Be it your first time or second time to Taipei, one thing that you must include in your itinerary is a trip to one of Taipei’s night markets. We love night markets for the splendid array of street food (at reasonable prices), the lively atmosphere and simply the thrill of getting our hands on cheap clothing or goods!

Admittedly, most would only cater time to visit the more commercialised or popularised night markets such as Shilin Night Market or Raohe Street Night Market, but there are plenty of other undiscovered night markets in Taipei that deserve your time too. And, why only visit one or two night markets during your visit to Taipei when you could go to many more?

Here are 12 Night Markets In Taipei You Should Include In Your Itinerary.

Photo Credit: Alec Travel Guide

#1 GUANGZHOU STREET NIGHT MARKET

For a better feel of what a local and authentic night market in Taipei is like, Guangzhou Street Night Market will be a great place to visit. As one of the oldest night markets in Taiwan, Guangzhou Street Night Market is preferred by locals and is part of the Longshan Temple Night Market area.

Apart from regular street food that you can find in other night markets, some interesting dishes that you can try include pig feet, frog soup and glutinous rice. Visitors can also get up to plenty of fun games where you can play the night away. However, do take note that this is not a place to visit if you are searching for good clothing deals.

Guangzhou Street Night Market
Lane 152, Guangzhou Street, Wanhua District,
Taipei City, Taiwan 108
Daily: 4pm – 12am
Nearest Station: Longshan Temple

Photo Credit: HJ Love To Travel

#2 GONGGUAN NIGHT MARKET 

Located right beside Exit 1 of Gongguan Station, Gongguan Night Market is the biggest night market in the South district of Taipei City. The night market is strategically located in the midst of a business district, which allows visitors to browse through clothing and accessory stores, portrait studios, coffee shops and more.

Due to its close proximity to the National Taiwan University, majority of the traffic at this night market are made up of students. Yes, this means that prices are less steep and in fact pretty reasonable! And why not pick up some QinWaZhuangNai i.e. famous bubble milk tea in the area, whilst exploring the night market?

Gongguan Night Market
Section 3, Luosifu Road,
Zhongzheng District, Taipei City
Daily: 3pm – 11:45pm
Nearest Station: Gongguan

#3 HUAXI STREET NIGHT MARKET 

Huaxi Street Night Market is another one of Taiwan’s more traditional markets. You would not have a hard time finding this night market as a large, red palace-style archway marks the entrance to the market which is open throughout the day.

Plenty of old, historical shops occupy the streets of Huaxi Street Night Market and you would be able to find plenty of yummy street foods to indulge in! For instance, this is where the Danzai noodle restaurant business began and something interesting you can try is the snake soup—a dish unique to Huaxi Street Night Market. Otherwise, why not take part in some fortune-telling or simply go for a good massage?

Huaxi Street Night Market
Huaxi Street, Wanhua District
Taipei City, Taiwan 108
Tel: +886 2 2388 1818
Daily: 4pm – 12am
Nearest Station: Longshan Temple

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

#4 LEHUA NIGHT MARKET 

The origins of Lehua Night Market date back to the early 1970s, and this night market is located in the Yonghe District which is famous for its delicious soya bean drink. Offering a wonderful mix of street food stalls, shopping and entertainment facilities, this is an all-in-one market where you will never feel bored.

Another night market that is a favourite of many locals, this night market is wider and easier to navigate even for those who are visiting for the first time. Unfortunately, due to noise complaints from the neighbouring areas surrounding the market, Lehua Night Market may be closed down soon. Quick, make sure this night market is on your to-go list if you are visiting Taipei soon!

Lehua Night Market
Yongping Road, Yonghe District,
New Taipei City, Taiwan 234
Tel: +886 800 000 123
Daily: 5pm – 12.59am
Nearest Station: Dingxi

#5 LIAONING STREET NIGHT MARKET 

Located a stone’s throw away from Fuju Temple, Liaoning Street Night Market is a popular night market that often draws mostly locals, unlike other regular night markets in Taipei. Thus, this is the best night market to visit to avoid tourists but yet have a taste of authentic Taiwanese cuisine.

Some delicious street food that you can try include the oyster omelette, boiled squid, mochi and oden cooking. The seafood stir-fry shop at the night market is also very popular and this is where you can get your seafood fix, cooked according to your preference.

