A guide to 6 night markets in Taipei

Taipei has more vibrant night markets than any other city in Taiwan China. Its colourful street food stalls form an essential part of the city’s culinary landscape, and offer travellers a window through which to learn more about the character and culture of the island as a whole. As you weave your way through the hungry crowds, you’ll sense a liveliness and camaraderie that is quintessentially Taiwanese.

Read on to explore this unique part of the city’s food scene in our curated list of the best night markets in Taipei.

1. Ningxia Night Market

Lovingly dubbed “Taipei’s stomach” thanks to its incredible variety of food, Ningxia Night Market is just a 13-minute walk from Zhongshan MRT station. Many stalls here are long-established businesses, ensuring you’re getting the very best, tried-and-tested recipes. The ​​70-year-old Rong’s Pork Liver is famous for its tender pork liver in flavoursome broth and fluffy taro cake with aromatic spring onion. Huanji Sesame Oil Chicken takes pride in its 80-year-old recipe that comprises century-old Xincheng sesame oil, soup boiled from chicken and pork bones and crispy chicken thighs.

2. Raohe Night Market

​​​Raohe Night Market’s convenient location makes it extremely popular with travellers. Right next to Songshan MRT station, with Taipei’s famed Rainbow Bridge just a​ ​four-minute walk away, it’s ideal for embarking on a food crawl before taking a stroll along the river. One stall not to be missed is Fuzhou Ancestor Pepper Pie; its charcoal-grilled jus-filled pastry is freshly made to attain crispy-on-the-outside, moist-on-the-inside perfection. Meanwhile, Dongfahao serves just three dishes, perfected over many years: pig intestine and oyster vermicelli, minced pork in thick soup and Taiwanese sticky rice. Deviating from tradition, the vermicelli comes in a clear broth with no starch added.

3. Shida Night Market

Shida Night Market is a hub not just for tasty local eats but also for international culinary delights, speciality drinks, fashion and more. Shi Yun Crispy Salted Fried Chicken is the go-to place for garlic-flavour crispy chicken, seasoned with fried basil and pepper salt. Another popular joint is Yong Fung Sheng , which specialises in steamed buns and mantou – the Sanxing scallion bun, pork bun and cabbage bun are all standouts. For traditional beverages, make a beeline for Gu Zao Cha Fang , which sells healthy homemade herbal teas alongside desserts like snow fungus soup and sweet green bean soup. From the Taipower Building MRT station, you can reach this market on foot in just ​​seven minutes.

4. Shilin Night Market

At Taipei’s largest night market, you can expect to find stalls of every kind and a constant incoming tide of visitors. The top pick here has to be Hai You Pork Ribs, which has earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand recommendation. In business for over four decades, this hole in the wall serves pork ribs, chicken thighs and milkfish cooked in a rich herbal broth. Elsewhere along the street, Uncle Kun Handmade Riceroll prepares sausages using natural sausage casing, along with a stuffing of red shallots, peanuts and house-made chili paste which give the sausage a full-bodied flavour. Shilin Night Market also features many stalls where you can try activities such as darts, archery or tic tac hoops, making it a fun all-in-one destination just a 10-minute stroll way from Shilin station.

5. Nanjichang Night Market

Located a ​ ​20-minute walk away from the MRT’s Xiaonanmen station, Nanjichang Night Market may be a less obvious choice for visitors, but locals flock to it for cheap eats. It's home to Wu Wang Tsai Chi , known for its freshly made popiah rolls stuffed with your choice of filling, from braised pork to veggies to deep-fried tofu skin. Garnished with dried seaweed powder, they'll delight even the most critical foodie. Meanwhile, travellers looking to dine on a shoestring will love Tasty Fried Chicken – you can have a serving of crispy, tender chicken fillet for only​ NT$75 (around HK$18). Alternatively, Chou Lao Ban Steamed Stinky Tofu is a vegan haven that serves silky and aromatic tofu (with spicy seasoning to taste) alongside plant-based “braised pork” rice, red vinegar noodles and sesame noodles.

6. Lehua Night Market

South of the city centre, roughly a​ ​10-minute walk from Dingxi MRT station, Lehua Night Market is a hidden gem bursting with authentic Taiwanese street food. Aguo Shrimp Thick Soup , featured in the popular drama series Women in Taipei, is known for signature fried Spanish mackerel in thick soup which makes for a hearty meal. The popular Lehua Shredded Chicken soaks poached chicken in an ice bath to achieve a juicy al dente bite, serving it with a zesty lemon-infused dressing and a choice of relish such as black fungus, bitter melon and cabbage. Finally, Yung Mei Shaved Ice is perfect for anyone with a sweet tooth. Try the brown sugar bubble tea flavour with hot chewy tapioca pearls – your tongue will be thrilled by the hot-cold sensation.

Night market hacks:

1. Taipei’s night markets open daily, but business hours vary by stall. Some open early in the afternoon but most mobile hawkers arrive after 5pm. The best time to visit is between 6pm and 11pm. 
2. Electronic payment is not popular in Taipei’s night markets. Be sure to bring cash and change.
3. Night markets are jam-packed with carts and people. Dress casually and wear comfortable shoes.

First video credit: Fran Arjona/Getty Images
Second video credit: Images by Kenny/Getty Images