Tourism in Taiwan is all about night markets and amazing street food. Night markets in Taiwan are venues where you will be able to taste authentic traditional recipes of the land and experience the liveliness of the bustling streets, with vendors voicing their sell. These stunning streets are the right places to satiate your desire to eat and relish food to the fullest. Night snacking is a common habit in Taiwan, and a lot of people—from students to elite businessmen—love grabbing a bite at these fairs. These bazaars are also the birthplace of some famous Michelin chefs. Although the concept is borrowed from Chinese tradition, Taiwanese night markets are famous across the globe. When planning your next trip to Asia, check out our list of the best night markets in Taiwan.
1. Shilin Night Market
Shilin Night Market is not only a very popular night market in Taiwan but also one of the largest—it was first opened about 120 years ago. Due to its historic presence, this bazaar is popular for traditional and authentic Taiwanese snack items. It opens in the late afternoon and stays awake all night. This market comprises of two sections—the durable goods street on Anping Street near Yang Ming Cinema and the food street near Jiantan Metro Station. This fair is also located close to National Palace Museum. When you are at Shilin Night Market, don’t forget to try the stinky beancurd, deep-fried chicken breasts, fresh squid, oyster omelet, pan-fried dumplings, Chinese herbal teas, sausages, fresh local fruits and vegetables, and much more.
Shilin Night Market
Address: Jihe Rd, Taipei, Taiwan
Website: Shilin Night Market
2. Raohe Street Night Market
Raohe Street runs for about 600 meters (2,000 ft) in Songshan District in Taipei, the capital city of Taiwan. This market spans Fuyuan Street to Ciyou Temple and opens in the evening and runs until midnight. This night bazaar is yet another popular tourist destination not only for its wide range of delicious street food but also for its handmade craft goods and traditional Taiwanese items. This is a great spot to go souvenir shopping in Taiwan. As you enter Raohe Street Night Market, you will witness a giant mascot of an owl with glowing eyes. This vibrant venue is famous for winter food like herb-steamed spare ribs, oyster noodles, pork-feet noodles, pepper meat buns, and bubble tea.
Raohe Street Night Market
Address: Raohe St, Songshan District, Taipei, Taiwan
Opening hours: 4pm - 12am (daily)
3. Shida Night Market
Shida Night Market is frequented by the students and expats at National Taiwan Normal University, located close to this place. It is also a popular night market among the locals. The fair has shrunk in size considerably after a number of shops were shut down a few years ago. However, it has not lost its old-school charm, such that even today, people prefer Shida Night Market boutiques when shopping for fashionable and branded products. The bazaar also has a number of cafes and restaurants selling Taiwanese street food. It can be easily accessed from Taipower Building Metro Station Exit 3, which is located at a five-minute walking distance. Some of the notable food stalls are located on the famous Lane 39. The fried chicken and lu wei here are a must-try!
Shida Night Market
Address: Ln 39, Shida Rd, Da’an District, Taipei, Taiwan
Opening hours: 8am - 12am (daily)
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4. Ningxia Night Market
Located at a 15-minute walking distance from Zhongshan Metro Station in Taipei, Ningxia Night Market is known for absolutely mouthwatering Taiwanese snack food. It is yet another place in Taiwan that specializes in oyster omelets. There are also many dine-in restaurants here. This market is located next to the historic Dadaocheng and Dihua Street—popular for street photography. This night market gets crowded easily as the sun goes down and is stuffed with two rows of food stalls with a narrow lane for people to walk through. Other interesting food to try include fish rolls, grilled cheesy scallops, barbecue squid on a stick, and pig kidney.
Ningxia Night Market
Address: Ningxia Rd, Datong District, Taipei, Taiwan
Opening hours: 5pm - 1am (daily)
5. Huaxi Street Night Market
Huaxi Street Night Market is also called Snake Alley Night Market—and as the name suggests, this place is known for cooked snake and snake wine. This spot is also popular for snake handlers and snake-derived medications that are prepared using traditional methods. This is the first night market that was created in Taiwan to attract tourism in the year 1951. It is known for slithering dishes like eel noodle soup and the fresh seafood at Tainan Tantsumien Restaurant. You can also try Taiwanese meatballs, goose, and squid soup at this night fair. Huaxi Street Night Market is located close to Long Shan Temple Station and Bangka (Wanhua) Qingshan Temple.
