Night markets in Taipei are a thing! You honestly can’t miss them – and they’re not just for visitors to the city. Once here, you’ll be rubbing shoulders with locals and visitors to Taipei on the search for the most delicious foods of the evening.
So, to help you have the best experience when visiting the best night markets in Taipei, I’m sharing our top tips and best night markets in Taipei that you can’t miss. This way, you can focus solely on filling your tummy – the essentials, after all!
Should I take cash to Taipei’s Night Markets?
Now, first things first, make sure to take cash with you, and especially smaller notes. The vendors don’t usually like breaking big notes, and it can be a problem if you’re spending a relatively small amount in each stall. Keep lots of $100 bills with you—they are really handy.
Also, the good thing about Taipei Night Markets is that you don’t have to haggle. Honestly, I find it quite exhausting to have to haggle in some markets, and it makes the experience of wandering around Taipei’s night markets much less stressful.
Once you’re here, you’ll see that the food and drinks are priced fairly, and everyone is really friendly.
What to eat in Taipei’s night market?
Firstly, you need to follow no hard and fast rules here. Eat whatever takes your fancy or piques your interest. There are typically hundreds of stalls selling everything from bubble tea, fresh fruit, grilled meats, noodles and vegetarian dishes – trust me, there is loads.
What I would say is that Taiwan has a big foodie culture, so make sure to try some local dishes (which you won’t struggle to find). For instance, you’ll want to try the famous beef noodle soup. I absolutely love it. It’s like a thin broth, with huge chunks of beef and noodles inside and is absolutely delicious. I always add tofu skin to this, too, though I don’t think that would be considered traditional here.
Of course, you have to have some bubble tea. Typically, Taiwan’s bubble tea doesn’t have popping balls inside, and sticks to the more traditional chewy tapioca balls (which I love). It’s also relatively inexpensive, with bubble tea ranging from $40 to $ 80 at the. Very maximum.
If you’re into sweet treats, make sure to also try the shaved ice served at every night market. The mango shaved ice is so refreshing, sweet, and delicious on a hot evening.
Also, it’s not as popular, but salty chicken is another cold meal you can find in the night markets in Taipei. This is typically cold chicken meat and other parts of the chicken mixed with a choice of vegetables and mushrooms. It is then salted and seasoned as you wish.
There’s also a range of Taiwan sausages and several pork-specific dishes that you’ll come across as you wander the markets. Pork is king in meats in Taiwan, and there’s always some version to try in the markets.
If you love seafood, you’ll also find local catches that are grilled fresh, heaps of calamari, and grilled oysters, too. Oh, and don’t forget to grab some of the flame-grilled corn. I literally had this at every market, and it was so delicious.
Finally, make sure to arrive at the Taipei Night Markets hungry – it’s almost an assault on the senses when it comes to trying delicious foods, and I guarantee you’ll leave stuffed.
Read more: Best things to do in Taipei
Which night markets in Taipei should I visit?
That takes us to the hard part! There are countless night markets in Taipei, and it can be confusing to decide which ones are the best. What I would say is that it’s often best to choose the ones that are most convenient to either your hotel or your plans for the day. Each one has quite similar offerings, which makes it nice and easy for you.
During our time in Taipei, we visited a fair few night markets in Taipei and we literally filled our tummies in each and every one of them. For us, we loved the;
Linjiang Night Market (Google Maps link), Shilin Night Market (Google Maps link), Yong Le Night Market (Google Maps link), Raohe Street Night Market (Google Maps link), Lehua Night Market (Google Maps link) and the Guangzhou Street Night Market (Google Maps link).
There are also some smaller, but no less delicious night markets in Taipei, like Nanmen Market (Google Maps link), Shuangcheng Street Night Market (Google Maps link) and Shida Night Market (Google Maps link), too.
However, that’s not an exhaustive list – they’re just ones we enjoyed and would absolutely go back to whilst visiting Taipei.
Also, there’s this incredible night market tour in Taipei that you can book for your visit to the city. It’s a great way to experience the night markets and try what makes Taiwanese food so special.
Read more: Best things to do in Taipei
Remember, it’s not just about the food!
The joy of Taipei’s night markets is that they sell everything and anything you can imagine while visiting Taiwan. You’ll find sneakers, cuddly toys, perfumes and clothing mixed between the delicious food stalls that line the walkways. Again, just like the food outlets, these tend to take cash-unless it’s a higher-priced purchase, so plan accordingly.
Have the best time visiting Taipei, and don’t forget to check out all the best things to do in Taipei and the iconic spots across Taiwan that you can’t miss. Have fun exploring Taipei.
Read more: Best things to do in Taipei
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