Taiwan has some of the best food in the world; even if you are a picky American like me you can find something delicious here that you will be sure to miss if you ever leave. Food is one of the main things that has brought me back to Taiwan time and time again. Here I will list my favorite Taiwan foods. Try not to drool too much on your screen or keyboard.
You can check out our Taiwan fruit guide here, our Taiwan Mango guide here, and our Taiwan Dessert guide here. My Food Journey in Taiwan: To be honest, as a 19-year-old picky snot-nosed kid coming to Taiwan for the first time, I ate a lot of 7-11 hot dogs (which I still enjoy). During my first week, someone gave me stinky tofu and 1000-year-old egg which made me gag but somehow I was able to swallow. But I loved Taiwan fried rice, fried dumplings, and spring onion pancakes from the first try. It was only later that I began to acquire a taste for things like bento boxes (see above) and seafood which opened a new world for me. I am a picky eater success story and I enjoy almost all Taiwanese food that does not still have its head attached or resemble raw sewage in some way. If you are a new foreigner in Taiwan who is not used to the food, you can try out the things on this list first. I am sure there is something you will love. Also, I would like to note that lots of Taiwanese food is inspired by other countries like Japan and China, but no one really cares. This is food that is eaten in Taiwan. It is just like no one cares that pizza originally came from Italy. Taipei Food Related Tours: You can eat your way through Taipei through such tours and activities as Taiwanese Breakfast Cooking Class in Taipei, Taiwanese Gourmet Cooking Class in Taipei, or Xiao Long Bao, Chicken vermicelli with mushroom and sesame oil, Tofu strips salad, Bubble milk tea. Taiwan Traditional Delicacies Cooking Class and more on TripAdvisor here. You can also search for tours on Klook here, or KKday here. Taiwan foods that we will cover in this blog: 102 Taiwanese Foods that you must try before you die:
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Taiwan fruits are the best. They are one of the main reasons we love Taiwan and have decided to stay in Taiwan for the long term. Although the fruits in Taiwan are highly seasonal, you can always find delicious and sweet fruit here year-round. If you come from a non-tropical country, you have likely been missing out on the full sweet flavor that these fruits are meant to have.
Because there are so many different fruits in Taiwan, we cannot fit them all into this blog. Instead, check out our Taiwan fruit guide here. 2. Mango Ice 芒果冰 (Mángguǒ bīng) 
Mango Ice is also a very popular treat in Taiwan. It usually consists of shaved ice and sweetened condensed milk, mangos, and sometimes ice cream. A bowl like this one will typically cost you 150-200 NT.
Mango Milk and mango smoothies are also very popular in Taiwan. This bowl came from Yongkang Street. 3. Boba Milk Tea 珍珠奶茶 (Zhēnzhū nǎichá) 
Boba Tea is now popular worldwide but it was invented in Taiwan. The balls are made out of potato starch and are meant to be sucked through a big straw and chewed with your drink. Boba tea comes in many different flavors, and our favorite flavors are Brown Sugar Boba Milk 黑糖珍珠鮮奶, Taro Boba Milk 芋頭鮮奶 (pictured above). This one came from Dongdamen Night Market in Hualien.
4. Taiwan Hotpot Buffet 台灣的火鍋吃到飽 (Táiwān huǒguō chī dào bǎo) 
One of the best parts of Taiwan is its cuisine, and one of the greatest forms of cuisine in Taiwan is hot pot. Basically, it involves boiling meat and vegetables in a broth to eat. In particular, all-you-can-eat hot pot buffets in Taiwan are a great way to get full, which can be divided into small hot pots, low-end hot pot buffets, and high-end hot pot buffets.
Check out our full guide to eating Hot Pot in Taiwan here. 
There are also many "small hot pot" restaurant chains that have locations all over Taiwan. But the best are Sanma locations (三媽臭臭鍋) that are in Kaohsiung, where pretty much every location has free rice, soda, and ice cream. The price is only about 120 NT per pot. A typical small hot pot looks like the above, with some places giving unlimited ice cream, rice, and soft drinks.
5. Renwu Roast Duck 仁武烤鴨 (Rénwǔ kǎoyā) 
Roast duck in Taiwan is amazing, and Renwu Roast Duck is the best in Taiwan. Renwu Roast Duck is a delicious roast duck place in Renwu District, Kaohsiung. It opens every day except Tuesday from 2:00 pm to 8:00 pm. You can choose to either sit in the restaurant or get takeout. The wait for the restaurant is usually long, and so is the takeout line. There are tons of people waiting in line for this place every day.
They will cut up the duck for you into slices, and you are supposed to eat it with spring onion and tortilla-type bread. Check out our full blog on Renwu Roast Duck here.
