enjoyed reading this post, in this post, you’ve known what must-eat food in Taiwan, tell me which one you prefer, and what you would like to try first?
Finally, If you still have any questions on your food trip to Taiwan, please leave in the comments below, I will be more than happy to help you out:)
