The Nanjichang Night Market in Taipei is one of the lesser known night markets in the city. But just because it’s not as famous as the others doesn’t mean it’s inferior.
Nanjichang is home to some of the best street foods in the country – and Michelin would agree with us. As of 2019, Nanjichang Night Market has an astonishing 4 recommended dishes on the Michelin Bib Gourmand List.
That’s the most of any night market in Taipei – tied with Raohe and Tonghua Night Market! So, If you’re planning a trip to Taipei, make sure to check out this unique market for authentic, cheap and delicious street food.
RECOMMENDED: Best Taipei Night Markets – Ranked by Locals
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Nanjichang Market History
You’re probably wondering why we call Nanjichang Night Market the “military night market.” It’s not because it’s serving solely the military personnel of the country, but rather about it’s long history and past.
During the country’s occupation of Colonial Japan, the area where the night market is currently situated was called “Nanjichang,” which directly translates to “South Airport.”
The area was actually a military airstrip used by the Japanese. So, many government housing buildings and subsequent infrastructure were built around this airstrip.
As a result, the Nanjichang Night Market was gradually developed for the flourishing communities that surrounded the military base and airstrip.
About Nanjichang Today
Today, this iconic night market is still alive and bustling. In fact, this “night” market is actually opened during the day too. It’s not as lively and doesn’t offer as many food options during the day, but you can definitely get your food fix here before sunset.
It’s also located in Wanhua district, which is further away from downtown Taipei than other night markets. This area is a little bit old and not as prosperous, but it translates into cheaper food prices.
Nanjichang Night Market is one of the most budget-friendly night markets in Taipei and there’s usually more locals than tourists. Still, it’s a relatively small night market and can get crowded late at night.
How to Get to Nanjichang
Depending on where you are in Taipei city, Nanjichang Night Market is typically a little more difficult to get to. It probably explains why its not as popular as the other markets (convenience).
My recommended method of transportation is MRT, but keep in mind you’ll need to walk around 15 minutes even with the MRT.
Also, there are two ways of getting there by MRT, both requiring roughly 15 minutes or walking, so pick what’s more convenient for you.
From MRT Green Line
First, you’ll want to get on the MRT Green Line and head to Xiaonanmen MRT Station. After taking Exit 3, you’ll want to turn left on Bo’ai Road.
It’s a little tricky to explain in detail, but you’ll be essentially walking down this road to the market. Use Google Maps if you can (see below for the address).
From MRT Blue Line
Alternatively, from the MRT Blue Line, you want to take the train to Longshan Temple MRT Station. From there, you’ll want to take Exit 3.
Again, it’s a bit complicated, so I would suggest plugging the following address into your maps app of choice.
Nanjichang Night Market Address: Lane 307, Sec. 2, Zhonghua Rd., Wanhua, Taipei, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
Nanjichang Night Market Foods
Someone once told me, if you’re looking for food in a foreign country – find the place with the highest number of locals. And, that’s exactly what Nanjichang Night Market is.
You won’t find too many foreigners here because it’s a little inconvenient and it’s small. However, the local Taiwanese people seem to love this night market.
Here are the best and most delicious street foods that you have to try at Nanjichang Night Market in Taipei.
1. A Nan Sesame Oil Chicken
A Nan Sesame Oil Chicken is one of the Michelin recommended dishes. Not too long ago, this place was simply a stall in the night market. But with packed lines every night, they eventually moved to a small store within Nanjichang Night Market.
The sesame oil chicken soup is their signature dish, but I would recommend pairing it with their sesame oil vermicelli. What most people do is mix the soup with the vermicelli for an amazing mouth-watering experience.
The soup is very rich in flavor and the fragrance is spectacular. The chicken is extremely tender and you get pleasant hints of ginger in the broth. The flavor can be a little strong, so balancing it out with the vermicelli noodles is a good idea.