6. Beef Noodles 牛肉麵 (Niúròu miàn) 
Beef Noodles in Taiwan are one of its most famous dishes. It was created by KMT military veterans in Taiwan who came from Sichuan which has a similar dish but the Taiwanese version is less spicy. You usually can't go wrong with this dish and it almost always hits the spot.
7. Pizza Hut Buffet 必勝客歡樂吧吃到飽 (huānlè bā) 
Taiwan's Pizza Hut 歡樂吧 all you can eat buffet is every American pizza lover's dream, at a reasonable price.
Let me reiterate this clearly: Pizza Hut has buffets in Taiwan. For about 400 NT, you can have all-you-can-eat pizza. This is cheaper than buying a small Pizza Hut pizza from their delivery locations. And you can sample all the new weird Pizza Hut flavors without having to buy an entire pizza. Pizza Hut's Buffet is my favorite restaurant in Taiwan, and the world actually. I am a sad American who still loves his pizza more than anything. Pizza Hut has been my favorite since childhood. Sadly, there are no Pizza Hut Buffets in the USA, but there are some in Taiwan. Honestly, it has been a major contributing factor in my decision to move to Taiwan permanently, I visit at least four times a year. The local Pizza Hut Huanleba in Nangang has stood for over 10 years while all other restaurants around it have closed down because it is the best, and people keep coming back. Check out our full blog on Pizza Hut Buffet here. 
One weird pizza flavor (among many) is Boba-flavored pizza. Chiayi boba pizza was originally invented by Boss Pizza. It is only 130 NT and has much more boba per square inch than the Domino's version, so it easily wins the price and texture battle. But it is hardly sweet at all. It’s just a chewy cheese sandwich with lots of boba inside.
8. Scallion Pancake 抓餅 (Zhuā bǐng) 
Scallion pancake is my favorite Taiwanese breakfast food. It is basically a savory onion pancake with egg and / or meat that is fried. It pretty much always hits the spot and will satisfy your hunger.
There is also a very famous place on Yongkang Street that sells it, as do many street vendors throughout Taiwan.
9. Egg Pancake 蛋餅 (Dàn bǐng) 
An egg pancake is similar to a scallion pancake except that the crust is thinner. I prefer scallion pancakes, but egg pancakes are also great and usually come with more flavor possibilities.
10. Pan-fried Dumplings / Potstickers 鍋貼 (Guōtiē) 
Fried dumplings or potstickers are also very popular in Taiwan. They are just pork and fried dough, so I am sure any American would love them at first bite.
11. Boiled dumplings 水餃 (Shuǐjiǎo) 
Boiled dumplings are also one of the most popular foods in Taiwan, and an instant hit with American foreigners. Beidahuang in Nangang serves gigantic and delicious boiled dumplings, just east of Nangang Train Station, with more meat per dumpling than a pork bun. They are the largest boiled dumplings I have ever seen. If you are in the area, this restaurant is worth a stop.
Check out our full blog on Beidahuang here. 12. Fried Rice 炒飯 (Chǎofàn) 
Fried rice is also one of the most popular foods in Taiwan, and one that most Americans should like on the first try. Usually it is rice, spring onions, and egg that are fried together.
The best fried rice I ever had was in Xiaoliuqiu, with this Mahi-mahi fried rice (鬼頭刀炒飯), which was to die for. There was just so much flavor in every bite.
Also shrimp fried rice (蝦仁炒飯) is incredible. The aroma from the shrimp really sinks deep into the rice somehow. Here is Sakura-shrimp fried rice (櫻花蝦炒飯) which is also a Taiwanese delicacy.
13. Egg-wrapped Rice 蛋包飯 (Dàn bāo fàn) 
Egg-wrapped rice is also a special treat in Taiwan, and one that I loved from the first bite. Curry flavor also just makes it that much better, and bonus points if there is actually fried rice inside. This one came from Tainan.
14. Pork Buns 肉包 (Ròu bāo) 
You can never go wrong with pork in buns. The best in Taiwan can be found in Hualien. They also go down great with some sweet soymilk.
Pork buns are also a Taiwanese breakfast staple. It is just steamed bread with pork inside. Bonus if you can find some with cheese on top! This one came from Jinshan Old Street.
15. Xiaolongbao 小籠包 (Xiǎolóngbāo) 
Xiaolongbao is a type of steamed bun that is a bit more juicy and softer than a pork bun. It is also a classic Taiwan food favorite. This one came from Yongkang Street in Taipei.
16. Steamed Dumplings 蒸餃 (zhēng jiǎo) 
There are many other kinds of steamed dumplings. Some are filled with veggies, some with shrimp, and some with chocolate. There is basically an endless variety. One of the most popular steamed dumpling chains in Taiwan is Ding Tai Fung, where the above photo was taken.
17. Matsu Hamburger 馬祖漢堡 (Mǎzǔ hànbǎo) 
The Matsu Hamburger is a popular food on the islands, and is actually called "Jiguang Bread" in Fujian. It was used as food for soldiers because it had a hole in it, making it easy to carry around. It is named after Qi Jiguang, a successful Ming Dynasty General who drove out the Wokou Pirates that had invaded Fujian in the mid-1500s AD. During the fighting, he invented what is now the Matsu Hamburger by commanding his men to make a portable salty bun with flour because he needed to move quickly. Now the people in Fujian all make this "Jiguang Bun" in remembrance of Qi Jiguang who drove the pirates out of Fujian. The bun is also made in Matsu, which was once part of Fujian and has been known to mainland Taiwanese as the Matsu Hamburger. (Read More...)
18. Taiwanese Steak 牛排 (Niú pái) 
Taiwanese steak can be found in almost every night market in Taiwan. It usually includes noodles, sauce, egg, and sometimes soup, rolls, and free drinks. It is a great way to cure hunger in Taiwan. This one was found at Luodong Night Market.
19. Chicken Fried Steak 雞排 (Jī pái) 
Taiwanese Chicken fried steak is one of the night market staples. You just can't bead breaded and fried chicken in flat, portable form. Bonus points if they add cheese or other unique flavors.
This one came from Fengchia Night Market in Taichung. 20. Salt and Pepper Chicken 鹹酥雞 (Xián sū jī) 
This is a popular Taiwanese nighttime snack that uses bite-sized pieces of breaded fried chicken, after which salt and pepper are added. It is hard to resist this cardiovascular killer.
21. Oyster Omelet 蚵仔煎 (hé zǎi jiān / eh ah zen) 
Oyster Omelet is one of the best specialties in Taiwan. It is made out of potato starch, eggs, and a tomato-based sauce. Many places claim it as their own, but the best is found in Qijin, Kaohsiung, because they make it the most crispy, like eating a taco. Please note that this dish is almost always called by its name in Taiwanese: "eh ah zen."
Outside of Qijin, many places will make this dish much more soggy than it deserves, but it is still delicious.
22. Baked Cheese Noodles / Rice 焗烤 (jú kǎo) 
Everything is better when it is baked in cheese, whether it be rice noodles or anything else. In Taiwan cheese is not used often but when it is, like in this dish, it kills. Usually, they will put it in aluminum foil. If baked cheese is an option, always do it.
23. Guandongzhu 關東煮 (Guāndōng zhǔ) / (Kantouchi) 
Guandongzhu is a popular Japanese dish that originated in the Kanto region. It consists of various ingredients such as fish cakes, radish, blood rice, and vegetables, simmered in broth. It's often served as a hot pot dish or as individual servings with skewers. You can often find it at 7-11 or Family Mart too as a cheap lunch option. The large bowl above was served at Tonghua Street Night Market in Taipei.
24. Mongolian Grill 蒙古烤肉 (Ménggǔ kǎoròu) 
Mongolian Grill is not actually Mongolian, it is a form of stir-fry that originated in Taiwan. What happens is they use a large iron griddle to fry meat and vegetables together. Usually you choose your own ingredients and it is served as part of a buffet. It is a fun and delicious meal that is 100% Taiwanese.
25. Sashimi 生魚片 (Shēng yú piàn) 
Taiwan is a tropical island with lots of fishing ports and seafood markets, so it is not hard to find extremely fresh seafood that was caught that morning. Almost every seafood market in Taiwan will also sell fresh sashimi. I wouldn't be caught dead touching the stuff before I left America but now I love it. This Sashimi was bought near Yilan.
26. Grilled Squid 烤魷魚 (Kǎo yóuyú) 
As an American, I still feel like squid is a totally exotic food. Once you get past eating tentacles, squid meat is pretty good, although a little chewy. It also needs a lot of savory BBQ sauce. This one was found at Tamsui Old Street.
Squid also often comes in chopped up form as a dish in many restaurants in Taiwan.
27. Lobster 龍蝦 (Lóngxiā) 
Lobster, the king of crustaceans, is often seen as part of a seafood dinner in Taiwan. You don't want to miss out on this one.
28. Fried Shrimp 蝦子 (Xiāzi) 
Large sized shrimp are a staple of any Taiwanese meal. They are usually cooked with the shell on, so it may take some effort to unshell it before eating. But in my opinion shrimp is exactly the same as lobster, just smaller.
29. Crab 螃蟹 (Pángxiè) 
Crab is also a delicious seafood delight. This one was locally caught at Fuji Harbor.
Crab soup is also a popular snack that you can find at night markets like this one at Keelung's Miaokou Night Market.
30. Clams 蛤蜊 (Gélì) 
Clams are also a very popular seafood dish that you can find not only in sit down round table settings, but also in hot pot.
31. Mussels 淡菜 (Dàn cài) 
The mussels in Taiwan are also usually fresh and amazing. They are considered a delicacy in Matsu, where I took the above photo, but you can find them throughout Taiwan.
32. Stir-Fried Fish 炒魚 (Chǎo yú) 
Fish is one of the few foods in Taiwan that I do not mind seeing a head on. Fish is also required at every Chinese New Year Eve meal for good luck. Eating the eyes is considered helpful to making one smarter. Once you learn to pick the meat off of the bones, eating fish in Taiwan is an amazing experience.
33. Stir-Fry Restaurants 熱炒 (Rèchǎo) 
Rechao literally means stir-fry. So a Rechao restaurant just sells many different plates of stir fried meat and veggies. It is one of the most popular types of dining in Taiwan and also usually involves consumption of alcohol, although I prefer Apple Sidra. Also I should add one of my favorite veggies in Taiwan is bamboo shoots, pictured above.
34. Flying Fish Rice Wrap 飛魚飯糰 (Fēiyú fàn tuán) 
Flying fish rice wrap is also very flavorful and amazing. It can only be found on Orchid Island (Lanyu) off the southeast tip of Taiwan.
35. Mahi-Mahi Rice Wrap 鬼頭刀飯糰 (Guǐtóudāo fàn tuán) 
Another amazing rice wrap is Mahi-Mahi rice wrap which I have only seen sold on the island of Xiaoliuqiu.
36. Purple Rice Breakfast Wrap 紫米飯糰 (Zǐ mǐ fàn tuán) 
Another amazing rice wrap comes from yet another outer island: Penghu. I have only ever seen this kind of purple rice wrap in Penghu.
37. Pepper Buns 胡椒餅 (Hújiāo bǐng) 
Pepper buns are similar to pork buns but they are cooked crispy in a kiln and have more pepper inside them. The most famous ones are the Michelin rated ones at Raohe Street Night Market.
38. Guabao 刈包 (Yì bāo) 
Guabao (known by its Taiwanese name), also known as Taiwanese hamburger, is a steamed bun filled with pork belly, pickled mustard, coriander, and ground peanuts. It is really an amazing taste sensation that you have to try when you come to Taiwan. This one was found at Miaoli Yingcai Night Market.
39. Steamed Buns 饅頭 (Mántou) 
Steamed buns in Taiwan are also a must-have. Often they are eaten plain, but it is popular to add cheese, taro, or chocolate to the bread, and to cut them open and add fried egg.
40. Night Market Bread 夜市麵包 (Yèshì miànbāo)
Taiwanese bread treats, or night market bread, can often be found at night markets but also at most bakeries and supermarkets. There are just a bunch of random shapes and designs and they are usually not too expensive. Taiwanese bread is also usually less sweet than we are used to in America.
41. Coffin Bread 棺材板 (Guān cái bǎn) 
Taiwan Coffin bread is delicious. A Tainan delicacy, which is just fried Texas toast cut open and filled with stew. It is Taiwan's version of a bread bowl.
42. Taiwanese Barbeque 台式烤肉 (Táishì kǎoròu) 
Taiwanese Barbeque usually is cooked on a small, cheap, metal grill and usually involves chicken, pork, sausage, Tempura, and more. The most popular time for barbeque in Taiwan is during Mid-Autumn festival, and it has become a commercialized tradition.
43. Taiwanese Sausage 香腸 (Xiāngcháng) 
Taiwanese sausage is one of the most popular night market snacks. You can find someone smoking sausages in almost every market in Taiwan. It's a simple snack that wins the hearts and wallets of passersby every time.
44. Small sausage in large sausage 大腸包小腸 (Dàcháng bāo xiǎo cháng) 
Another popular night market snack is "small sausage in a large sausage," which is just a regular sausage wrapped inside a sausage filled with sticky rice., making a kind of sausage sandwich. It can also be served with pickles and other condiments.
45. Braised Pork Rice 滷肉飯/肉燥飯 (Lǔ ròu fàn / Ròu zào fàn) 
Braised Pork rice may be the national dish of Taiwan. It is made with just plain white rice and pork belly in a braised sauce. It is on every single menu and is usually the cheapest item, guaranteeing to feed the poor masses. This one was found at Sanxia Old Street.
46. Braised Pork Noodles 滷肉麵/肉燥麵 (Lǔ ròu miàn / Ròu zào miàn) 
Similar to Braised Pork Rice, Braised Pork Noodles are pretty much the same except noodles are added instead of rice, and there are usually more veggies added. Sometimes a braised egg is added to either of these two dishes. This one was found at Sanxia Old Street.
