12 Unmissable Street Foods to Try in Taiwan

One of the greatest joys of traveling in Taiwan is to go and walk through its abundant night markets that spring up at 6 PM, with street food trucks and stalls filling up roads across the island. These little pockets of night markets are home to all the greatest street food Taiwan has to offer, and there are a ton of them you should try.

I had the chance to travel around Taiwan for 2 weeks, and in all those days, I did not once have my dinner in a restaurant. Every city I go, whether it be Taipei or Kenting, they all have night markets with plenty of street food for one to try. Why settle for one dish when you can have 5?

So, from my experience of 2 weeks of devouring the night markets in Taiwan, here are 12 of my favorite street foods that you should try when you are backpacking through Taiwan. Without further ado, let's begin with the most obvious one, the famous Taiwanese dumpling, Xiao Long Bao.

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Table of Contents

1. Xiao Long Bao
2. Gau Bao
3. The Spring Onion Pancake
4. Peanut Ice Cream Roll
5. Taiwanese Sticky Rice Sausage
6. Chicken Cutlet
7. Flame Grilled Beef Cubes
8. Stinky Tofu
9. Fried Mushrooms
10. Mochi On a Stick
11. Taro Balls
12. Boba Tea
Taiwan Travel Video
Further Reading for Taiwan

1. Xiao Long Bao (Soupy Dumplings)

Xiao Long Bao is a soupy dumpling that will make your mouth water even before you bite into its soft bun. It is a dumpling unlike any you have tried before.

The soft white steam bun of Xiao Long Bao is filled with tasty soup that you either have to drink from it or swallow it whole to truly do it justice. You can find Xiao Long Bao in most Taiwanese restaurants as well as from street food stalls in a night market such as Ningxia Night Market in Taipei and a night market in Kenting.

2. Gau Bao (Taiwanese Pork Belly Bun)

Gua Bao, or the Taiwanese pork belly bun, is another one of my favorite street foods in Taiwan that I often go for when I want to quickly satisfy my hunger with just a small portion.

The soft white bun, something you can always expect to be delicious in Taiwan, together with the heaviness of Pork Belly, veggies, and ground peanuts, makes it quite a fulfilling bite to take while strolling around the night market, looking for other things to eat. You can find them in almost any night market in Taipei, as well as in other cities around the island.

3. The Spring Onion Pancake (Tianjing Chong Zhua Pancake)

The Spring Onion Pancake (Tianjing Chong Zhua Pancake) is, yet again, another one of my favorite street foods to eat. It's like a Taiwanese version of a sandwich, where you can choose the filling you want inside the crispy, tasty onion pancake. It can be found in almost every night market in the city and is a must-try when you are in Taipei.

The pancake usually costs no more than 60-120 NTD per serving, and it comes with many toppings from which you can choose. You can eat it as a meal with toppings like ham and bacon, or you can enjoy it as a dessert with a sweet topping.

You can find plenty of food trucks selling these, but one of the best ones you can find is at the corner in Ximending District in Taipei, where you can choose which toppings you want (100 - 150 NTD). Additionally, you will get a discount for drinks if you order them from the drink shop next door.

4. Peanut Ice Cream Roll

Peanut Ice Cream Roll is another great dessert you should try. It's basically the burrito ice cream or a spring roll filled with ice cream, ground peanut candy, and cilantro. It may not sound that appealing, but trust me, when you try it, you will love it.

I tried the Peanut Ice Cream at 3 night markets, one at the entrance of Jiufen Old Street, one at Ningxia Night Market, and one at Shifen Train Station, all of which is extremely delicious. If you are looking for a sweet dessert to eat after a meal, be sure to look for the Peanut Ice Cream Roll.

5. Taiwanese Sticky Rice Sausage (Da Chang Bao Xiao Chang)

Taiwanese Sticky Rice Sausage (Da Chang Bao Xiao Chang) is the Taiwanese version of hot dogs, but instead of a bun, glutinous rice is used, and instead of the regular hot dog, the Taiwanese sweet hot dog is used.

It is a delicious combination of the light yet fulfilling rice used as bread and the sweet and delicious Taiwanese sausages that make this dish a must-try in Taiwan. I found the Taiwanese Sticky Rice Sausage at the lesser-known Linjiang Street Night Market in Taipei and at Kenting Night Market.

