Taipei
台北
Taiwan's vibrant capital, where traditional temples stand alongside modern skyscrapers. Home to world-famous night markets, exceptional dining from street food to fine cuisine, and the best variety of Taiwanese foods anywhere on the island.
Foods to try in Taipei
Soup Dumplings
Xiaolongbao is a type of steamed bun (baozi) from the Jiangnan region of China, especially associated with Shanghai and Wuxi. It is traditionally prepared in xiaolong, small bamboo steaming baskets, which give them their name. Xiaolongbao are often referred to as a kind of "dumpling", but should not be confused with British or American-style dumplings nor with Chinese jiaozi. Similarly, they are considered a kind of "soup dumpling" but should not be confused with other larger varieties of tang bao. In Shanghainese, they are also sometimes known as sioh-lon meu-doe or xiaolong-style mantous.
Pork Belly Sandwich
Gua bao, also known as steamed bao, pork belly buns, or ambiguously, bao, is a Taiwanese snack food consisting of a slice of stewed meat and other condiments sandwiched between flat steamed bread. The steamed bread is typically 6–8 centimetres (2.4–3.1 in) in size, semi-circular and flat in form, with a horizontal fold that, when opened, gives the appearance that it has been sliced. The traditional filling for gua bao is a slice of red-cooked porkbelly, typically dressed with stir-fried suan cai (pickled mustard greens), cilantro, and ground peanuts. The food is known colloquially in parts of Taiwan as hó͘-kā-ti (虎咬豬; "tiger bites pig") due to the mouth-like form of the bun and the contents of the filling. Gua bao are also called "Taiwanese hamburgers" due in-part to the wide variety of novel ingredients used as filling, such as fried chicken, fish, eggs, and stewed beef.
Fried Dough Sticks
Youtiao, also known as the Chinese cruller, Chinese oil stick, Chinese doughnut, Char Kway/Cakwe/Kueh/Kuay (in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore), and fried breadstick, is a long golden-brown deep-fried strip of dough eaten in China and (by a variety of other names) in other East and Southeast Asian cuisines. Conventionally, youtiao are lightly salted and made so they can be torn lengthwise in two. Youtiao are normally eaten at breakfast as an accompaniment for rice congee, soy milk or regular milk blended with sugar.
Beef Noodle Soup
Beef noodle soup is a Chinese and Taiwanese noodle soup made of stewed or red braised beef, beef broth, vegetables and Chinese noodles. There are two common variations of beef noodle which differ in the way the broth is prepared. When soy sauce is added, the soup is called red roasted or braised beef noodles (紅燒牛肉麵). Braised beef noodles was reputedly invented by KMT's Sichuan Province recruits who fled from mainland China to Kaoshiung, Taiwan. Therefore, it is sometimes (misleadingly) referred to as "Szechuan Beef Noodle Soup" (四川牛肉麵). The red braised beef noodles is the most common type of beef noodle in Taiwan. The beef is often stewed with the broth and simmered, sometimes for hours. Chefs also let the stock simmer for long periods of time with bone marrow; some vendors can cook the beef stock for over 24 hours. This type of beef noodle tends to be spicy because doubanjiang and five-spice powder are sometimes added. However, the broth may also have a sweeter taste if the fat from the beef is simmered. There are several variations with the soy-based broth, such as spicy, tomato, garlic, and herbal medicine. The tomato variation (番茄牛肉麵) is popular in Taiwan and features chunks of tomatoes in a rich red-coloured soy-tomato broth.
Scallion Pancake Beef Roll
A crispy flaky chewy scallion pancake, fresh crunchy cucumber and a warm melt in the mouth tender beef with a sweet and savory sauce all throughout.
Tea
Taiwan is famous for its tea which are of three main types: oolong tea, black tea and green tea. The earliest record of tea trees found in Taiwan can be traced back to 1717 in Shui Sha Lian (水沙連), present-day Yuchih and Puli, Nantou County.[1] Some of the teas retain the island's former name, Formosa. Oolongs grown in Taiwan account for about 20% of world production.