47. Water Spinach 空心菜 (Kōngxīn cài) 
Taiwan's most popular vegetable side dish may be Water Spinach. It goes great with most rice and meat combinations.
Popular alternatives include stir-fried cabbage, spinach, sweet potato leaves, lettuce, and others. 48. Fish Ball Soup 魚丸湯 (Yúwán tāng) 
Taiwanese people love their soup, and most restaurants will have free soup on the side which usually includes spring onions and broth. Fish balls are also popular, seeing as Taiwan is surrounded by the ocean and endless seafood. Fish balls are actually made of processed fish meat and flour.
49. Chicken Fried Steak Bento / Biandang 雞排飯便當 (Jī pái fàn biàndāng) 
I first really began to appreciate Taiwanese Bento (or Biandang as it is known in Mandarin) at this Restaraunt, Dengyuan Chicken Leg Rice 鄧園雞腿飯. There are many amazing rice box (biandang or bento) shops in Kaohsiung. but my favorite is Dengyuan. This is because it is unlimited Winter Gourd tea and soup, the portion sizes are large, and the meat and vegetable choices are amazing. I can truly say this is the place that converted me to Taiwanese food. It was the first time I actually enjoyed eating a biandang.
50. Fried Chicken Leg Bento 雞腿飯便當 (Jī tuǐ fàn biàndāng) 
Another popular variation of bento in Taiwan is chicken leg bento. It is usually the best and most expensive choice of meat you can find. Bonus if it comes with purple rice.
51. Taiwanese Railroad Bento 鐵路便當 (Tiělù biàndāng) 
Taiwanese "Railroad" Bento is one of the best kind of bento in Taiwan. Originating from the Japanese era, these were especially sold on trains or at train stations. Many train stations have their own flavor of bento, and they all taste pretty incredible.
52. Pork Fried Steak and Rice 豬排飯 (Zhū pái fàn) 
Also originating from Japan, pork fried steak and rice can be found most everywhere in Taiwan. It is best if it comes with curry sauce and rice wrapped in egg. It is a delicious meal but can get a bit pricey depending on where you buy it. It is sold in most food courts around Taiwan.
53. Pork Rib Rice Bento 排骨飯 (Páigǔ fàn) 
Pork Rib is another popular meat to go with bento in Taiwan. Sometimes it is just braised and sometimes it is fried. Although it does not usually contain as much meat as its chicken counterparts, Pork Rib Bento is definitely more flavorful.
54. Fried Fish Bento 炸魚飯便當 (Zhà yú fàn biàndāng) 
Fried Fish Bento may be the best flavor of all, and is usually the most expensive. Popular fish types include Spanish Mackerel and salmon.
55. Turkey Rice 雞肉飯 (Jīròu fàn) 
Taiwan Turkey Rice is one of the few ways that turkey is consumed in Taiwan, and is considered a delicacy in Chiayi. However, Turkey Rice Restaurants have sprung up all over Taiwan. The turkey is usually sliced and an oily broth is added on top of rice. Personally I prefer it to braised pork rice.
56. Ba-wan 肉圓 (Ròuyuán) 
Ba-wan (its name in Taiwanese, or rouyuan in Mandarin) is another popular food made from corn starch, sweet potato starch, and rice flower, creating a semi-translucent dough that then covers pork inside. This food is considered a delicacy in both Changhua and Chiayi.
Here is another style of Ba-wan that covers the whole bowl that we bought in Changhua.
57. Fried Octopus Balls / Takoyaki 章魚燒 (Zhāngyú shāo) 
Fried octopus balls are another popular Taiwanese night market snack originating from Japan. The balls are made of flour and chopped up octopus, and are usually covered in mayonnaise and dried bonito. They usually hit the spot.
58. Grilled Stinky Tofu 烤臭豆腐 (Kǎo chòu dòufu) 
Stinky Tofu is definitely stinky for those who have never tried it before. However, the least stinky and best tasting iteration is grilled stinky tofu. This one came from Shenkeng Old Street.
59. Fried Stinky Tofu 炸臭豆腐 (Zhá chòu dòufu) 
The most popular way to eat stinky tofu is fried. This gives it the best texture and helps bring out the flavor more. Usually this type of stinky tofu is served with cabbage or kimchi.
60. Boiled Stinky Tofu 水煮臭豆腐 (Shuǐzhǔ chòu dòufu) 
Another popular way to eat stinky tofu is by boiling it or steaming it in its own dish, or adding it to a hot pot.
