Lin Ji is also an old brand, located a 15-minute walk from Shuanglian MRT Station. There are two flavors of mochi ice, peanut and sesame, or you can order a mix of both. Mochi paired with sweet condensed milk ice is really great!
Qingguang Market
Qingguang Night Market is located in Qingguang Market on Shuangcheng Street, Taipei City. In the morning, it functions as a market, and in the evening, it transforms into a street filled with various snacks. Many of the vendors have been selling their traditional flavors for over 30 years. This night market is known only to the locals, so if you want to eat like a true gourmet, Shuangcheng Qingguang Night Market is the place to go!
Afu Seafood Porridge
Afu Seafood Porridge is also one of the must-eat recommendations by many foodies at Qingguang Night Market. The seafood porridge is rich in ingredients and delicious, with fresh ingredients. They also sell stir-fried sesame oil kidney, pork liver, pork heart, and red meat.
Grilled Bird Eggs
Grilled bird eggs are essentially grilled quail eggs. The vendor gently cracks open the small eggs and skillfully places them on a neatly arranged iron plate. Once the sizzling sound starts, the eggs are flipped one by one and skewered with bamboo sticks. Adding a bit of pepper salt makes them even more flavorful. Why start with grilled bird eggs when visiting a night market? Besides being delicious, these snacks are light and easy to carry, tasty without being too filling. Most importantly, having a tasty treat in hand calms the mind, allowing you to leisurely explore other foods.
Lai Ji Egg Oyster Omelette
Typically, stalls selling oyster omelettes also sell other items like noodles. The variety can be quite extensive, ranging from plain egg omelettes to those with fresh ingredients like oyster omelettes, shrimp omelettes, crab meat omelettes, or squid omelettes. Although oyster omelettes are also found in Chaoshan, Minnan, and Hong Kong, the preparation methods differ slightly. In Taiwan, oyster omelettes are usually served with soy paste, sweet sauce, or sweet and spicy sauce, and occasionally with bean paste, giving them a rich and slightly sweet flavor. Taiwanese oyster omelettes use local chicken eggs, and if cooked properly, the fresh and sweet taste of the eggs blends into the omelette, enhancing its flavor. Lai Ji at Ningxia Night Market is famous for its 'Egg Oyster Omelette,' and it's said that Mr. Penguin can eat five servings in one go!
Hong Changji Natural Red Bean Curd Pig Blood Soup
Many night markets are famous for their pig blood soup, usually paired with pickled mustard greens and tender ginger slices, which have a lung-cleansing effect. Seasoned night market diners like to have a bowl of pig blood soup after the main course to take a short break.
Fried Dough Stick with Peanut Soup
If it's winter, why not have a bowl of peanut tofu pudding soup, sweet red bean dumplings, or... peanut soup with fried dough sticks. The peanut soup with fried dough sticks at Taipei Raohe Street Night Market is a must-try dessert. Some people like to soak the fried dough sticks in the peanut soup, while others prefer to dip them in the soup. When you take a bite, the fried dough stick is both sweet with the flavor of the peanut soup and crispy with a hint of the wok's aroma.
Xianghe Mango Milk Ice
There are more choices in summer. The fruit ice at Raohe Street Night Market and the old-fashioned ice fruit room at Shilin Night Market are both famous. But the number one in my heart has to be 'Mango Milk Ice'. The slightly sour mango paired with condensed milk and fluffy snow ice creates a perfect combination, making it feel like a taste of a peaceful era.
Yan San Night Market Tofu Pudding Lady
Of course, several old-fashioned tofu pudding shops in the Greater Taipei area are also good choices, such as the tofu pudding at Yan San Night Market and Longtan Tofu Pudding near Gongguan Night Market, which are bustling with people in the summer.
Of course, a few old-fashioned tofu pudding shops in the Greater Taipei area are also good choices, such as the tofu pudding at Yan San Night Market and Longtan Tofu Pudding near Gongguan Night Market, which are bustling with people in the summer.
Raohe Street Night Market is a hub for squid and medicinal cuisine. The most common dish is boiled squid, served in a bowl with mixed sauce, ready to be eaten with a bamboo skewer while walking. If you see a long queue under the arcades on the south side of Raohe Street, it's definitely for Kaga Squid King.
Jurassic Sauce Squid and Beer Snail Specialty Store
Jurassic is a standard izakaya (Japanese-style pub) famous for its sauce squid, beer snails, and sauce squid heads. The squid sauce here is very distinctive, with a spicy and salty flavor perfect for pairing with alcohol. The squid or squid heads go well with the Taiwanese Kaoliang liquor or beer sold in the store. The squid is first blanched and then stir-fried, and the sauce also contains mixed nuts, making the flavor richer and more substantial.
Four-Flavored Seafood Soup
'Four flavors' refers to squid, cuttlefish, oysters, and shrimp. You can order them individually or as a mixed soup. The combination of these four types of seafood in a soup is already special, and the seafood here is particularly fresh. The oysters are especially plump and delicious during the peak spring season. The most noteworthy is the cuttlefish, which is cooked to perfection, making it very chewy and incredibly enticing.