You’ll always want to get the optional chicken leg if you can. It’s probably one of the best parts of the soup dish. However, if you get there too late, the chef will always run out (get there before 8 PM and earlier on weekends).
Overall, this was a great dish that I’d definitely come back when its colder. The ingredients of the soup really warms up your body and probably won’t be that great during a hot summer night.
2. Sung Ching Taiwanese Burrito
The Taiwanese “burrito” is truly a unique dish, and one of the best places to try it in Taipei is at Sung Ching in Nanjichang Night Market. I wish I got a better shot, but I was so hungry I devoured the top half.
This dish really hits home. Growing up in a Taiwanese-American household, we had this for lunch every so often and it was so good! It’s essentially a big spring roll with several layers of ingredients, flavors and texture.
Though it sounds complex, the flavors mesh really well. In a typical Taiwanese Burrito, you’ll find egg, beancurd, pickled radish, peanut powder, shredded/sliced veggies, meat slices and more.
According to the Michelin Guide, this burrito has 10 layers of ingredients! The first picture didn’t really do a good job capturing the layers, but here’s a better look at what goes inside.
I thought this was decent, but deserving to be on a Michelin Bib Gourmand List? I’m not really sure. But, that’s for you to decide. Regardless, this is a classic Taiwanese dish and you should definitely try it out.
3. Stinky Tofu Boss
What’s a food recommendation list without stinky tofu? The Stinky Tofu Boss at Nanjichang Night Market is known for its…well, stink. But in all fairness, it tastes better than it smells.
There are two popular types of stinky tofus at these night markets: fried and steamed. This is the latter. It’s less common, especially in tourist-driven night markets because the smell is much more pungent.
Personally, I’m not a big fan of steamed stinky tofu, but I tried it for the sake of trying it. After all, it was recognized by Michelin’s Bib Gourmand List.
The tofu was definitely very porous, which retained a lot of that flavor. Depending on how you feel about the taste, it could be a good or bad thing.
Make no mistake, it is definitely stinky. But it seems like the mushrooms and basil give it a unique taste that you don’t experience often with stinky tofu.
It’s not my cup of tea, but I can see why people line up for this dish. If you’re at Nanjichang Night Market, it’s probably worth trying.
4. Clay Oven Roll
I was pretty surprised to see that this street food dish made the list of Michelin Bib Gourmand. It’s a little difficult to find – so look for this stall (pictured above). It’s a small cart at the end of Nanjichang Night Market, but always has a long line.
This is a fairly common snack in Taipei and you can find this on busy Taipei streets outside of night markets. However, this unnamed stall has certainly “made a name” for itself.
They serve two types of food items, a sweet pastry and the shaobing. The latter is probably the more popular item, which originated from Northern China (perfected in Taiwan). It’s pretty much a unleavened and layered flatbread, topped with sesame.
Though it’s usually a breakfast item served with soy milk (dou jiang) and you tiao (Taiwanese churro), the Taiwanese enjoy all types of foods at all hours of the day.
The sweet pastry is flaky and delicious. You have the option of getting it with a red bean paste or straight up sugar. I recommend getting it with the red bean, of course.
5. Large Fried Chicken Cutlet
Large fried chicken cutlets, otherwise known as “ji pai,” is one of my all-time favorite street foods in Taiwan. And according to my friends, the Nanjichang Night Market has a pretty decent one! So of course I had to try it.
For me, the gold standard is Hot Star at Shilin Night Market. I have plenty of Taiwanese local friends that tell me there are so many better ones. But for my taste, I still prefer Hot Star.
This fried chicken joint is comparable. It’s not as big as the cuts from Hot Star and the flavoring wasn’t as good. But, the chicken was tender and juicy.
It had a good crunch to it, but still not as crunchy as Hot Star. Overall, it wasn’t bad. And if you aren’t planning on visiting Hot Star in Shilin, then this is a great alternative.
