Taiwan night market food: what to eat and how to order

Stinky Tofu 臭豆腐

Fermented tofu, fried crisp or steamed, with pickled cabbage and chilli. Smells strong, tastes milder.

15 stalls

Lu Wei (Braised Snacks) 滷味

Pick what you like (tofu, duck wings, intestines, vegetables, noodles) and it is simmered in soy-based braising liquid.

14 stalls

Fried Squid 炸魷魚

Thick pieces of squid, battered and fried, with a choice of seasonings or sauces.

11 stalls

Taiwanese Sausage 香腸

Sweet, garlicky grilled pork sausage. Often eaten with a raw garlic clove.

8 stalls

Flame-Seared Beef Cubes 骰子牛

Beef cubes seared with a blowtorch and seasoned in front of you.

7 stalls

Oyster Omelette 蚵仔煎

Small oysters fried with egg and a chewy starch batter, topped with a sweet-savoury red sauce.

6 stalls

Soup Dumplings (Xiaolongbao) 小籠包

Small steamed dumplings with hot soup and pork inside.

6 stalls

Scallion Pancake 蔥油餅

A flaky, layered pan-fried pancake with scallions; add egg for more.

6 stalls

Oyster Vermicelli 蚵仔麵線

Thin rice-wheat noodles in a thick bonito broth with oysters and/or pork intestines.

5 stalls

Pig Blood Cake 豬血糕

Sticky rice and pig blood cake on a stick, rolled in peanut powder and cilantro.

3 stalls

Taro Balls 芋丸

Deep-fried mashed taro balls; some are filled with salted egg yolk and pork floss.

3 stalls

Pan-Fried Buns (Sheng Jian Bao) 生煎包

Shanghai-style buns pan-fried until crisp on the bottom, filled with pork or cabbage.

3 stalls

Pan-Fried Buns (Shui Jian Bao) 水煎包

Large buns pan-fried until crisp on the bottom, filled with cabbage or pork.

3 stalls

Big Biscuit Wraps Small Biscuit 大餅包小餅

A crunchy fried biscuit crushed with sweet or savoury fillings and wrapped in a thin soft pancake. A Shilin classic.

3 stalls

Coffin Bread 棺材板

Thick fried toast hollowed out and filled with a creamy seafood or chicken stew.

3 stalls

Pepper Bun 胡椒餅

Peppery pork and scallion in a crisp sesame crust, baked on the wall of a clay oven.

2 stalls

Gua Bao 刈包

A steamed bun folded around braised pork belly, pickled greens and peanut powder.

2 stalls

Taiwanese Fried Chicken 雞排

A huge flattened chicken cutlet, deep-fried and dusted with pepper salt.

10 stalls

Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken 鹹酥雞

Bite-sized fried chicken with basil and pepper salt; many stalls let you add other fried items.

10 stalls

Herbal Pork Rib Soup 藥燉排骨

Pork ribs slow-cooked in a dark broth of Chinese herbs such as angelica. Warming and slightly sweet, not bitter.

5 stalls

Beef Noodle Soup 牛肉麵

Braised beef in a rich soy and spice broth with wheat noodles. Taiwan's best-known comfort dish.

4 stalls

Chicken Rice 雞肉飯

Rice topped with poached or shredded chicken, chicken fat and fried shallots. Simple and cheap.

3 stalls

Sesame Oil Chicken 麻油雞

Chicken simmered with sesame oil, ginger and rice wine. Rich and warming; contains alcohol.

2 stalls

Shaved Ice 剉冰

A mound of shaved ice with toppings you choose, drizzled with syrup.

12 stalls

Sweet Potato Balls 地瓜球

Hollow, chewy fried balls of sweet potato dough, sold by the bag.

9 stalls

Mochi 麻糬

Soft, chewy rice cakes rolled in peanut, sesame or other powders, sometimes served with shaved ice.

8 stalls

Tofu Pudding (Douhua) 豆花

Silky soft tofu pudding in light syrup with toppings such as peanuts, beans or taro balls.

4 stalls

Peanut Ice Cream Roll 花生冰淇淋春捲

Scoops of ice cream with shaved peanut brittle (and usually coriander) wrapped in a thin crepe.

3 stalls

Bubble Tea 珍珠奶茶

Milk tea or fresh milk with chewy tapioca pearls; brown-sugar versions are popular.

9 stalls

Aiyu Jelly 愛玉

A refreshing jelly made from fig seeds, served with lemon and syrup.

7 stalls