Eat Recommendations
Late-night ramen, market kushikatsu, century-old shops — eating is the fastest way to travel.
Featured
Illustrative Zhong Family Original Shanghai Pan-Fried Bun is a long-running snack stall in Taipei's Shilin Night Market, with more than 30 years of history, specializing in freshly wrapped and freshly pan-friedsheng jian baoin two flavors: cabbage and fresh pork. Each bun costs about NT$20, fried to a golden, crispy bottom while the filling stays juicy, beloved by loyal regulars and tourists alike. The stall opens at 15:00 and closes at 20:00, with Wednesdays off. Its Michelin Bib Gourmand recognition often fuels long queues, making it a coin-purse-friendly must-eat at Shilin Night Market.
Illustrative Lao-Dan A-Zhang Ba-Wan is a century-old snack shop on Chang-An Street in Changhua, near the train station, founded in 1948. It is known for the springy oil-bathed skin, the generous meat filling, and the side options of dragon-marrow-bone soup or free pork-bone broth, and famously appeared in the film 'You Are the Apple of My Eye', which still draws queues of tourists. The dish has also been served at state banquets and remains affordably priced — a must-eat when visiting Changhua.
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Illustrative →A-Feng Floating Milkfish Soup
A-Feng Floating Milkfish Thick Soup is a classic snack shop on Bao'an Road in the West Central District of Tainan with over 60 years of history. The fish thick soup features genuine, generous chunks of milkfish in a sweet, rich broth, often described as silky yet springy. Operating hours are extensive—from 7 AM to midnight—so visitors can enjoy this beloved dish at almost any time. With its consistent quality and fish pieces you can really bite into, it is cherished by locals and tourists alike, and has even been served at state banquets. It is a must-eat delicacy when visiting Tainan.
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Illustrative →Chen Family Shantou Noodles
Chen Jia Shantou Yi Noodles is located near the intersection of Gongyuan South Road and Haian Road in Tainan, close to the Tainan Transfer Station for easy access. This 70-year-old establishment is known for handmade fish rolls, dry yi noodles, and satay braised snacks at pocket-change prices. The setting is simple—most seating is on the sidewalk under the arcade, with red plastic chairs where diners can enjoy their meal while watching the street scene. The shop closes at 2:30 PM, so arriving early is advised. The braised snack selection is extensive, ranging from dried tofu and braised eggs to pig ears and duck wings, all paired with house-made satay sauce for a rich, layered flavor. Whether dining in for authentic Shantou dry noodles or taking home frozen noodles, Chen Jia is a must-visit old shop in Tainan.
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Illustrative →Qilixiang Pan-fried Buns
Qi-Li-Xiang Pan-Fried Buns is a thirty-plus-year snack institution tucked in Lane 385 of Zheng-Qi Road in Taitung City. The signature is a fist-sized pan-fried bun with a crisp golden base and a soft, generously filled interior, made even better with the house sweet-chilli sauce. Braised snacks round out the menu, prices are gentle — a single bun is just NT$25 — and queues are common. The plain shop on the corner of Zheng-Qi and Nan-Jing roads does both eat-in and takeaway.
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Illustrative →Nanbei Dumpling House
Nan-Bei Dumpling House at 117 He-Ping Street in Taitung City has been around for more than forty years. Its oversized steamed dumplings — thin-skinned, bouncy and packed with juicy filling — are the headline act, joined by boiled dumplings, fried noodles, stir-fries and homestyle plates. Orders are taken on handwritten slips, sauces are self-serve, and spice fans should ask for the house peeled-chilli condiment. The two-storey room is often packed; lunch runs 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., dinner 5 to 8:30 p.m., with an average spend of about NT$400 per head.
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Illustrative →Kazier Mahi-Mahi Specialty
Ka-Zi-Er Dorado Specialties at 115 Da-Tong Road in Cheng-Gong Township, Taitung, is a creative snack shop built around the local dolphinfish (gui-tou-dao). The kitchen folds the firm, white fish into classic Taiwanese dishes — dorado braised-pork rice, oyster omelette, fish-paste soup, fried fish cutlets and dumplings — for an affordable, distinctly local menu. Décor mixes old Taiwan with indigenous motifs, and the shop's packed rooms, mentions on the Taiwan Lu-Rou-Fan Festival list and frequent food-show features make it a Cheng-Gong must-try.
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Illustrative →Banyan Tree Rice Noodles
Under-the-Banyan Rice Noodles on Section 1, Zhong-Hua Road in Taitung City has been slinging bowls for more than fifty years. The signature rice-thread noodles come with house chilli oil, golden kimchi, crispy fried dorado and other small plates that locals and tourists love. The roomy interior turns over queues quickly at peak hours; there is no air-conditioning, but the clean broth and old-school flavour more than make up for it — a Taitung essential.
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