For convenience, you can ask the boss to chop your fried chicken into smaller chicken strips. It’s great to take this on-the-go as you explore the rest of Nanjichang Night Market.
Attractions Near Nanjichang Night Market
Nanjichang Night Market is situated at the edge of Wanhua District in Taipei. So, there are plenty of other nearby attractions you can check out before you come.
Because Wanhua is an old district and has Taipei’s unofficial “red light district,” you should be vigilant when exploring this area at night. Taipei is generally a very safe city, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be wary of your surroundings at all times.
Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial
The memorial was developed in honor of the first President of the ROC (Taiwan) – Chiang Kai-Shek. It’s a pretty notable building and it’s as important as it sounds.
But aside from the significance, it’s a spectacular sight to see. First of all, it sits in the amazing Liberty Square with two other equally-impressive national monuments: the National Theater and National Concert Hall.
Behind the memorial hall is a small park that makes for a nice stroll. I highly recommend this attraction if you’re into history and culture. Plus, it’s just a reasonable 20 – 25 minute walk away from Nanjichang Night Market.
Taipei Botanical Garden
Just an extremely short 7-minute walk away from Nanjichang Night Market is the Taipei Botanical Garden. It’s one of the best places in the city to escape the hustle and bustle.
It’s filled with tons of photographers and rightfully so (bring your camera!). This garden is the perfect place to take a stroll or sit down and enjoy the sounds of the hundreds of birds. You’ll also get to see some unique butterflies too.
Not all the greenhouses will be opened all at once. It doesn’t seem like they post the specific hours of the greenhouses, but you can check out their official site for more information.
Hotels Near Nanjichang Market
If you plan to check out Nanjichang Night Market often, then it may be a good idea to stay somewhere close by. The good news is that this area is not very expensive. However, it’s not the safest or most family-friendly district either.
But still, there are plenty of great options for budget travelers, solo travelers and more. Here are our favorite accommodations near Nanjichang Market.
Uinn Travel Hostel
The Uinn Hostel is not technically in Wanhua, but it’s next door at Zhongzheng District. Still, it’s only half a mile away and will take you roughly 15 minutes to walk to Nanjichang Market.
It’s a little bit further away, but the hostel is amazing. They have a common area with drinks and all types of bar games, such as foosball, darts and video games. It’s perfect for young solo travelers!
Rooms and bathrooms are very clean. Staff is very friendly, and the beds are relatively big. There’s not much more you can possibly want in a hostel.
Caesar Metro Taipei
The Caesar Park Hotels is Taiwan’s largest domestic luxury hotel group, with buildings from Taipei to Kenting. This hotel is relatively new and was built as an attempt to revive the “old western area” of Taipei City, that is, Wanhua.
These hotels have high standards. You know you’ll get superb customer service, well-furnished rooms and great amenities. But because it’s in Wanhua district, it’s not as expensive as you’d expect. Huge plus.
What’s even better is that you can get your street food fix, as Nanjichang Night Market is just 14 minutes away on foot. If you get a chance, this branch is a great bang for the buck.
Taipei Garden Hotel
Taipei Garden Hotel is another upscale hotel that won’t break your wallet. And because it’s situated in adjacent Zhongzheng District, it’s just a half mile away from Nanjichang Night Market (a 14 minute walk).
It has a buffet-style restaurant inside the hotel that’s known for its delicious breakfast. But since it’s such a short walk from the night market, you’d probably spend very little time here.
Rooms are spacious and clean. Decor is a little bit dated, especially compared to all the new ones in Xinyi (or even Caesars), but it’s definitely fancy. Guests seem to love them for their top notch service too.
If you want to visit Nanjichang Night Market, you don’t have to stay in the Wanhua or Zhongzheng area. Because public transportation is so good in Taipei, you can stay almost anywhere.
So if you’re still debating on where to stay in Taipei, check out our ultimate guide to the areas of Taipei City. We recommend a district for 6 types of tourists.
Other Taipei Night Markets: