Tonghua Night Market, otherwise known as Linjiang Street Night Market, is one of the smallest top night markets in Taipei. Though relatively small, it’s undeniably one of the locals’ favorite places to grub at night.
Personally, Tonghua Night Market is my favorite. Despite the fact that I used to live a few blocks away from this market (location bias?), I still felt it was the best after visiting every night market in the city.
Food is delicious, crowds are less than with Shilin Night Market, and getting there was super convenient. If you’re visiting Taipei, this should definitely sit atop your list of places to eat!
Let’s see what makes Tonghua Night Market one of the very best in the city, and probably in all of Taiwan too.
RECOMMENDED: Best Taipei Night Markets – Ranked by Locals
Table of Contents
Why Visit Tonghua Night Market?
There’s a lot of great reasons why you should visit Tonghua Market. Unlike all the other night markets, Linjiang Street is the only night market in downtown Taipei. It’s right in the heart of the city.
This means that it’s super convenient if you want to explore the hustle and bustle of Taipei City during the day before snacking on delicious street food. Plus, it’s definitely walkable from nearly anywhere in Xinyi District.
If you’re looking to try authentic, traditional Taiwanese street food, then Tonghua Night Market is the place to be. All the favorite classics are found here, with time-tested recipes that have passed down multiple generations.
But is the food any good? You bet it is! As of 2019, there are only three night markets in Taipei that have 4 stalls/restaurants on Michelin’s Bib Gourmand List.
Along with Raohe and Nanjichang Night Market, Tonghua Night Market also cracks this prestigious list. Not even the world-famous Shilin Night Market has accomplished this feat (yet)!
Getting to Tonghua Night Market
Tonghua Night Market is situated in the heart of Taipei City. As a matter of fact, it borders the downtown area of the city, which is probably a huge reason for its explosion in popularity.
My recommended method of getting to the night market is by MRT. However, no matter which MRT line/exit you take, you’ll need to walk a bit.
Alternatively, you can take a taxi or Uber from anywhere in the city if you’re feeling a bit lazy or tired. It’s located near downtown and fairly close to Taipei 101.
From MRT Brown Line
But, how exactly do you get to Tonghua Night Market? There are plenty of public transportation options to get to Tonghua Night Market. The closest MRT station is Liuzhangli MRT Station on the MRT Brown Line. From there, it’s a short 10 – 15 minute walk to the night market.
After exiting the MRT station (there’s only one exit), you’ll want to turn left and walk down the street until you hit the Keelung Road / Heping East Road intersection.
Cross the street and turn right onto Keelung Road. Keep going down for 8 – 10 minutes and you should see Tonghua Night Market on the left side of the street.
From MRT Red Line
If you’re on the Red Line, you’ll want to take the MRT to the Xinyi Anhe MRT Station. From there, you’ll want to take Exit 3 at the station.
After exiting, walk straight until you reach Tonghua Street. Make a right turn and continue walking until you see Tonghua Night Market on the left side.
It should take you less than 10 minutes to walk to the night market from Xinyi Anhe MRT Station. If you think you’re lost feel free to refer to Google Maps or ask a local (everyone’s so nice!).
Night Market Opening Hours
All night markets in Taiwan open late – and Tonghua Night Market is no exception. They are, after all, night markets. The operating hours for Tonghua Night Market is from 6 PM to 12 AM daily. However, the market often lingers well past midnight (you just may not have as much food selection).
If you go at 6 PM, it’ll be a little early and most of the stalls that flood the center of the street won’t have arrived yet. By 7 PM to 8 PM, the night market is flooded with people, especially on the weekends.
With that said, the best time to go to Tonghua Night Market is after 8 PM. You’ll find less of a crowd, but it’ll still be lively. All the food stalls will be there and the lines will be shorter than peak hours.
If you can go later, than it may be better. However, if you get there too late, then the locals looking for “xiao chi”(midnight snack) will have arrived.
Whatever time you go, there is no wrong choice. You already made the excellent decision to visit Tonghua Night Market and that’s good enough.
Tonghua Night Market’s Best Foods
If you’re planning to go to Tonghua Night Market, then food is definitely on your mind. What makes this night market special and a local favorite is the selection of dishes.