Boss Shi's Spicy Stinky Tofu
The spicy stinky tofu is also worth a try, available in four levels: small, medium, large, and extra spicy, paired with duck blood and intestines. When you reach the extra spicy level, the aroma and umami of the soup are fully brought out, and the flavors of the intestines and duck blood become even more robust. If you love spicy food, why not come and see how Taiwan's 'spicy' differs from Sichuan and Hunan?
Lian's Stewed Pig Trotters
The broth of Lian's pig trotter noodle soup is very rich, but unfortunately, the noodles and pig trotters are just average. What is more worth trying is the garlic pork slices, which use shank meat instead of the more common pork belly. The texture is great, and since the meat is cut into large pieces, it is suitable for takeout. You can eat it on the go with a bamboo skewer.
Mochi Ice Cream Shop
When visiting a night market, it's a must to end with a bowl of ice cream. Mochi Ice Cream Shop is famous in the dessert scene of Raohe Street Night Market. The mango ice cream is drizzled with condensed milk, giving it a rich sweetness, though the mango quality is average. Another signature dish, the King Ice, is generously portioned and very satisfying to eat.
The most famous spot at the intersection is 'Grandma's Rice Ball,' which has been open for nearly thirty years. The original elderly grandma has long since retired, passing the business to her descendants. Grandma's Rice Ball uses the most traditional method for making youtiao (fried dough sticks), paired with pickled radish, pickled mustard greens, and fish floss, without any special fillings. This method is more challenging as the flavor can be off if the filling proportions are not right.
Duck Head Second Generation Braised Pork Rice
This small stall does not sell duck heads, but is famous for its red meat curry rice and egg-wrapped pickled meat soup. The red meat in the curry rice is quite chewy, but not worth a special trip. The real surprise is their egg-wrapped pickled meat soup.
Cai's Jiayi Turkey Rice
Located in the middle section of the night market, Cai's Jiayi Turkey is quite famous. The turkey meat is tender and more elastic than chicken, showcasing the chef's skill. Since turkey meat tends to be dry, some vendors add a lot of chicken fat, but Cai's relies solely on the texture of the meat itself to win over customers. It is firmer and more elastic than regular chicken, yet not too tough, and the sauce complements it perfectly.
Liu Yuzai Fried Taro Balls
Located in the middle of the night market, it sells crispy taro balls and salted egg yolk taro cakes. The taro balls are sweet, and the egg yolk balls are salty. Although there are only two types, they meet various snack needs. The frying skills of this shop are top-notch, making the taro balls not greasy at all. However, I prefer the salted egg yolk taro cakes. The salty taste of the egg yolk and the sweetness of the taro unexpectedly complement each other, offering a rich and lingering flavor.
Douhua (tofu pudding) can definitely be considered a representative of the Ningxia Night Market. The most famous ones here are the traditional Douhua and Douhua Zhuang. However, Douhua Zhuang is not located within the night market but is separated by a street. After being jostled in the crowd for a while, you might want to come here for a short break.
Yan San Night Market
Yan San refers to the third section of Yanping North Road. Yanping North Road is the longest road in Taipei City, passing through the old town of Taipei and connecting Shezi Island. Along the way, there are many delicacies. Taipei Bridge has many historical stories from the past. To the south is Dadaocheng Wharf, which used to be a gathering place for cloth and rice merchants. Today, the lights at the head of Taipei Bridge shine as brightly as before. Several old stalls at the bridgehead are still in business, preserving the authentic flavors, aromas, and warm human touch of old Taipei.
Qiaotou Braised Pork Rice
Braised pork rice is ubiquitous in Taiwan, but Qiaotou Braised Pork Rice stands out largely due to the owner's skilled knife work. The braised pork here is all hand-cut, with a perfect balance of fat and lean meat. The neatly and finely cut pieces of braised pork are key to its great taste.
Shi's Fresh Meat Tangyuan is a beloved shop among local residents. The signature fresh meat tangyuan is handmade by the shop owner, from selecting the rice to wrapping the filling. The outer skin is exceptionally chewy, a result of the owner carefully dehydrating specially selected old glutinous rice harvested in winter. The filling is made from black pork hind leg meat mixed with various spices and fried shallots, following a traditional Hakka recipe. The aroma of the fried shallots perfectly complements the tender filling and the glutinous rice outer skin, creating a wonderful combination.
Next to Shijia Fresh Meat Tangyuan, there is Shanwei Douhua, which is also crowded with people. In addition to traditional douhua, they also sell ice products in summer. The shaved ice comes with toppings like pineapple, red beans, white fungus, and peanuts, and uses traditional black sugar syrup, giving it a deep, sweet aftertaste that is quite charming.
A-Chuan Oyster Vermicelli
Oyster vermicelli generally comes with three choices: oysters, large intestines, or a combination of both. If you want to enjoy both ingredients at once, you can choose the combination vermicelli. The key to delicious oyster vermicelli is, of course, the freshness! A-Chuan Oyster Vermicelli at Ningxia Night Market is famous for its fresh, sweet oysters and generous portions. The vermicelli is cooked in a thick broth made from pork bones, dried bonito, and chicken powder, then thickened with oysters and braised large intestines, making it incredibly savory.