61. Dried Tofu 豆乾 (Dòuguān) 
Dried and braised tofu is also a major delicacy in Taiwan, and a popular snack for vegetarians. It is the original vegan meat. This one was found at Daxi Old Street.
62. Gluttonous rice pudding / Wanguo 腕果 (Wànguǒ) 
Another popular Taiwanese snack is gluttonous rice pudding (wanguo 腕果), which is usually eaten with braised pork. It is a unique twist on braised pork with an interesting texture.
63. Cheese Wrapped in Bacon 培根包起司 (Péigēn bāo qǐsī) 
You need to try cheese wrapped in bacon from a night market in Taiwan at least once in your life, but it may be the last meal you ever have. This photo was actually taken six years ago at Qingnian Night Market in Fengshan which no longer exists. No cheesy bacon for you. But you can find crazy Taiwanese heart-attack inducing food combinations at almost any night market in Taiwan. Go explore what's out there.
64. Zongzi 粽子 (Zòngzi) 
Zongzi is eaten during Dragon Boat Festival to remember the famous poet Quyuan. It was said that the local people went looking for him by rowing dragon shaped canoes, and threw sticky rice balls into the water so that the fish would eat the rice and not Qu Yuan's body. Because of this, during Dragon Boat Festival everyone eats stick rice, or Zongzi, and holds dragon boat races to commemorate Qu Yuan's memory.
The difference between northern zongzi 北部粽 (right) and Southern zongzi 南部粽 (left) is southern is boiled while northern is steamed, and southern has peanuts in it. Also southern ones are stickier. This is how it was explained to me by the Zongzi Laoban.
However, both types of Zongzi in Taiwan have hard boiled egg, pork, mushroom, and sometimes nuts. Some really traditional people like to make Zongzi by hand. This is a really labor-intensive process, and involves finding big enough bamboo leaves, buying glutinous rice (糯米) and all the ingredients, tying them up and then steaming them. This can be a fun activity if you have some Taiwanese friends who are into that kind of thing. 65. Alkaline Rice Dumplings 鹼粽 (Jiǎn zòng) 
Another type of Zongzi above is Alkaline Rice Dumplings which are usually sweet and eaten as a dessert. These are made with soda powder and potassium carbonate mixed with water creating an alkaline water, when mixed with rice creates a gelatin-like substance you see above.
66. Stir-Fried Noodles (Chao Mein) 炒麵 (Chǎo miàn) 
Of course, I cannot forget Chow Mien which is another Taiwanese staple, right along with fried rice. Basically, all the ingredients in fried rice can also be added to fried noodles.
67. Large Intestine Noodles / Vermicelli 大腸麵線 (Dàcháng miànxiàn) 
Large intestine noodles are another popular night market food. If you can't take the thought of large intestines in your soup, there are other flavors such as oyster.
68. Neritic Squid Rice Noodle Soup 小卷米粉湯 (Xiǎo juǎn mǐfěn tāng) 
Neritic Squid Rice Noodle Soup is another popular dish. Neritic squid are small squid about the size of a shrimp and are a popular seafood dish. This one came from Keelung near Chaojing Park, but you can find this dish in most places around Taiwan. Usually the pot is full of other seafood and is similar to a hot pot. The squid can be eaten whole except for its spine.
69. Wanton Noodle Soup 混沌湯麵 (Hùndùn tāng miàn) 
One of my favorite dishes in Taiwan is wanton noodle soup. This is made from wantons, which are similar to boiled dumplings, but are a bit more flavorful and are meant to stay inside soup.
70. Guangdong Porridge 廣東粥 (Guǎngdōng zhōu) 
Guangdong Porridge is a rice porridge that originates from Guangzhou in China. It usually includes pork and egg. This bowl came from the island of Kinmen.
71. A-gei 阿給 (Ā gěi) 
A-gei is the most definitive Tamsui delicacy. Lots of shops around Tamsui Old Street sell it. What is A-gei? It is glass noodles wrapped in Tofu, as you can see above. It's pretty good. The tofu texture goes great with the noodles. Many sell for under 40 NT.
Even though it is just noodles and tofu, it's prepared in a special way with fish oil and sweet and spicy sauce that makes it a truly unique Tamsui treat. 72. Water Chestnuts 菱角 (Língjiǎo) 
Water chestnuts are another popular treat. They are usually sold on the roadside or at vegetable markets, and boiled before eating. They can also be hard to open, and sharp. They are scary on the outside but delicious on the inside!
73. World's Hottest Chili Sauce 天下第一辣 (Tiānxià dì yī là) 
I can't write this blog without giving a shoutout to the world's hottest chili sauce. It is best to eat this on a cold winter day or when you no longer need to have your tongue attached to your body. It is hot!