It’s not called the “local’s night market” because it’s filled with locals. But rather, because they serve very tradition Taiwanese dishes with the same recipes that have been there for decades.
For this reason, many stalls within this night market have become local legends throughout the years. That’s great news for you! Here are just some of my favorite and the most famous dishes from Tonghua Night Market.
1. Stinky Tofu (Yi Kou Jin Su)
Believe it or not, one of the best places in Taipei to get your Stinky Tofu fix is in this little night market. It’s from a small stall located in the middle of Tonghua market. Specifically, at the intersection of Linjiang street and Tonghua street.
As mentioned, Stinky Tofu comes in two popular variations: steamed/boiled and fried. This stall serves fried Stinky Tofu and it’s simply amazing.
I’ll admit I wasn’t a big fan of this traditional dish. That was, until I tried it myself. If you’re not too big on the dish but are interested in trying it at least once, this joint is the perfect place.
The smell isn’t as pungent as with other Stinky Tofus, so coercing yourself to take a bite will be easier. Tofu is perfectly crispy. Plus, the pickled cabbage and Taiwanese BBQ sauce were the perfect contrast in flavor.
The line for this stall moves quick, so definitely grab it on your way to exploring the rest of the night market.
2. Stinky Tofu (Tien Hsiang)
The second recommended food from Tonghua Night Market is…yet another Stinky Tofu dish. Like the neighboring competitor, Tien Hsiang’s version is also fried.
It’s a little off the main path, but still very accessible. To get here, you’ll want to head east on Linjiang street until you see a little Stinky Tofu stall. There’s usually a line and hard to miss.
What’s cool about this stall is that it made the 2019 Michelin Bib Gourmand List. It doesn’t mean it received a Michelin Star, but still deserve some recognition for a tradition of excellence in food.
Personally, I thought Yi Kou Jin Su’s tofu was better. But to each their own. This tofu tastes fairly similar to the competitor, with the main difference in the condiments that come with the tofu (cabbage, BBQ sauce).
Whether you want to try the Michelin recommended tofu or the local legend, there really is no wrong choice. The only wrong choice is skipping both.
3. Yu Pin Yuan Tangyuan
Yu Pin Yuan Iced and Hot Tangyuan has quietly become a staple of Tonghua Night Market. Earning a spot on the coveted 2019 Michelin Bib Gourmand List, this shop serves Tangyuan.
It’s a popular dish, often consumed during the Lantern Festival in Taiwan. See more holiday foods and learn about Taiwan’s food culture here.
What’s unique about Yu Pin Yuan is that they serve “binghuo” tangyuan, which directly translates to frozen fire or ice fire. It’s not the most common way the Taiwanese consume tangyuan, but that’s what makes them special.
If you’re not familiar, tangyuan is essentially glutinous rice flour that’s cooked with boiling water to form a ball shape. It’s later soaked in fermented rice. They’ll also have fillings of either peanut butter or sesame paste.
Yu Pin Yuan’s dessert dish is gooey and delicious, especially because it’s serves it on shaved ice with a light drizzle of osmanthus syrup.
4. Liang Chi Lu Wei
Lu Wei is hands down one of my favorite street foods in the world. It’s hard to explain, but as a Taiwanese American, it feels like comfort food to me. So, I had to try Tonghua’s version of this popular dish.
What happens is that you’re first presented with a tray of many types of ingredients. I mean, there’s really a lot. You’ll find everything from enoki mushroom to tofu skin, ramen noodles, cabbage, dumplings and so much more.
They’ll take the ingredients you just picked and cook it in their soy sauce-based stew. Yes, there’s stew but you don’t eat the cooked ingredients like a soup dish (it’s probably too salty, anyway). The result is what’s pictured (see above).
I want to note that Liang Chi Lu Wei had also been recognized by the 2019 Michelin Bib Gourmand List. So, if you plan to try Lu Wei (you really should!) during your trip, then this is probably one of the best place to try it.
5. Lo Chi Hsiao Chao
What night market list is complete without some Taiwanese stir-fry. Also on the Michelin Bib Gourmand List for 2019, Lo Chi Hsiao Chao is a small street market restaurant that’s mastered the art of the wok.