Liaoning Street Night Market
Liaoning Street, Zhongshan District
Taipei City, Taiwan 10491
Daily: 4pm – 2am
Nearest Station: Nanjing East Road

#6 NANJICHANG NIGHT MARKET 

Nanjichang Night Market is another night market which has not been tainted by tourism and is recognised for its ruggedness and truly Taiwanese character. A hot favourite of the locals, you would hardly see any tourists in the area which means that you are in for a night of authentic Taiwan street food and culture.

Albeit slightly smaller in size than other notable night markets such as the Shilin Night Market, the street food offered at Nanjichang Night Market does not pale in comparison. One identifying trait of this night market is that all street foods offered at night will be available even during the day. Rest assured also that Nanjichang Night Market is budget-friendly and would not burn a hole in your pocket.

Nanjichang Night Market
Lane 307, Section 2, Zhonghua Road
Wanhua District, Taipei
Tel: +886 2 2305 3036
Daily: 6am – 12am
Nearest Station: Wanhua

#7 NINGXIA NIGHT MARKET

Like Nanjichang Night Market, Ningxia Night Market is a smaller night market which offers just as fantastic street food as the larger ones do. This is a nostalgic night market where you can stuff yourself silly with all the Taiwanese snacks available such as fried yam balls, oyster omelette and braised pork rice!

If you need a break from all the food, consider participating in some games or shopping in the southern part of the night market. A well-balanced night market adventure, we’d say.

Ningxia Night Market
Ningxia Road, Datong District
Taipei City, Taiwan 103
Tel: +886 915 652 480
Daily: 5:30pm – 12am
Nearest Station: Shuanglian

#8 RAOHE STREET NIGHT MARKET 

Raohe Street Night Market is one of the oldest night markets in Taipei, which has been extremely well-received and usually considered a must-visit for all tourists. Spreading out along a 600-metre path of Raohe Street in the Songshan District, have tons of fun exploring all the different interesting and delicious street foods and snacks, shops and stalls and even carnival activities available there.

A word of advice—7pm would be a good time to drop by this night market as most vendors usually only begin setting up their stalls at 5pm.

Raohe Street Night Market
Rao He Street, Songshan District
Taipei City, Taiwan 105
Tel: +886 2 2763 5733
Daily: 4pm – 12am
Nearest Station: Songshan

#9 SHIDA NIGHT MARKET

Looking for a trendy night market? Shida Night Market is waiting for you! This night market is located within the Da’an District, which is known for its upmarket and hipster vibes and is home to several rock bars, cafes and restaurants. Best of all, visitors would appreciate that Shida Night Market is well-organised, quaint and compact, as compared to other larger and messier night markets.

Offering an incredible selection of delightful street food and cheap clothes from stylish boutiques, you would find plenty of young entrepreneurs cum vendors in this night market. Thus, a visit to this night market would be a great way to extend some support for the local fashion community whilst securing good clothing deals.

Shida Night Market
Lane 39, Shida Road, Da’an District,
Taipei City, Taiwan 106
Tue to Sun: 5pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Taipower Building

#10 SHILIN NIGHT MARKET

As one of the largest and most popular night markets in Taiwan, most would usually have Shilin Night Market on their minds when planning their trip to Taipei. And to make it better, this night market is also conveniently located near Jiantan Station.

Shilin Night Market is famous for their impressive selection of authentic Taiwan eateries and fashionable clothing boutiques. A newly-renovated building of Shilin Night Market comprises three basement floors and one ground floor. Just think, 94 food vendors on Level B1; how amazing is that? It is time to get crazy and go all out!

Shilin Night Market
Wenlin Road, Shihlin District
Taipei City, Taiwan
Daily: 11am – 2am
Nearest Station: Jiantan

#11 SHUANG CHENG STREET NIGHT MARKET 

Operating for over 40 years, Shuang Cheng Street Night Market is a hot spot for plenty of Taiwanese food and variety shows. As a relatively low-key market, this is where you can escape for good Taiwanese street food without all the hustle and bustle of overly-commercialised night markets.

Some dishes you can try include steam goose meat in goose soup stock and Chiayi Chick Rice. For desserts, favourites include Granny’s old-style flavour sweet noodles and jelly fig ice.