74. Apple Sidra 蘋果西打 (Píngguǒ xī dǎ) 
Apple Sidra is Taiwan's best soda and a staple of most restaurants. It stopped production for a while in 2023 but now it is back on shelves.
75. Vitali 維大力 (Wéi dàlì) 
Vitali is another home-grown soda that tastes similar to Sprite but is yellow. It's a good drink!
76. Heisong Yogurt Soda 活力乳酸汽水 (Huólì rǔsuān qìshuǐ) 
Another amazing flavor of soda that is popular in Taiwan is this yogurt flavored soda from Heisong. It tastes like ice cream; the flavor is very well done.
77. Taisugar Sarsaparilla Soda 台糖加鹽沙士 (Táitáng jiā yán shāshì) 
Taisugar Saspurilla soda is also amazing. It is much better than the Heisong Saspurilla soda and cheaper too. It is the perfect match of sweet and salty. However you can only buy it at Taisugar stores.
78. Wheel Cake / Imagawayaki 車輪餅 (Chēlún bǐng) 
Wheel cake is another Japanese inspired treat that you can find in almost every night market in Taiwan. It is made in a waffle iron and uses basically waffle batter, but filling is added to the inside. Popular flavors include red bean and butter, but good ones will have chocolate, cheese, taro, and Oreo flavors.
The best wheel cake I ever ate had ice cream inside it, from Hongdao Night Market. Sadly the wheel cake truck left one day without a trace. Where are you?
79. Egg Cake / Mahulu 雞蛋糕 (Jīdàn gāo) 
Egg cake is basically waffle but made into different shapes, and sometimes has filling. The best ones I have ever eaten came from Xiaoliuqiu, were filled with chocolate, and shaped like sea turtles that Xiaoliuqiu Island is famous for.
Sometimes they also come in the shape of Spongebob.
And sometimes they come in the shape of Taipei's North Gate.
80. Mochi / Muaji 麻糬 (Máshǔ) 
Mochi comes from Japan and is a glutenous rice cake, known by its Taiwanese name "Muaji" in Taiwan. It is a popular food in Taiwan and considered a delicacy in Hualien. The photo above is Ichigo Daifuku, which is strawberry and red bean paste wrapped in Mochi that makes a perfect combination in your mouth.
81. Tangyuan 湯圓 (Tāngyuán) 
Tangyuan is another popular dessert eaten during Lantern Festival. They are gluttonous rice balls boiled in a sweet soup, and filled with other sweet fillings like red bean, sesame seed, or peanut. The name sounds similar to the name for "union" in Chinese, and symbolizes family togetherness.
82. Taro Ball Soup 芋圓湯 (Yùyuán tāng) 
Taro Ball Soup is another popular dessert in Taiwan, and usually comprises balls of processed taro and raw taro in a sweet soup. Sweet potato, mung bean, red bean, and peanuts are also often added. Sometimes if the broth is made from red beans it is known simply as red bean soup, but soup with taro balls is the best. This one came from Shenkeng Old Street but it is also famous at Jiufen Old Street and other places.
83. Shaved Ice 剉冰/刨冰 (Cuò bīng / Páobīng) 
Shaved Ice in Taiwan is known by its Taiwanese name, Tsooah-bing. This is the most popular dessert in the summer time. The flavor combinations are endless. You can go with this "Eight Treasures Ice 八寶冰" pictured above, which has pinto beans, mung beans, red beans, boba pearls, and different types of gelatin. It also comes with syrup and sometimes sweetened condensed milk, but usually the ice is water-based. This one came from Raohe Street Night Market.
84. Eight Treasures Congee 八寶粥 (Bābǎo zhōu) 
Eight treasure congee is another great Taiwanese snack, made with red bean, pinto bean, mung bean, oats, and more in a sweet soup. It will get you full.
85. Milk Peanut Soup 花生湯 (Huāshēng tāng) 
Another great Taiwanese dessert staple is milk peanut soup. It comes in a can and is good hot or cold. Once you try it, be careful because you might become addicted.
86. Jellied Tofu 豆花 (Dòuhuā) 
Can you mess up a bowl of Douhua? (jellied tofu 豆花) I think it would be hard to do. This is basically just tofu but made sweet like Jell-O. Also, traditional sweet soup treats can be added like taro, sweet potato balls, and peanuts. The best ones are made with sweet soymilk.
87. Fruit Shaved Ice 水果冰 (Shuǐguǒ bīng) 
Even though we already mentioned Mango Ice in this blog, fruit shaved ice is also worth a mention. There are plenty of other good fruits out there. Just check out our Taiwan fruit guide here.
88. Milk-based Shaved Ice 雪花冰 (Xuěhuā bīng) 
Actually my favorite kind of shaved ice is milk-based, and it's not mango. My favorite flavor is chocolate banana ice. Simply the best.
