12 Must-Eat Food in Taiwan you Have to Try When Visiting

If you are planning a trip to Taiwan then you better come hungry! In my opinion, Taiwan has the best street food and night markets in the world. Taiwan is a paradise for food lovers, like me! That is why I created this post on must-eat food in Taiwan.

From bite sized food at the bustling night markets in Taipei to a unique twist of your classic hot dog in Kaohsiung, we’ll explore some of the top food dishes in Taiwan and some of my favorite foods you just can’t miss when visiting Taiwan.

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Must-Eat Food in Taiwan

I’ve traveled to Taiwan several times now and have explored a good portion of the island from Taipei to Kaohsiung. One of the driving factors that keeps me coming to Taiwan is the food!

Taiwanese food is absolutely incredible and the night markets in Taiwan are in my opinion, the best in the world.

From food that is common at night markets to Indigenous food in the mountains, here is a list of must-eat food in Taiwan that you can’t miss when visiting.

Bubble Tea

Not really a food per se, but it’s an iconic Taiwanese beverage that you have to try when visiting Taiwan. Bubble Tea or Boba Tea is a must try drink that combines delicious tea flavors with tapioca pearls.

Bubble Tea can be found on almost every street corner throughout Taiwan. It originates in Taichung, starting in the 1980’s at the original Bubble Tea store, Chun Shui Tang.

Bubble Tea comes in so many varieties now a days. You can find your classic black milk tea, fruit tea flavors, and so much more.

Pineapple Cake

Looking for a sweet treat or perhaps a souvenir to bring back to the office or family and friends? Taiwan’s pineapple cake is the perfect pastry to indulge by yourself or share with others!

The pineapple cake usually comes in bite sized pieces. It’s square or rectangular in shape with a buttery crust and pineapple jam or fresh pineapple filling.

Pineapple cakes are found throughout Taiwan. You can even find pineapple cakes at Taoyuan Airport, which makes for a great gift. After all, the treat symbolizes good fortune and prosperity.

Peanut Ice Cream Roll

I first tried a Peanut Ice Cream Roll in Jiufen along the old street and instantly fell in love with this sweet and savory dessert.

The Peanut Ice Cream Roll is a popular Taiwanese dessert that starts with a thin flour crepe with scoops of ice cream, usually taro or vanilla. The crepe and ice cream is then topped with crushed peanuts and fresh cilantro.

The Peanut Ice Cream Roll is a popular dessert found in touristy areas and night markets throughout Taiwan.

The surprising bursts of flavor make the Peanut Ice Cream Roll one of my favorite desserts in Taiwan. Who knew that cilantro, ice cream, and crushed peanuts would taste so good!

Gua Bao

Considered one of Taiwan’s top street food, Gua Bao is a steamed bun filled with tender, braised pork belly, mustard greens, crushed peanuts, and fresh cilantro.

Gua Bao is a popular Taipei night market food but can also be found in restaurants and being sold by local vendors.

I’ve had Gua Bao at night markets in Taipei and food stalls in Taichung and it’s always one of my top rated food items in Taiwan and I consider it a top must-eat food in Taiwan.

Pepper Cakes

One of my favorite go-to and must-eat food in Taiwan is the Pepper Cake and specifically the Pepper Cakes at Fuzhou Ancestral Pepper Cake near Taipei Main Station.

Pepper Cakes are the perfect on the go meal. It’s a flaky bun that is filled with marinated meat that is mixed with scallions, white pepper powder, and other ingredients.

The pepper cakes are cooked in a cylindrical clay oven and come out pipping hot. I know it’s hard to resist but watch out before biting into the pepper cake.

I’ve tried pepper cakes around Taiwan at random stands and at Night Markets, but I think the ones at Fuzhou Ancestral Pepper Cake are the best!

Stinky Tofu

Probably one of the most famous and talked about street foods in Taiwan is Stinky Tofu. Stinky Tofu is known for it’s well stinky aroma and acquired taste.

Sometimes walking around Taiwan, you’ll get a bad city smell, turn the corner and turns out it’s a food vendor selling stinky tofu. That is the kind of smell it puts out.

Stinky Tofu is fermented tofu and is considered a delicacy and can be found at night markets around Taiwan or even specialty food vendors.

Often times, stinky tofu is fried and served with pickled cabbage and some type of sauce.