Taiwanese Sausages
Small sausage in large sausage (Chinese: 大腸包小腸; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: tōa-tn̂g pau sió-tn̂g; literally: "small intestine wrapped in large intestine") is a snack invented in Taiwan in the late 20th century. A segment of Taiwanese pork sausage is wrapped in a (slightly bigger and fatter) sticky rice sausage to make this delicacy, usually served chargrilled. It may be compared to a hot dog. Deluxe versions are available in night markets in Taiwan, with condiments such as pickled bokchoi, garlic, wasabi and thick soy sauce paste to complement the taste.
Soy Milk
Soy milk is a plant milk produced by soaking dried soybeans and grinding them in water. A traditional staple of East Asian cuisine, soy milk is a stable emulsion of oil, water and protein. The taste of soy milk differs from that of cow's milk, and from manufacturer to manufacturer. An informal blind tasting found the soy milks to be consistently significantly inferior to cow's milk. More formal but less detailed tests confirm this preference.
Egg Crepe
Dan bing is a delightful, delicious, and traditional Taiwanese breakfast treat. Essentially, it's a savory crepe filled with egg and varying fillings from ham to bacon to vegetables to corn. You’ll find it at breakfast stands all over Taiwan, and may also find it difficult to not want to eat it every day. Dan bing also pairs very well with the popular dou jiang, or soy milk. I recommend trying it both with sauce and without.
Stinky Tofu
Stinky tofu, or chòu dòufu (臭豆腐), is a form of fermented tofu that has a strong odor. It is usually sold at night markets or roadside stands as a snack, or in lunch bars as a side dish, rather than in restaurants.\n\nStinky tofu is usually served deep-fried (often served drizzled with sauce and topped with sour pickled vegetables), grilled, or added to a Sichuan mala soup base (with solid goose blood, pickled mustard greens, and pork intestines).
Shaved Ice
To create the dessert, a large mound of ice shavings are first placed on a plate. In the past, ice shavings were created by hand, either by using a large mallet to crush ice into fine pieces, using a large freehand blade to shave off ice, or turning a hand-cranked machine to do the same. In modern times, a special machine is used, resulting in ice-shavings that are much finer and thinner than those in the past. Some establishments may still produce their ice by hand, and thus the texture varies. A variety of toppings are then added. Traditionally, sugarcane juice or syrup was added to give it a mildly sweet taste, like that of drinking sugarcane juice with ice cubes, but other options include various kinds of syrups or condensed milk, or both. Examples of toppings include fruit, taro, azuki beans, mung beans, sweet potato chunks, peanuts, almond junket, and grass jelly. Various pre-set combinations exist, but customers can often choose individual toppings as they desire.
Vermicelli
A tan-brown variety of vermicelli used for this dish is made primarily with wheat flour and salt, and gains its unique colour due to a steaming process which caramelizes the sugars in the dough allowing it to be cooked for longer periods without breaking down.
Braised Pork Rice
Minced pork rice is a Taiwanese style rice dish commonly seen throughout Taiwan and China's Fujian province. The flavor may vary from one region to another, but the basic ingredients remain the same: ground pork marinated and boiled in soy sauce served on top of steamed rice.
Pig's Blood Cake
Pig's blood cake is a street food delicacy served on a stick from market stalls in Taiwan. It is made with pork blood, sticky rice and soy broth. It is fried or steamed and coated in peanut flour. It is eaten as a snack. It can also be cooked in a hot pot. It is served hot by street vendors who keep it warmed in a wooden box or metal steamer. A description from Seriouseats described it as cross between a rice cake and mochi.
Pan-fried Buns
The are two main kinds of pan-fried buns in Taiwan: shui jian bao and sheng jian bao. While both contain pork, vegetables, and are simultaneously steamed and pan-fried, there are some notable differences. Shui jian bao are generally larger, filled with less meat and more vegetables, and have a thicker skin. Sheng jian bao are smaller with more meat and less vegetables, and have a thinner skin topped with sesame seeds. Vegetables may include cabbage, carrots, and leeks.
Lu Wei
Lu wei is a bit of a food free-for-all where you pick and choose from an array of items to create a meal of your very own. Most stands offer a mix of vegetables, mushrooms, tofu, noodles, processed meats, and others.
Hot Pot
Hot pot (also known as steamboat in Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, China, and Brunei),[citation needed] refers to several East Asian varieties of stew, consisting of a simmering metal pot of stock at the center of the dining table. While the hot pot is kept simmering, ingredients are placed into the pot and are cooked at the table. Typical hot pot dishes include thinly sliced meat, leaf vegetables, mushrooms, wontons, egg dumplings, and seafood. The cooked food is usually eaten with a dipping sauce. Hot pot meals are usually eaten in the winter during supper time.
Dumplings
Jiaozi (Chinese: About this sound 饺子) are a kind of Chinese dumpling, commonly eaten across East Asia. It's one of the major foods eaten during the Chinese New Year and year round in the northern provinces. Though considered part of Chinese cuisine, jiaozi are popular and often eaten in other parts of Asia and in Western countries. Jiaozi typically consist of a ground meat and/or vegetable filling wrapped into a thinly rolled piece of dough, which is then sealed by pressing the edges together or by crimping.
Coffee
Well, I'm sure you're familiar with coffee, but did you know there is an incredible and booming coffee culture all across Taipei? You can throw a stone around the city and hit some of the finest in single-origin coffee. Most cafes are also very laptop-friendly if you're looking to get a little bit of extra work done. I've been to literally over one hundred cafes in Taipei myself, and will show you some of my favorites.
Bubble Tea
Bubble tea (also known as pearl milk tea, boba milk tea, boba juice or simply boba) (Chinese: 珍珠奶茶 or 波霸奶茶) is a Taiwanese tea-based drink invented in Taichung in the 1980s. Most bubble tea recipes contain a tea base mixed/shaken with fruit or milk, to which chewy tapioca balls or fruit jellies are often added. Ice-blended versions are usually mixed with fruit or syrup, resulting in a slushy consistency. There are many varieties of the drink with a wide range of ingredients. The two most popular varieties are bubble milk tea with tapioca and bubble milk green tea with tapioca.
Flaky Scallion Pancake
The flaky scallion pancake is savory, fried, crispy, and a little bit chewy. Similar to a standard scallion pancake, the notable difference is the skin can be easily pulled apart, and is thinner and lighter to eat. Most stands will often offer the option to add an egg and other toppings from basil to bacon to cheese.
Stuffed Buns
A baozi or simply known as bao, bau, humbow, nunu, bakpao, bausak, pow, pau or pao is a type of steamed, filled, bun or bread-like item in various Chinese cuisines, as there is much variation as to the fillings and the preparations.
Dry Noodles
Dry noodles are a base category of noodles commonly referred to on menus in Taiwan that are...dried. Almost always paired with various meats, vegetables, and sauces, you'll find a wide variety of ways to enjoy noodles you've never experienced before! Looking for a place to start? Search for "Not the Same Dried Noodles" (不一樣幹麵) and take down your first bowl.
Pineapple Cake
Pineapple cake contains butter, flour, egg, sugar, and pineapple jam. However, some bakers add or substitute pineapple with winter melon to make the jam. Its crumbly, fragrant crust and the chewy, sweet fruit filling come together as a companion for tea and other beverages.
Shaobing
Shaobing is a type of baked, unleavened, layered flatbread bread in Chinese cuisine. Shaobing can be made with or without stuffing, and with or without sesame on top. Shaobing contains a variety of stuffings that can be grouped into two main flavors: savory or sweet. Some common stuffings include red bean paste, black sesame paste, stir-fried mung beans with egg and tofu, braised beef, smoked meat, or beef or pork with spices.
Chicken Rice
The Taiwanese rendition of chicken rice generally features shredded chicken and chicken oil over white rice. Chicken rice is often eaten as a lunchtime set with egg and vegetables, but can be enjoyed at any time of the day - even breakfast. Many flock to Chiayi to eat chicken rice where it is most famous.
Pork Chop Rice
A satisfying meal featuring a crispy, breaded pork chop served over steamed white rice, often accompanied by pickled vegetables, braised greens, and a savory sauce. This beloved comfort food is a staple of Taiwanese lunch boxes and casual dining, with the golden-fried pork chop remaining juicy inside its crunchy coating.
Beef Offal Soup
A hearty soup featuring various beef organ meats such as tripe, tendon, and intestines, slow-cooked in a rich, aromatic broth seasoned with Chinese herbs and spices. This traditional dish is beloved for its complex textures and deep, savory flavor. Often served with rice or noodles, it's a warming comfort food that showcases nose-to-tail eating.