5 Best Night Markets in Taipei – Ranked by Taiwanese Locals

If you decide to visit Taipei, there’s a good chance you’re looking for delicious food. And I don’t mean any delicious food – namely, street food. But did you know that greater Taipei is home to dozens of amazing night markets?

Everyone already knows about the big ones, such as Ximending Walking Street, Shilin Night Market and Raohe Night Market, Linjiang Street and the list goes on. But how are the other, less known night markets in Taipei?

We looked into the best night markets of Taipei and asked food-loving Taiwanese locals to rank them, pick out their favorite dish and describe what each market is known for.

RECOMMENDED: A Local’s Guide to Taipei

Night Markets in Taiwanese Culture

No matter who I talk to, everyone that’s heard of Taiwan will always mention their street food. The fact is, night markets play a huge part in Taiwanese culture, history and life. Food culture is extremely important in this Asian country.

If baseball is America’s national pastime, then wandering night markets may just be Taiwan’s. It’s where people of all ages and backgrounds roam. Everyone from seniors (elders) to teenagers and kids can be found at these markets.

But it really boils down to two related things that really helped the Taiwanese people embrace night markets into their rich culture. That is, the xiaochi and xiaoye.

The “Xiaochi”

The word “xiaochi” directly translates to “small eats” and it’s undeniably one of the most iconic categories of food in Taiwan (largely thanks to the prevalence of night markets).

These small snacks are substantial and aren’t typically cooked in the home. Also, you’re not likely to find xiaochi foods at a sit down restaurant on a menu (unless it’s a restaurant in a night market).

To simplify things, “xiaochi” is predominantly used to refer to all the popular dishes in night markets, at least according to the locals. It could mean stinky tofu, taiwanese sausages, oyster omelet and so much more.

Not only do xiaochi dishes make good appetizers and snacks, but many people enjoy eating multiple xiaochi dishes instead of a traditional meal for dinner.

Xiaoye, Taiwan’s Fourth Meal

“Xiaoye” refers to what most western countries call a “midnight snack” or a small meal that’s eaten in the late hours of the night. As you can imagine, this fourth meal directly fuels the success of these night markets.

During this extra (and completely necessary) meal, you’re generally supposed to eat xiaochi at night markets. It’s why we see so many people at night markets during these later hours of the night.

Personally, this is probably my favorite meal because it’s always a great excuse to roll through the night markets for some of my favorite Taiwanese local snacks.

How many night markets are in Taipei?

Currently there are 28 night markets in greater Taipei, which includes Taipei City, New Taipei City and Keelung. However, if we’re talking about just Taipei City, there’s actually 16 night markets packed into roughly 105 square meters.

In fact, there are even more small night markets all around Taipei that technically don’t qualify because they’re too small. If you wander long enough, you’ll eventually stumble upon one in this food-driven city.

I do know that each district in Taipei has at least one major night market.

While I was interviewing Taipei locals about night markets, I was surprised that many of them have never been to a handful of these. What’s even more shocking is some have never heard of a few, despite living in the city for over 20 years.

So if you’re up for the challenge – I urge you to try each and every one of these night markets! If you do, you’ll have done something that most Taipei locals have never done. That’s no easy feat!

Best Night Markets in Taipei

Keep in mind that this is just the opinion of a handful of Taipei locals. Not many people, even those that have lived in Taipei all their lives, have been to every night market in the city.

For our list, we tried to ask locals that lived in all around the city in different districts. With that said, we know there will still be some bias in their opinions.

5. Nanjichang Market

DISTRICT: WANHUA

Nanjichang Night Market has a long history in Taipei. The name directly translates to “South Airport,” because the night market is situated on an old military airstrip. In fact, it was a market and food hub for the Colonial Japanese military.

Many government housing, buildings and infrastructure were built in this area. So it made sense that a night market developed to serve the men working for their country.

Today, Nanjichang Night Market is one of the lesser known night markets in Taipei. Because there’s no MRT station that takes you directly there, it’s primarily filled with Taiwanese locals.

I personally loved this night market. But according to my local friends, the food wasn’t spectacular and there weren’t as many options as with other night markets in the city.

Still, I think it’s worth trying especially if you’re in Wanhua or Zhongzheng District. Just keep in mind you’ll need to walk a bit.

Nanjichang Night Market Food

Despite what my local friends say, Nanjichang Night Market has a lot of “worthy” food items to try, at least according to Michelin. This night market is tied with Raohe and Tonghua Night Market for most items (4) recommended on the Bib Gourmand List.

One of my favorite dishes from the list is the A Nan Sesame Oil Chicken. It’s a soup dish with a flavorful and rich broth that’s absolutely perfect for a cold winter night. If you get there early enough, the chef will throw in a large chicken leg too!

Nanjichang is another Taipei night market with a stinky tofu dish on the Bib Gourmand List. But at Stinky Tofu Boss, they serve the steamed variation (as opposed to the popular fried one).