Despite the bad smell, stinky tofu isn’t that bad taste wise and is a beloved local favorite and must try food for any adventurous food lover looking for an authentic Taiwanese culinary experience.

I’d say, stinky tofu is not for everyone but it’s worth trying. It’s generally cheap and easy to come by in Taiwan.

Beef Noodle Soup

One of the top must eat food in Taiwan has to be Beef Noodle Soup. Beef noodle soup consists of slow braised broth with tender chunks of beef and hardy noodles. It’s an iconic Taiwan comfort food that is a must try!

You can find great beef noodle soup restaurants all over Taiwan, even Taoyuan Airport has quite a few places has beef noodle soup on the menu.

When visiting Taipei, try the Beef Noodle Soup at Lian Pin Beef Noodles, it’s close to Taipei Main Station.

Scallion Pancakes

Scallion Pancakes are a popular street food in Taiwan that can be found at night markets. Scallion Pancakes are a savory snack with a fried and crispy layer of dough. The scallions are added and cooked with the dough.

At Night Markets, the scallion pancakes are often filled with egg or some time of meat. When you bite into the scallion pancake, you get a crunchy texture with a savory flavor of fried dough and filling. It’s truly one of the best street foods in Taiwan.

Taiwanese Hot Dog

The Taiwanese Hot Dog, otherwise known as Small Sausage in a Big Sausage is one of the more popular local foods in Taiwan that you simply can’t miss out on eating.

This iconic night market food consists of a sweet and juicy grilled sausage and the bun is made of sticky rice. You wouldn’t think that a sausage wrapped in rice as the bun would be good, but it’s actually delicious and a must eat food in Taiwan.

The sausage is usually topped with garlic, sometimes way to much garlic. It’s also served with pickled vegetables, cilantro, and various sauces.

Taiwanese Hot Dogs are found throughout night markets in Taiwan. This twist on your traditional hot dog needs to be added to your Taiwan food bucket list.

Taiwanese Tea Egg

A recent favorite of mine and a snack I can’t go a day without when visiting Taiwan, is the Taiwanese Tea Egg.

The Taiwanese tea eggs can be found at festivals, tourist attractions, and convenience stores. They don’t look all that appealing sitting in the pot but do yourself a favor and try them!

It took me a few visits to Taiwan before trying the tea eggs. Like many, I couldn’t get past the cracked eggs just sitting in the brown liquid. Until I visited the Philippines and tried Balut.

Although nothing alike, not even close, it took me to eat balut to finally try the tea eggs and to my surprise I am addicted to them now.

The brown liquid is actually a blend of black tea, soy sauce, and other spices. The eggs are cracked in order to allow the marinade to soak into the egg. It tastes like a boiled egg with a sweet taste. It’s an amazing snack and I eat them daily when in Taiwan.

Indigenous Food

If you really want to explore all the must eat food in Taiwan, I suggest trying indigenous Taiwanese food. It’s a little harder to come by, both times I’ve had indigenous food I was in a national park, Yangmingshan and Taroko National Parks.

Both times included bamboo rice, wild boar meat, and millet wine. Banana rice is also popular amongst indigenous dishes in Taiwan.

Hot Pot

Hot Pot in Taiwan is a must try dining experience and a highlight of any food tour itinerary. Hot Pot is found everywhere in Taiwan, just look for signs at restaurants that say Hot Pot. Most of them, at least ones I’ve visited are buffet style.

Taiwanese hot pot contains bowls of hot broth at the table where you can fill it with fresh vegetables, bite sized meats, tofu, and so much more. I’ve had everything from shark skin to chicken testicles.

Hot Pot is best shared with a group of people, it is more of a social event and you can spend hours at a hot pot restaurant trying the various food items and broths. Hot Pot is a must try food experience, make sure you add it to your Taiwan food itinerary.

Conclusion

In my opinion, Taiwan is a paradise for food lovers and one of my favorite foodie destinations. From eating delicious beef noodle soup and snacking on Gua Bao to the bold aroma and flavors of stinky tofu, I highly recommend trying these must eat food dishes in Taiwan.

I always recommend visiting the Night Markets in Taiwan, you can find most of these recommended dishes and so much more. If you have other must-eat food in Taiwan that you recommend or think I should try, leave a comment and I’ll follow up!

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