Shuang Cheng Street Night Market
Shuangcheng Street, Zhongshan District,
Taipei City, Taiwan 104
Daily: 8am – 4pm, 5pm – 12am
Nearest Station: Zhong Shan Elementary School / Mingquan West Road

#12 TONGHUA NIGHT MARKET 

Found along the fringe of a residential area in Da’an District, Tonghua Night Market is often filled with plenty of locals and tourists alike. Specialising in local street foods and more, this lively night market will be sure to thrill you even after your first visit.

One popular dish to try at Tonghua Night Market is yan su ji (Taiwanese salted crispy chicken ), braised foods and Cong You Bing (scallion pancake). When you had enough of street food, there are steak restaurants and teppanyaki eateries for you to dine at.

Tonghua Night Market
Linjiang Street, Da’an District,
Taipei 106, Taiwan
Daily: 6pm – 2am
Nearest Station: Xinyi Anhe

For an authentic Taiwanese experience, head over to Taipei’s oldest night bazaar – Raohe Street Night Market. The bustling market is a stone’s throw away from Songshan MRT Station, hence making it an easily accessible attraction. Vendors will start setting up their stalls at 5pm, but the best time to drop by is around 7pm – where you get to catch the action in full force.

A trip to a night market in Taiwan might be daunting (especially for those who can neither read nor speak traditional Mandarin). Fortunately, our bilingualism has allowed us to compile a useful guide to Raohe Street Night Market. From queuing up for hu jiao bing, eating Chinese sausages to playing old-school games, here are 15 tips on what to eat and what to do at Raohe Street Night Market!

WHAT TO EAT AT RAOHE STREET NIGHT MARKET

Caution: Raohe Street Night Market’s sheer number of food stalls will have you spoilt rotten. We suggest you walk around before diving straight for the first shop that captures your fancy. Many shops sell the same delicacies and most of these vendors do not have English menus.

#1 Baked Pastries

Without a doubt, Raohe Street Night Market sells predominantly Taiwanese and other Asian delicacies. But that’s not all. You can also expect some Western-inspired dishes such as freshly baked French treats. How about some blueberry cheese tarts for those with sweet tooth?

#2 Black Pepper Buns

Upon arrival, you will see a long queue formed outside Raohe Street Night Market’s main entrance. Everyone is queuing up at the market’s most famous stall and it is selling only one item: Black Pepper Bun aka Hu Jiao Bing. These piping hot buns – prepared and cooked in front of you – are stuffed with a peppery minced meat and vegetable stuffing.

#3 Beef Cubes

There are numerous shops selling Torched Beef Cubes at Raohe Street Night Market. The succulent bite-size beef chunks are cooked fresh-to-order and you can complement these tasty flesh with various toppings. We asked for a recommendation and were recommended rose salt.

#4 Beef Noodles

The Beef Noodle is a classic Taiwanese delicacy and every street in Taipei sells this aromatic dish. What you can expect: Tender beef slices served in a rich savoury broth alongside thick bouncy noodles. A bowl of Beef Noodles at Raohe Street Night Market only costs NT$90 / S$4.

#5 Chinese Sausages

The Taiwanese natives’ take on Chinese sausages are also known as Xiang Chang. These chunky, fat and juicy sausages have a distinct sweet aftertaste due to the generous amount of sugar used in its preparation. They are commonly seen in night markets and sold on skewers.

#6 Freshly Squeezed Juices

Take a stroll around Raohe Street Night Market and you will come across several vendors selling freshly squeezed juices. From pink guava to watermelon, these nutritious chilled juices are great thirst quenchers.

#7 Fried Chicken Steak

Fried Chicken Steak otherwise known as Ji Pa is a crowdpleaser and the snaking queue around it is a testimony to its popularity. Interestingly, we walked around the entire Raohe Street Night Market and saw only one stall selling these deep-fried poultry cutlets dusted with chilli powder.

#8 Grilled Squid

There are quite a handful of shops selling gigantic grilled squid. These fresh seafood are cooked on the griller till its outsides achieve a golden brown hue. Seafood lovers must not miss out on these chewy calamaris! Choose from either the flattened or unflattened squid.

#9 Lu Wei

The concept of Lu Wei is pretty similar to our Yong Tau Foo i.e. pick whatever ingredients you fancy from the cart and place them in your assigned container. The food will then be chopped up and cooked in a savoury broth. Some stalls will fry or grill your desired ingredients instead.

#10 Pork Rib Soup

Raohe Street Night Market’s Pork Rib Soup is almost equivalent to Singapore’s Bak Ku Teh. The key difference between these two is that the Taiwanese’s interpretation uses a lot more herbs, whereas the Singaporean version focuses on its peppery stock.

WHAT TO DO AT RAOHE STREET NIGHT MARKET

Surprise, surprise! There is a lot more to do at Raohe Street Night Market than just eating. The carnival spirit is alive and you can partake in a series of traditional games such as mahjong, fishing and even pinball. There are even a few fortune telling booths. Sounds like fun huh?

#11 Shopping

Trendy retail stores line the two ends of Raohe Street Night Market. You can look forward to chic clothing, fashionable accessories, cutesy gadgets, stylish menswear and more. These items are surprisingly very affordable and you will probably spend a good some time shopping.

#12 Recreational Fishing

The number of activities at Raohe Street Night Market really surprised us to no end. You can even relive your childhood memories and recreational fish for fishes. Those with little ones will definitely enjoy this leisure activity.

#13 Shooting Balloons

Have a penchant for shooting? Well, put your aiming skills to test and have a go at the shooting games. Those who have ‘shot’ down enough balloons with the pellet guns will be rewarded with plush toys.

#14 Traditional Pinball

Things are indeed kept simple at Taipei’s oldest street night market. You can play a game or two of retro pinball – operated by a marbles and steel pins. The older generation will find these games immensely nostalgic.

#15 UFO Catchers

Most of us have a love-hate relationship with the UFO Catchers. These machines are extremely common in Raohe Street Night Market and each machine contains a diverse selection of prizes. There are keychains, soft toys and even mobile accessories. The odds are mostly against you, but we do see people successfully catching some prizes.

Raohe Street Night Market
Rao He Street, Songshan District
Taipei City, Taiwan 105
Tel: +886 2 2763 5733
Daily: 5pm – 12am
Nearest Station: Songshan

Read: 25 Reasons Why We Love Taipei.

Taipei might just be one of the most underrated cities to visit. It doesn’t matter whether you are a foodie, a shopper, or if you simply enjoy marvelling at the wonders of nature – Taipei will have you covered.

So many street snacks to love, so many night markets to roam at, so many more karaoke sessions that we need, so many cultural centres to visit. Taipei is one destination in Asia you must visit.

Here are 25 Reasons To Love Taipei.

#1 THE CITYSCAPE AND ITS ORGANISED MESS

You’ve longed to see iconic skylines in cities like Paris and New York, but Taiwan’s scenic cityscape also holds its own charm. Signboards are everywhere, mostly with Chinese characters that we can’t read – but this mess is precisely what we appreciate.

#2 TAIWAN MILK TEA

Taiwan is home to many good milk teas. They come in bottles of all sizes and patterns, and can be easily found at all the convenience stores. Just pick one up at random and chances are it won’t disappoint.

#3 STEAMED DUMPLINGS

Taiwan might not be the origin of dumplings, but you will be able to find tons of these all over the streets. A plate of piping hot steamed dumplings are what we yearn for the most when we visit in the cold December.

#4 THE EFFICIENT METRO SYSTEM

Getting around the country is easy, especially when their metro system is clean, organised and very efficient. And inexpensive, of course.

#5 THE SHEER NUMBER OF NIGHT MARKETS

This goes without saying. Taiwan’s sheer number of night markets means every night will be occupied and fulfilling. We love roaming these markets and hunting for the best street hawkers and snack stalls.

#6 DIN TAI FUNG

Taiwan is, after all, the birthplace of the world-famous Din Tai Fung. Take things up a notch by visiting the brand’s very first outlet in Xinyi road.

#7 THE ARRAY OF CONVENIENCE STORES AT THE READY

Sounds silly, but if you’ve stepped in to one at Taiwan, you would realize how much it eases your life! Apart from the usual routines like picking up a snack or a drink, you can pay your utility bills, buy movie tickets, use the ATM, have your blood pressure measured, print documents and so much more – all within one convenience store.