6. Chicken Cutlet

Fried Chicken Cutlet is becoming a popular snack among young people in Taiwan. It is basically a deep-fried chicken breast cutlet seasoned with powdery pepper and salt, giving it a texture you can't get in regular chicken. You can find these large fried chicken cutlets in any night market in Taiwan. I had a great one at Wenhua Road Night Market in Chiayi for only 100 NTD.

7. Flame Grilled Beef Cubes

You can also find this at every night market in Taiwan. The Flame Grilled Beef Cubes are barbecue-style beef cut into cubes, seasoned with spices, and then grilled right in front of you with a handheld blowtorch.

When you walk around a night market and there is a sudden rise in humidity and temperature, you know you are near a Flame Grilled Beef Cubes street food truck.

8. Stinky Tofu

Another household name for Taiwanese street food, the Stinky Tofu is as its name implies: stinky tofu. But do not let the dreaded smell of this food deter you from trying it. Just like smelly cheese, the stinkier the Stinky Tofu, the more delicious it is!

Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, with all the sauces giving the dish a unique taste, you will forget about the smell the moment you try it. You can find them in almost any night market in Taiwan, such as the Ximending District, etc.

9. Fried Mushrooms

In Asia, you can deep fry anything, and it will still taste delicious. That goes for the bucket of fried mushrooms I had at Dongdaemun Night Market in Hualien. Sold for about 70 NTD, you can get a bucket of fried mushrooms sprinkled with pepper and spice that you can indulge yourself in, just like a bucket of Kentucky Chicken 😀. If you are in Taiwan, be sure to look out for these delicious buckets of fried mushrooms.

10. Mochi On a Stick

If you need a shot of sugary dessert, Mochi on a stick is just perfect for you. Influenced by the Japanese with a Taiwanese twist, these chewy balls of mochi glittered with sweet powder will either give you the energy to run around a football field three times or put you straight to bed.

Yes, it's that sweet, and if you have a sweet tooth, do not forget to keep an eye out for one of these street food trucks while you are exploring a night market. I found this one at Ita Thao Shopping District at Sun Moon Lake.

11. Taro Balls (As Dessert and as Fried)

Another popular dessert in Taiwan that you should try is the Taiwanese Taro Ball (芋圓), a traditional Fujian dessert made of taro balls (mashed taro with water and flour) mixed with syrup and more.

Its soft, spongy taro balls, together with the mild sweetness of the syrup and flour, create one of the most iconic desserts in Taiwan. You can find Taro Balls at one of the first few restaurants when you enter Jiufen Old Town or you can find it in most night markets in Taipei.

Taro Balls also come in deep-fried (why not?) and are filled with delicious fillings like salted egg and caramel. You can find one of these at Ningxia Night Market in Taipei, so be sure to give that a try too.

12. Boba Tea

One of the fanatical trends that swept throughout Asia in the past decade is the Boba Tea Craze (bubble/pearl milk tea), and it all originated from Taiwan, and you will regret not trying the Pearl Milk Tea at its birthplace.

Pearl Milk Tea is a Taiwanese tea-based drink that contains tea, flavors of milk, and chewy tapioca balls, hence the name pearl/bubble tea. There are many varieties of pearl milk tea with a wide range of flavors that you can try. You should have no trouble finding a place to try this, as they are literally everywhere in Taiwan.

Taiwan Travel Video

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Now that we have all the information we need, it's time to start planning your trip! Here are some resources to help you get going:

Flights: Skyscanner and Expedia are the best places to start looking for cheap flights and great deals from your home country.

Accommodation: Hostelworld, Booking.com, and Agoda.com are the ultimate go-to platforms to search for amazing hostels and hotels at affordable prices.

Travel Insurance: Heymondo covers theft, medical emergencies, cancellations, and more during your travels. Get a 5% discount if you sign up today.

Transportation: For buses, I always go with Omio when traveling in Taiwan while for trains, Omio is my go-to place to book all my train travels in advance.

Car Rental: DiscoverCars.com is a great and reliable platform to find rental cars.

Internet: Airalo is the best way to get a sim card and has reliable internet access for your trip. All you need is an esim compatible smartphone, install it on your phone prior to your trip, and you are all set.

VPN: To stay connected with people at home, I always make sure to have ProtonVPN, installed before traveling. It's FREE, and I can gain access to services that may be blocked in certain countries.

Day Trips & Tours: Viator, GetYourGuide and TripAdvisor are great platforms to search for trips and tours to join.

Tickets & Deals: Klook is always my go-to website when I want to find cheaper deals for entrance tickets to tourist attractions.

Are you planning to travel independently? Be sure to check out my guide on How To Plan A Backpacking Trip here.