89. Grass Jelly Tea 仙草茶 (Xiāncǎo chá) 
Usually at night markets in Taiwan you will see a stand similar to the one pictured above, that sells grass jelly and brown sugar drink, and you can mix it with Boba pearls, lemon juice, taro, mung beans, and other jellies.
There is nothing like a grass jelly drink to cool you down on a hot day.
90. Moon Cake 月餅 (Yuèbǐng) 
Moon cake is another specialty eaten during the Mid-Autumn Festival. It is made out of an outer pie-crust, and usually has red bean paste and dried egg-yolk inside. The moon cake has special importance because it represents the full moon at harvest time, and is usually given as a gift to friends and relatives.
91. Taiwanese Doughnuts 台式甜甜圈 (Táishì tián tiánquān) 
Taiwanese doughnuts can be found all over Taiwan in almost every night market. The more traditional ones will look like this and be made from kneaded dough. This one came from Matsu.
92. Ox Horn Bread 牛角麵包 (Niújiǎo miànbāo) 
Ox Horn Bread is a popular Taiwanese snack and is a delicacy at Sanxia Old Street in New Taipei.
93. Maple Cream Dorayaki (銅鑼燒) (Tóngluó shāo) 
Maple Cream Dorayaki (Tongluoshao 銅鑼燒) are basically Taiwan’s version of Twinkies. They are not just sold at PX Mart, but many bakeries also sell them.
94. Fried Dough Twist / Mahuajuan 麻花捲 (Máhuā juǎn) 
Muahuajuan is fried dough that is usually eaten sweet but can be made into different flavors. The most popular flavor is condensed milk. You can check out the other flavors above. Muahua is considered a delicacy on the island of Xiaoliuqiu.
95. Taro Cake Roll 芋頭卷 (Yùtóu juǎn) 
Cake rolls are popular in Taiwan, but perhaps the most popular flavor is Taro. These are considered a delicacy in Yilan. They are usually cut and eaten in slices.
96. Taro Cake 芋頭餅 (Yùtóu bǐng) 
Another great Taiwan Treat is Taro Cake. The outside of the cake is made from just taro, and the filling can be meat or veggies. I have only seen these sold at Lukang Old Street.
97. Peanut Ice Cream Burrito 花生卷 (Huāshēng juǎn) 
Another great Taiwanese snack is a peanut roll, which is like an ice cream burrito with peanut brittle inside. This one was found at Jiufen Old Street.
98. Mr. Donut 
Mr. Donut is another great dessert shop that can only be found in Asia. Their doughnuts are more doughy and thick than the normal doughnut.
99. Specialty Oreos 
Oreo regularly comes out with weird flavors of Oreo in Taiwan, such as this Lychee Orange flavor. If you stay in Taiwan long enough you will see many strange flavors come and go.
100. Taro Smoothie 芋頭冰沙 (Yùtóu bīngshā) 
Again with Taro. Everything tastes better with Taro, so why not make it a smoothie. I got this one at Lukang Old Street.
101. Fruit Milk 水果牛奶 (Shuǐguǒ niúnǎi) 
There are many great flavors of fruit milk sold in Taiwan, but the best ones are papaya milk and mango milk. Other good ones are banana milk and taro milk.
102. Soft Serve 雪淇淋 (Xuěqílín) 
There are hundreds of soft serve flavors in Taiwan coming from 7-11, Family Mart, Ikea, Costco, and others. It's hard to keep track of all the flavor combinations, but if you run across mango Pikachu flavor, get it.
Here is some Taro soft serve from Family Mart.
Specialty tofu flavored soft serve from Shenkeng Old Street (it tasted like soy milk),
Papaya flavored soft serve from Family Mart.
Cactus Fruit flavored soft serve from Family Mart.
The most recent flavor I had strawberry milk flavor.
Sweet potato ice cream from Family Mart. It sounds weird but it was not bad.
Peach flavored soft serve at Costco. It was pretty good. The peach flavor was strong.
Bamboo lemon flavor from IKEA. I couldn’t taste the bamboo, but the lemon flavor was strong.
You can check out our Taiwan fruit guide here, our Taiwan Mango guide here, and our Taiwan Dessert guide here. You may also be interested in our blog called 10 Reasons I miss Home as a Foreigner in Taiwan here. You can also check out our full guide to Taiwan here.
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Author 作家I am an American expat who has extensive experience living, working, and traveling in Taiwan. In my day, I had to learn many things about Taiwan the hard way. But I have come to learn that Taiwan is one of the best places in the world for Foreigners to live. This blog does not represent the opinions of every foreigner in Taiwan. I am just trying to help others learn more about this beautiful country. Categories
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