Read more about the 12 Things That Make Taiwanese Convenience Stores So Awesome.

#8 YONG KANG STREET – A DINING DESTINATION IN TAIPEI

Yong Kang Street is a dining destination in Taipei. Whether its cheap and delicious Taiwanese snacks like ‘cong zhua bing’, shaved ice mountain or beef noodles; nice and chic cafes where you can get a cup of good coffee and desserts; or niche boutiques selling lifestyle products – there are plenty of options at Yong Kang Street. You can easily spend a day wandering in the alleys.

#9 TAIPEI 101 TOWER

When in Taipei, the Taipei 101 Tower is a must-see. The magnificent giant houses offices and many retail shops. Going up the tower will allow you to get an aerial view of the entire city too.

#10 CHIA TE’S SUNCAKCES AND PINEAPPLE TARTS

Chia Te makes some of the best Taiwanese pastries, and the queues outside their stores – comprising both locals and tourists – is proof of that statement.

#11 THE BEAUTIFUL STREETS OF JIUFEN

Jiufen retains an old-world charm; think bright red lanterns and cobbled pavement. The narrow, snaking streets are made up of souvenir and snack stalls. Jiufen is also a popular filming spot for Taiwanese TV programmes!

Read about the 7 Must-try Local Food at Taiwan’s Jiufen Old Street.

#12 PETS ARE PART OF BOUTIQUES

It is not every day that you get to play with Toy Poodles while shopping for your clothes in a local boutique. Taiwanese sure love their pets and they bring them along to work!

#13 FUJIN STREET – THE OTHER YONGKANG STREET

This is the other Yongkang Street you never knew about.

Primarily a residential area, Fujin Street is an upcoming area in Taipei that is littered with coffee shops and lifestyle boutiques. It is still pretty untouched by tourism, and the quaintness is exactly what we appreciate.

Read our guide on What To See & What To Eat at Fujin Street.

#14 SMITH & HSU TEA & SCONE SALON

For us, no trip to Taipei s complete without visiting the renown tea salon. They serve some of the best scones we’ve ever tasted, along with a myriad of fragrant tea flavours to choose from.

#15 XIMENDING

Ximending is probably the most bustling area in Taipei. This is where youngsters head to for some shopping fix and food. While the retail aspect is pretty acquired, we love Ximending for its food options.

#16 ALPACAS

Alpaca Cafe is real, and Oia Cafe is where you need to be at.

Oia Cafe is home to a few alpacas and they roam around freely in the cafe. Play with these adorable white creatures and feed them with carrots or food that are approved by the cafe’s owner—this is also the best way to get the alpacas to take a selfie with you.

#17 THE ENDLESS STREET FOOD

Fried squid, fried XXL chicken, sweet potato balls, taro chips, Taiwanese hot dogs, pork buns, milk tea, bittergourd juice… and the list goes on and on. Taipei is not for those who are on slimming diets.

And we say just eat to your heart’s content. The myriad of street food options is simply mind-boggling!

#18 ADDICTION AQUATIC DEVELOPMENT

Addiction Aquatic Development is a massive space that houses fresh seafood and aquamarine products, a large Japanese-style supermarket, and many themed restaurants and food kiosks under one roof.

It stands head and shoulders above other famous seafood markets in the world such as Tokyo’s Tsukiji Fish Market, Seoul’s Noryangjin Fish Market, Sydney’s Fish Market, and Perth’s Fremantle Market.

Watch our video of Addiction Aquatic Development on our Facebook page.

#19 KARAOKE SESSIONS

Because karaoke sessions are the best in Taipei. Holding personal concerts are what we do best, especially when the karaoke systems and rooms in Taipei are so impressive.

The song list is unbeatable too, for after all, Taipei is home to Mando-pop.

#20 AY-CHUNG MEE SUA

Yes, it is touristy. And yes, there are better mee sua in Taipei. But you know what? We still go to Ay-Chung Mee Sua every time we are in Taipei. It always hits the spot.

#21 THE PHOTOGENIC CITY STREETS

Let’s face it—Taipei has clean streets and you like your nice OOTD shots taken against the iconic background of motorcycles and yellow taxis, yes?

#22 DUNHUA SHOPPING AREA

This district in Taipei is home to a huge amount of stores selling new-age clothing. It is where the shoppers should know about.

#23 THE NEVER-ENDING AMOUNT OF SHOE STORES

Taiwanese seem to be really into the sports-luxe trend. Bagging home a pair of sneakers or two is easy peasy with the sheer number of options availabile—New Balance, Nike, Adidas, Ked’s and more.

#24 SUN YAT-SEN MEMORIAL HALL

It is almost like a ritual for all first-timers to Taipei—a visit to Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, who was the National Father to The Republic of China. It is a multi-purpose centre to learn more about Dr Sun’s contribution and his life.

The main entrance to the hall also contains a statue of Dr Sun Yat-sen. The renown guards-changing ceremony takes place hourly at the memorial hall’s entrance too.

#25 TRAIN RIDES ACROSS THE COUNTRY

You can take train rides to get from the city to more rural areas like Hualien. The trains are very comfortable, making the ride so much more painless. The trains will go past forests and mountains and rivers, and we love admiring those scenic landscapes along the way.

FOR MORE RECOMMENDATIONS ON WHERE TO GO, READ OUR TAIPEI’S FOOD AND TRAVEL GUIDES.

Mention Taiwan and anyone would immediately think of night markets and street food. In Taipei alone, there are many night markets that offer an amazing array of mouth-watering street food. Below, we explore three of the most popular night markets in Taipei – Shilin, Raohe, and Shida.

Let’s eat our way through Taipei night markets!

Shilin Night Market

Shilin is probably the most well-known name in Taipei. While some people do not like Shilin because the market is perpetually packed with tourists, it is definitely the place to start if this is your first time visiting the city.

Walk around the market and you will see a few stalls selling Da chang bao xiao chang – a Taiwanese sausage sandwiched in sticky rice bun – which is one of the most popular street food in Taipei.

A few stalls down, we made a pitstop for orh ah mee sua – another must try Taiwanese snack – a bowl of hearty oyster vermicelli that can be enjoyed at any time of the day.

And of course, nobody leaves Shilin Night Market without having the famous Hot Star large fried chicken (Hao Da ji pai): crispy and delicious fried chicken cutlets that go best with bubble tea. Nothing beats the combination of greasy ji pai and bubble tea.

Most of the stalls have moved to the underground basement “food court”, and they are still as crowded as usual. Orh ah jian (fried oyster omelette), ru rou fan (braised pork rice), sheng jian bao (pan-fried pork bun) and guan cai ban (coffin shaped bread) are just a few of the options that you would be tempted with.

Raohe Market

The Raohe Night Market, a stone’s throw away from Wufenpu wholesale market, is one of the oldest night markets in Taipei. You can find the usual Taiwanese street food like oyster vermicelli, fried chicken and stinky tofu, but what you must not miss is the famed hujiao bing (pepper pork buns). There are several stalls selling the same thing, but for the best, you have to go to the one located at the entrance of the night market, which is not difficult to spot as there is always a long queue.

Some of the other things that we tried include waffles, grilled mushrooms, and spare ribs stewed in herbal soup. Wash everything down with bitter-gourd juice, which is surprisingly not bitter.

Shida Night Market

Of the three night markets in this post, my favourite is Shida Night Market – located near National Taiwan Normal University – with niche fashion boutiques, cute cafes, and affordable street food catering to the students.

There have been rumours that Shida Night Market has closed down due to complaints from residents, but that is not true. While a part of the old market was forced to shut down, the main market is still around, and they cover several small streets along the main Shida Road.

Start off by having tian bu la (tempura soaked in sweet gravy), and share a serving of aiyu bing (jelly served with lime) – a refreshing dessert that is perfect to go along with everything. Also, you must try the sizzling giant steaks with noodles and sunny side-up. They are so cheap and good!

There are several hot stew stalls in Shida Night Market, but one of the most prominent names is Lantern Hot Stew where you can choose from a variety of food – including fishballs, vegetables, different parts of duck and pig like innards, and pig’s blood cake – and it is served in a braised sauce.

If you are still hungry, there are other night markets in Taipei like Liaoning market, Huaxi Street market, and Ningxia night market. But that’s a story for another day.

For more recommendations, read my guide on where to eat in Taipei