The smell may be a little more pungent, but because it’s cooked with mushrooms and basil, it has an interesting taste like no other.

Sung Ching Taiwanese Burrito is another Taiwanese street food classic. With roughly 10 ingredients, this unusual burrito offers complex flavors that mesh together oh-so perfectly.

And finally, at the end of the night market, you can find this clay oven roll stall with no name. They serve a Taiwanese bread, called shaobing and another flaky sweet pastry with red bean paste or sugar. It’s so popular that it doesn’t even need a name!

RECOMMENDED: Sesame Oil Chicken Soup

Hands down, the best street food dish at Nanjichang Night Market. Chicken is juicy and tender, plus the vermicelli noodles you can get on the side is the perfect compliment to the oily soup.

This place used to be a stall, but got so popular that they actually moved into a small store. If you get there before 8 PM, there will still be chicken legs available – which is also highly recommended!

And if you’re visiting during the “cold” months of Taiwan (winter time), then this will really hit the spot.

READ MORE: NANJICHANG NIGHT MARKET GUIDE

4. Shilin Night Market

DISTRICT: SHILIN

Shilin Night Market is perhaps the most famous Taipei night market in the world. Also, it’s by far the largest in the city – holding well over 500 food stalls.

Because it’s so big, the food selection is plenty. You have many options for eating, shopping and even carnival games. On the down side, because it is so famous, expect to see a crowded market with a high concentration of tourists.

Still, this shouldn’t deter you from visiting one of Taipei’s very best night markets. Many of the stalls have made a name for themselves with one (Hot Star) even franchising all around the world.

And with the convenient location, it’s highly accessible by MRT. Just get on the MRT Red Line and exit Jiantan Station. With just a few minutes of walking, you’re there!

Shilin Night Market Food

With the seemingly unlimited number of food options, it can feel a little intimidating walking through the night market. Although everything is good, there are a few you must try.

The first place to try is none other than the world renowned Hot Star Fried Chicken. For cheap, you can get a large piece of fried chicken as big as a child’s head. The chicken is juicy and the crust is extra-crunchy. However, the secret is in the seasoning of the chicken.

From Michelin’s Bib Gourmand List, the Hai Yu Pork Rib soup is a must try. This recipe has been around for over 40 years! Plus, it’s supposed to be “healthy” for you with the 15 unique combination of herbs it’s cooked with.

Next, head your way to Chung Chia Sheng Jian Bao. It’s a small stall, but has a legendary reputation. These are pan-fried buns with the option of pork or cabbage filling.

RECOMMENDED: Hot Star Fried Chicken

If there’s one thing I learned during my time in Taiwan, it’s that the Taiwanese love fried chicken. As such, expect only the best chicken in this country.

Hot Star hasn’t been around for nearly as long as some of the other famous stalls, but they’ve quickly exploded in popularity. Have a taste and you’ll see why this little stall from Taipei has made it across the world, to my hometown in Los Angeles.

READ MORE: SHILIN NIGHT MARKET GUIDE

3. Raohe Night Market

DISTRICT: SONGSHAN

Raohe Night Market is undeniably one of the best and most famous night markets in Taipei. Along with great Taiwanese street food, they offer unique Taiwanese carnival mini games, such as net fishing.

In Songshan District, Raohe is a night market that’s easily accessible by MRT. For that reason, they’ve been exploding in popularity as more tourists visit Taipei. And since its a relatively large night market, there are plenty of things to do.

As one of the older Taipei night markets, Raohe was developed in 1987 for the booming business district. And although new city infrastructure caused businesses to move towards other parts of the city, this night market remained and flourished.

According to the Taiwanese locals, Raohe Night Market deserves a spot on top of this list and it’s easy to see why.

Raohe Night Market Foods

Street food at this Taipei night market is some of the best. With four dishes on Michelin’s Bib Gourmand List (2019), there are plenty of foods to fill your stomach.

The Fuzhou Black Pepper Bun is one of the most legendary examples of this classic Taiwanese food item. But, there’s always a long line (it goes quick!). Cooked in a clay oven, the crisp bun with juicy pork and minced spring onion is the perfect snack to take on the go.

You’ll also want to try the Chen Tung Pork Ribs Medicinal Herbs Soup. In fact, this may be the most famous dish in this night market. Simmered with Chinese herbs for hours, this soup is said to be good for health.

Whether this is true or not, you can’t deny the rich flavor with a sweet aftertaste. Plus, the tender pork ribs that rip right off the bones is nothing short of amazing.

Lu wei is one of my favorite Taiwanese comfort foods and this night market has one of the best. A Kuo Lu Wei is a place where you choose your ingredients (meats, veggies, etc.) and it’s cooked in a soy sauce base. However, this joint is known for it’s duck wings, intestines and baby corn mix.

RECOMMENDED: Black Pepper Bun

It was a tough choice between the pork rib soup and black pepper bun, but in the end, my pick goes to the bun. Make no mistake, this is not a rare dish in Taipei at all. Still, it tastes so much better than any other I’ve tried.

It’s also so convenient to snack on as you check out other stalls, stores or games in the night market. It’s always fresh and hot, so you can expect consistent goodness. The filling is super juicy, so try not to burn your tongue with this bun!

READ MORE: RAOHE NIGHT MARKET GUIDE

2. Ningxia Night Market

DISTRICT: DATONG

Being the first organized food night market in Taipei, Ningxia Night Market has a long and somewhat complex history. So, it’s great to see that they’ve kept their tradition of excellence throughout all these years.

Tracing back to the Japanese Colonial era, this night market wasn’t always the street food powerhouse that it is today. In fact, it was originally a “famous” community park with just a few food vendors. Shortly after WWI broke out, all food operations stopped.

Post-war, the old night market saw huge declines. It wasn’t until the new Chinese government rebranded and rebuilt Ningxia that it exploded in popularity – cementing itself as one of the best night markets in Taipei.

All types of people visit this night market today, from tourists to locals and expats. It offers a huge street food selection with a whole section dedicated to carnival games. It’s definitely a “must visit” attraction when in Taipei.

Ningxia Night Market Food

There’s a reason why Ningxia Night Market is called “Taipei’s Stomach.” Hundreds of hungry people flock to this night market every night for its delicious and cheap dishes. Plus, Michelin’s Bib Gourmand List recognized 3 food items from this night market.

The first on the list is the Fang Chia Shredded Chicken on Rice. It’s a popular xiaochi that’s not exclusive to night markets. The chicken is cooked with caramelized onions and soy sauce paste for a mouth-watering experience.

Rong’s Pork Liver Soup is another dish that’s been recognized for excellence. Though I’m not a big liver guy, the liver in this dish isn’t as grainy as others I’ve had – it’s really not bad! And according to my local friends, they liked this dish the best (by far).

And finally, there’s Liu Yu Zi, the small stall that serves fried taro balls. You can go with the classic plain taro or the salted egg yolk and pork floss. Personally, I’d try both.

The texture is nice and the snack isn’t too sweet, but I didn’t find this to be spectacular. But since it’s on the Gourmand List, it’s worth trying.

RECOMMENDED: Shredded Chicken on Rice

Surprise, surprise – I’m a real sucker for chicken in Taiwan. The local people here definitely love their chicken and know how to prepare it best. The Fang Chia in Ningxia is no exception.

To really get the most out of the dish, you need to get their tofu dish because it just complements the chicken rice so well. The tofu cubes are braised in a thick soy sauce paste with a tiny hint of spicy.

Sure, you can probably find this dish at other Taipei night markets, but they certainly don’t do it as well as in Ningxia. Highly recommended if you’re coming here!

READ MORE: NINGXIA NIGHT MARKET GUIDE

1. Tonghua Night Market

DISTRICT: XINYI

Tonghua Night Market (Linjiang Street) is my all-time favorite night market. It’s smaller and less crowded (not guaranteed on weekends or holidays) for a “popular” food attraction, but packs a lot of the charm that we expect in these night markets.

It’s called the “local night market” because it’s known for having really local Taiwanese street foods – not because it’s where only locals go. Foreigners have caught on and Tonghua is undeniably one of the most popular in Taipei.

With all the xiaochi classics, Tonghua Night Market is one of the best places to fully experience street food in Taipei.

Tonghua Night Market Food

Food selection in this Taipei night market is one of the best. In fact, there are 4 stalls currently on the 2019 Michelin Bib Gourmand List. Only Raohe and Nanjichang Night Markets have had this many.

One of the most iconic street snacks in Taipei is stinky tofu. If you’re not a fan, this may be the place to change your mind. Head over to Tien Hsiang Stinky Tofu (Gourmand List) for crispy fried and stinky goodness. The smell isn’t as pungent but the flavor is amazing.

You’ll also want to check out a night market specialty at Yu Pin Yuan for their Iced and Hot tangyuan. It’s a unique twist on a local classic dessert. These hot sesame rice balls are served over shaved ice, thus creating the “iced and hot” experience.

If sweets aren’t your thing, I would highly recommend trying Liang Chi Lu Wei. This is more of a meal than a snack, but it’s too good to pass up.

You pick your own ingredients (ramen, enoki mushroom, cabbage, fishballs, etc.) and they’ll cook it for you in a soy sauce stew. The result is nothing short of mouth-watering.

RECOMMENDED: Stinky Tofu

My recommended dish at Tonghua Night Market is the Yi Kou Jin Su Stinky Tofu. It’s not the one on the Michelin list, but I think it tastes better!

All the ingredients come together so well in this classic dish. Though it’s not recognized (at least with Michelin), it’s a time-tested and iconic spot in this night market.

READ MORE: TONGHUA NIGHT MARKET GUIDE