Though their menu can be extensive, their most popular stir-fried dishes are beef, lamb and clam stir fry. If you aren’t allergic to shellfish, then the clam is a must eat.
Clams were juicy and fresh. Although there’s a lot of places in Taiwan that sell these dishes, Lo Chi Hsiao Chao does it as well as anybody.
Things to Do in Tonghua Market
Though Tonghua Night Market is known for it’s food, there’s so much more you can do in one of Taipei’s hottest night markets. If you follow my food guide, you’re probably going to get stuffed real quick.
After successfully eating yourself into a food coma, you might want to enjoy all the wonderful attractions inside the market. Here’s what you can and should do.
Claw Games
Like most night markets, there are plenty of carnival games in Tonghua Night Market. The variety of games isn’t as great as with Shilin Night Market, but there’s a good selection of claw games and even my favorite, balloon darts (or rather, “hit the spinning balloons with air-soft guns”).
A few words of cautious about the claw games. It’s a lot harder than it looks. The claw doesn’t fully clamp down with enough pressure, so you’ll have to be a little more strategic about it.
Pro-tip for the claw game people: if you spend enough money playing and you have your heart set on a very specific prize, let the employee know. They’ll just outright give you the prize after you spent enough money playing.
I avoid this, but it’s still fun especially if you go with a local. They’re so clever with these claw games.
Night Market Shopping
Most night markets will feature a shopping section, unless it’s really a small one. Stores and shops line the sides of Tonghua’s night market streets.
You’ll find all types of goodies in this night market. Everything from local brands to knock-off jerseys and even small action figures can be found in Tonghua Night Market.
It’s not a great place for name brand stuff, but you can find a lot of hidden gems while shopping in this night market. However, most of the things for sale are apparel related.
Still, it’s worth taking a look around and there’s a lot of fashion-forward garments that’s popular with the younger crowd.
Hotels Near Tonghua Night Market
Staying near this night market may cost you more, on average, than if you were to stay in another area. That’s because of Tonghua’s proximity to downtown Taipei (in Xinyi), where the most expensive hotels are.
However, this doesn’t mean you can’t stay around here with a budget. Here are some of my favorite accommodations near Tonghua Night Market.
Space Inn Xinyi
This is a hostel in Xinyi district that I often recommend because it’s just that great. What’s even better is that the hostel is less than a quarter mile away from Tonghua Night Market. In fact, it’ll take you just 8 minutes to walk there.
Beds are a little on the small side, but the bathrooms and common areas are really nice. It’s clean and has a futuristic appeal to it. I guess the theme is “space,” after all.
It’s also extremely close to all the other popular attractions in the heart of Taipei. You’re just minutes away from all the amazing entertainment and night life area too!
Good Hotel
Good Hotel is…a pretty good hotel, at least for the price and location. The best part is definitely the location. You’re a 10 minute walk from Taipei 101 and just 8 minutes from Tonghua Night Market.
Rooms are pretty basic, but it’s clean and the service is fantastic. Also, rooms are fairly large relative to all the other hotel rooms in this area.
Personally, I think giving up some hotel amenities for this awesome location is well worth it. If you want to stay in Xinyi, and specifically near Linjiang Street, Good Hotel is one you should take a long hard look at.
Eclat Hotel
Eclat Hotel Taipei is a little more upscale, as with most legitimate hotels in this area. But because it’s not directly in downtown Xinyi, you get a great bang for the buck deal.
It’s less than a mile away from Tonghua Night Market and shouldn’t take you more than 15 minutes to walk there. If you’re traveling by taxi, a cheap ride will take you a few minutes to get there.
Rooms are modern, nice and clean. Plus, there’s a restaurant inside if you’re feeling lazy to go out (why would you?). But if you’re looking to enjoy upscale accommodation without hurting your wallet too much, Eclat Hotel is an amazing choice.
For more information on where to stay in Taipei City, I recommend checking this guide. We break down the areas and districts perfect for 6 types of travelers. Which one is you?
Other Taipei Night Markets: