Living in Taipei the past year, I’ve had much of the best food in Taiwan at my doorstep—quite literally. Yongkang Street, one of Taiwan’s most famous foodie destinations, is literally five minutes by foot from my apartment!
Of course, many of the best Taiwanese dishes (and certainly, my personally favorites) are found outside the capital. In fact, almost every city in Taiwan has at least one signature dish, which makes exploring the country’s diverse destinations a tasty endeavor.
Below, I’ll name some of my favorite things to eat in Taiwan, as well as where you can find them on your next trip. Warning: You might want to have a snack before reading this post!
What is “Taiwanese Food,” Anyway?
Before I get to specific examples of the best food in Taiwan, I should probably described what Taiwanese food is—and what it isn’t. It’s tempting, for example, to equate Taiwanese food with Chinese food. While it’s true that you can find many of the Taiwanese favorites I spotlight below at restaurants in mainland China, there are important differences in Taiwanese versions. Many Taiwanese dishes simply don’t have direct Chinese cognates.
To be sure, a lot of famous Taiwanese food is either wholly indigenous to Taiwan, or has its inspiration outside of the Chinese-speaking world entirely. I’m thinking in particular about bubble milk tea, which is probably Taiwan’s (and maybe Asia’s) most iconic beverage and snowflake ice, which has more in common with Korean bingsu and Japanese kakigori than with any Chinese dessert.
My Favorite Things to Eat in Taiwan
Beef Noodle Soup (牛肉麵)
I probably know niu rou mian better than any of the other Taiwan famous dishes, given where in Taipei I live. Which is not to say that Yong Kang Street is the only place where you can sample delicious Taiwanese-style beef noodle soup. Still, the tomato broth on offer at Yi Pin suits the recipe better than any other version I’ve sampled throughout Taiwan.
Taiwan-Style Steamed Buns (小籠包)
A second contender for the best food in Taiwan is xiaolongbao—steamed buns filled with pork. I also happen to live near the country’s most famous purveyor of these (Din Tai Fung, the original store), but I personally love sampling the buns from individual shops, even those that only pop up during the early hours of the morning. Pork and dough might sound heavy, but it’s actually one of my favorite breakfasts in Taiwan!
Scallion Pancakes (蔥油餅)
Another favorite Taiwan street food item of mine, during the mornings and otherwise, is the cong you bing scallion pancake. Many delicious variants of this exist in Taipei, but my very favorite is in Hualien city, on Taiwan’s east coast. Whether at Lao Pai or the nearby Yellow Bike shop, the version here is deep-friend (rather than grilled) and has an egg (with a runny yolk) cooked inside. Hao chi!
Braised Pork Rice (滷肉飯)
I’ll be honest: I didn’t think lu rou fan could be the best food in Taiwan when I first saw. The presentation is a bit sloppy, frankly, with the juicy braised pork strewn over the rice in an almost careless way. It wasn’t until I sampled it at Taichung city’s famous Fu Din Wang that I appreciated the magic of this dish, and how it’s a microcosm of Taiwanese food—seemingly simple, deceptively delicious—in general.
Chiayi Turkey Rice (火雞肉飯)
Calm down: Even if you don’t plan to visit Chiayi (and I recommend you do, if only to sleep before continuing up into the mountains town Alishan), huo ji rou fan is one of the things to eat in Taiwan, anywhere on the island. In fact, while it’s ubiquitous in the city of its birth, you can find it throughout Taipei. One of my favorites in the capital is at the Uncle Bo stall in the Taipei 101 Food Court.
Bubble Milk Tea (珍珠奶茶)
I’m not going to wade into the debate about best bubble tea in Taiwan. Frankly, I have so many amazing stalls near me that it’s less about finding a great one (they’re all amazing, even the ones from 7/11) and more about willpower not to drink it very often at all! If you want to try the “original” zhen zhu nai cha, I recommend heading to Chun Shui Tang in Taichung, where you can also enjoy a dinner of dim sum.
Snowflake Shaved Ice (刨冰)
Taiwanese, like most people in Asia, have a killer sweet tooth; it’s strange, given that, that only two of my choices for the best food in Taiwan are desserts. While su bing, to be sure, is not exclusively Taiwanese in its origins, the variants you find at local shops include many indigenous ingredients, namely all manners of taro. For a more tourist-friendly version with fresh mangos and ice cream, visit Smoothie House on Yong Kang Street.
Honorable Mentions
I’ve missed many famous Taiwanese foods (and indeed, some of my own personal favorites) in this article. Let me give them a shout-out here:
- 飯糰 (fan tuan) rice balls, usually served on the streets around breakfast time and filled with any combination of 油條 (you tiao) breadsticks, pork floss and 茶葉蛋 (cha ye dan) tea eggs
- 蛋餅 (dan bing) egg pancakes, which are available in a variety of different flavors and with many filling options
- 螃蟹羹 (pang xie geng) aka “crab thick soup,” especially the version found at Miaokou Night Market in Keelung
- 筒仔米糕 (tong zi mi gao) bamboo tube rice found in aboriginal communities like Wulai and Ita Thao on Sun Moon Lake
- 鹽酥雞 (yan su ji), or Taiwanese-style fried chicken with basil found in night markets, including the ones at Raohe Street and Shida in Taipei
What About Stinky Tofu?
Taiwan stinky tofu, known in Chinese as 臭豆腐 or chou dou fu, is extremely popular among the Taiwanese. To the extent that Taiwanese people have told me “you haven’t been to Taiwan until you’ve tried stinky tofu.” Well, I have a confession: I have never tried stinky tofu. I’ve never wanted to and probably never will. Ouch—I heard some of those slamming doors!
Melodrama aside, please don’t take my preference personally. Like most human beings, I don’t like to put unpleasant smelling things in my mouth. Yet I don’t deny that stinky tofu might indeed be the best Taiwanese food, or that I might be missing out on something life-changing by refusing to try it. It’s just not my thing. And look, I hope it’s yours! I really do!
Other FAQ About Food in Taiwan
What is the most popular street food in Taiwan?
Taiwan is a street food paradise, whether you’re out and about in the morning and order a fantuan rice ball, or head to a night market and order fried chicken with crispy Thai basil. Because Taiwanese street food is so cheap and delicious, I recommend eating it whenever—and wherever—you can.
What is Taiwan famous food?
Taiwan’s most famous foods are a mix of ones indigenous to the island, as well as pan-Chinese foods that are at their most delicious on the island. These include lu rou fan pork rice, xiaolongbao dumplings, bubble milk tea and, of course, Taiwanese beef noodle soup.
What is Taiwan national food?
Taiwan’s national food is niu rou mian, aka beef noodle soup. However, many other dishes are popular around the country, such as bubble milk tea, which in spite of not being “food” is probably the island’s most globally famous consumable export.
The Bottom Line
This list of the best food in Taiwan is neither comprehensive nor objective. It’s honestly more a reflection of what I’ve loved (and not loved, not so much) during the time I’ve spent living in Taiwan so far. Of course, this—giving you a jumping-off point—was my intention. I want to inspire you to walk your own Taiwanese food path, using my experience as a guideline rather than gospel. Want a Taiwan itinerary that incorporates awesome food adventures into every day? Consider hiring me to plan your trip to Taiwan!