Huaxi Street Night Market
Address: Huaxi St, Wanhua District, Taipei, Taiwan
Opening hours: 4pm - 12am (daily)
6. Linjiang Night Market
Linjiang Night Market is yet another popular attraction in Taiwan, which is home to about 200 snack stalls selling delicious food throughout the night. This night market is the best place to go shopping and eating simultaneously as it is filled with grocery stores, clothing boutiques, and food stalls side by side. Linjiang is located in a residential neighborhood and is frequented by locals and business people who love to grab some quick cheap food. Some of the unique specialties in this night market include peanut-powdered pig’s blood rice cake, barbecue sausage, Taiwanese hamburgers, oyster noodles, and sponge cake.
Linjiang Night Market
Address: Alley 1, Ln 40, Linjiang St, Da’an District, Taipei, Taiwan
Opening hours: 6pm - 12am (daily)
7. Keelung Temple Night Market
Keelung Temple Night Marker is located in the port city of Keelung and was created to serve the needs of people who come to offer prayers at Dianji Temple. This night market is located amidst the busy neighborhood around the temple. It has more than sixty food stalls and offers fresh seafood. Dingbiancuo is a very popular rice noodle soup in this market. This soup is made with mushrooms, dried shrimp, tiger lilies, oysters, pork shreds, and bamboo shoots. Other specialties are eel stew, Taiwanese tempura, and butter crabs. Keelung is dubbed as pork city, so of course, this night bazaar serves some of the finest pork dishes in the area. Another must-try item is paopao ice.
Keelung Temple Night Market
Address: No 20, Aisi Rd, Ren’ai District, Keelung City, Taiwan
Opening hours: Mon - Sat: 12pm - 12am; Sun: 8am - 12am
8. Fengjia Night Market
Fengjia Night Market is a popular night market among students as it is located close to two major universities—Feng Chia University and Chinese Institute of Technology in Xitun District. Also called Wenhua Night Market, it is one of the most populated night attractions in Taiwan. It is estimated that there are about 15,000 shops and nearly 30,000 to 40,000 shoppers even during weekdays here. You can shop for almost everything—clothing, toys, electronics, CDs, DVDs, accessories, and more. Of course, food is a major revenue generator. At Fengjia, there are numerous stalls that serve a wide variety of snacks from across the globe. You must try the Taiwan fried chicken that is a local specialty, pearl milk tea, combo juice, Japanese chicken ribs, and cheese potatoes.
Fengjia Night Market
Address: Wenhua Rd, Xitun District, Taichung City, Taiwan
Website: Fengjia Night Market
Opening hours: 4pm - 2am (daily)
9. Tunghai Night Market
Tunghai Night Market is popular among students of University of Tunghai, which is located close. This vibrant place is an amazing spot to check out for fashionistas as there are numerous unique stalls located on either side of the streets. There is also a wide range of eateries offering Taiwanese special delicacies like Chinese baked pancake, steamed meatballs, douhua, seafood, chicken-feet gelatin, chicken steak burger, Fuzhou bun, braised dishes, and boiled salty chicken. You can also find Korean-style branded clothing outlets in this night market. As the streets are quite narrow, visitors are advised to opt for public transportation to be free of the congestion.
Tunghai Night Market
Address: Xinxing Rd, Longjing District, Taichung City, Taiwan
Website: Tunghai Night Market
Opening hours: 24 hours (daily)
10. Fengyuan Miaodong Night Market
Miao Dong Night Market in Fengyuan, Taichung District, is another popular night market—next to Feng Chia Night Market. It is located close to Matsu Temple and plays a significant role in the activities and events of the religious venue. This fair was first started by vendors who served people visiting the temple for celebrations. Later the same place became a night bazaar with numerous snack stalls satisfying the hunger of locals, travelers, and students in the neighborhood. Must-try delicacies are fried chestnuts, Chinese meatballs, pineapple shaved ice, and crystal dumplings.
Fengyuan Miaodong Night Market
Address: Zhongzheng Rd, Fengyuan, Taichung City, Taiwan
Opening hours: 10am - 12pm (daily)
11. Rueifong Night Market
If you are hearing a lot about giant takoyaki balls, then you are at Rueifong Night Market. This is a comparatively small night market but one of the local favorites. It is square shaped and looks similar to a big parking lot, with a wide range of food stalls lined up. This night market is located off the streets—hence, there will be no issue of traffic. Rueifong Night Market’s giant takoyaki balls are huge meatballs as big as your fist, stuffed with mushrooms, vegetables, shrimp, and octopus. Other mouthwatering snack items to try are the bubble tea toast and wagyu cubes. The nearest MRT station is Kaohsiung Arena Station, which is reachable in about five minutes on foot.
Rueifong Night Market
Address: Yucheng Rd, Zuoying District, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan
Opening hours: Thu - Sun & Tue: 6pm - 12am (closed on Mon & Wed)
12. Huayuan Night Market
Popularly called Tainan Flower Marker, Huayuan Night Market is not only the largest of its kind in Tainan but also the biggest outdoor market in the whole country. It is located on Haian Road and opens only on Thursdays and weekends. This night market is popular for its impressive range of eating options that will tantalize your taste buds. You will be able to find every type of food you can imagine at the stalls of Huayuan. The local specialties are classic Taiwanese street food that you must try. You will also able to find a number of inexpensive game stalls, fashion and accessories stores, grocery markets, and even stationery stores. Must-try delicacies here are papaya milk, stinky tofu, fried chicken cutlet, oyster omelet, and scallion pancakes.
Huayuan Night Market
Address: No 533, Section 3, Hai'an Rd, North District, Tainan City, Taiwan
Opening hours: Thu & Sat - Sun: 5pm - 12am (closed on Mon - Wed & Fri)
13. Dongdamen Night Market
Dongdamen Night Market is located close to the coast of downtown Hualien. It is known for making the highest record sales in the whole country. An old railway station was transformed to be the Dongdamen Night Market of today, and it is popular for live music shows and events. This lively place was designed to accommodate large crowds, with a modern touch, making it one of the most comfortable shopping destinations in Taiwan. This night fair is known for shops selling unique goods from Taiwan’s coast, gaming stalls, the ecology pond, the tourist information center, and a lookout tower.
Dongdamen Night Market
Address: No 50, Zhongshan Rd, Hualien City, Hualien County, Taiwan
Website: Dongdamen Night Market
Opening hours: 6pm - 12am (daily)
14. Ximending Night Market
Ximending Night Market is a very lively place filled with the aroma of a variety of food options and the sound of live street performances. It is known for uber-cheap fare and, of course, delicious unlimited milk teas. There are numerous restaurants at Ximending that offer inexpensive and comfortable dining options. This is a great spot to go souvenir shopping in Taiwan as it’s lined with a number of stores selling dresses, limited-edition shoes, bags, luggage, accessories, and more. Duck meat, rice noodle, and Taiwanese tempura are must-try food items here. You can reach this night fair via Exit 6 of Ximen Station.
Ximending Night Market
Address: No 127, Hanzhong St, Wanhua District, Taipei City, Taiwan
Opening hours: 11am -11pm (daily)
15. Wenhua Road Night Market
Wenhua Roaf Night Market is a two-land shopping destination spanning half a kilometer (547 yds)—filled with numerous local food stalls. The best thing about this place is that you get to sample the food offerings. An iconic part of Wenhua Road Night Market is Central Fountain. This night bazaar gets alive as the sun goes down and vendors start flocking the street, selling the latest fashion goods and the yummiest local delicacies. Enjoy flavor-filled hot gourmet snacks in this vibrant venue. Blanched prawns, soybean milk, oysters, rice cake soup, wild boar sausage, and more are some of the unique dishes to try while here.
Wenhua Road Night Market
Address: Wenhua Rd, East District, Chiayi City, Taiwan
Opening hours: 5pm - 1am (daily)
16. Ta-Tung Night Market
Ta-Tung Night Market is all about unique snack varieties and seasonal fruits that attract a lot of people to this place. It is a popular fruit street during the daytime and a popular food hub at night. This night bazaar is located along four roads—namely, Fujian, Jhengci, Guangming, and Baosang. Ta-Tung Night Market is also popular for the infamous stinky tofu. Apart from this, you can also relish some bean noodles, duck meat, and rice cake. It is also notable that this is one of the largest fruit markets in the district. Here you will be able to find unique fruits of Taiwan such as sweetsop, Valencia, shaddock, tankan, pineapples, and jackfruit—available at cheap prices during particular seasons.
Ta-Tung Night Market
Address: No 276, Section 1, Linsen Rd, East District, Tainan City, Taiwan
Website: Ta-Tung Night Market
Opening hours: Mon - Tue & Fri : 6pm - 1am (closed on Wed - Thu & Sat - Sun)
17. Nanjichang Night Market
Nanjichang Night Market is small and located on a secluded spot in Wanhua. It gets alive as vendors start setting up stalls in the evening, and then it becomes crowded by night. Although this night fair is smaller in size compared to its counterparts, it definitely puts a tough competition to Taiwan’s other night markets, with its wide selection of delicious food. Must-try dishes are beef strips, rice in sweet pork sauce, red beans soup, fried chicken, pancakes, and of course Taiwan’s signature bubble tea.
Nanjichang Night Market
Address: Ln 307, Section 2, Zhonghua Rd, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City, Taiwan
Website: Nanjichang Night Market
Opening hours: 6pm - 12am (daily)
18. Lehua Night Market
Yonghe’s Lehua Night Market is located on the outskirts of Taipei City and is a colorful place that looks bright like day even at nighttime. It glistens with neon lighting from the shops and food stalls. The delicious food served at the snack stalls will make you want more and more after the first serving. Check out the delectable and unique local dishes like salted eggs, braised meat vermicelli, and seafood. The market is also known for serving international cuisines and a select range of exotic food from across the globe.
Lehua Night Market
Address: Yongping Rd, Yonghe District, New Taipei City, Taiwan
Website: Lehua Night Market
Opening hours: 5pm - 1am (daily)
19. Zhongxiao Road Night Market
If you are looking to taste authentic traditional Taiwanese dishes, Zhongxiao Road Night Market is your go-to destination. With food stalls on either side of the road, this is an open market on a busy street. The scallion pancake, lu wei, braised vegetables and sausages, rice noodles, and more are some of the food to try here. This bazaar is located on a very busy road, which makes it difficult to stand and munch. However, this doesn’t stop people from lining up at this place.
Zhongxiao Road Night Market
Address: Zhongxiao Rd, South District, Taichung City, Taiwan
Opening hours: 2pm - 1130pm (daily)
20. Liaoning Night Market
Liaoning Night Market is comparatively less crowded as it does not have many shopping stores. But there are numerous traditional food stalls that have been serving lip-smacking snack items for more than three decades. The seafood stir-fry stalls are quite popular among the locals. You can also customize your seafood dish and get personalized freshly cooked food. Popular in Zhongshan District of Taipei, this night market is an amazing spot to enjoy Taiwanese specialties.
Liaoning Night Market
Address: Liaoning St, Zhongshan District, Taipei City, Taiwan
Opening hours: 4pm - 2am (daily)
21. Gongguan Night Market
Gongguan Night Market is all about satisfying the food lover in you. This place has a wide range of snack varieties to choose from that can satisfy any foodie. The best aspect of this stunning night market is that these local snack items are available at cheap prices—as the venue is often frequented by students of National Taiwan University and youngsters. Some of the local favorites include da chang bao xiao chang, cuttlefish vermicelli, bubble milk tea, and scallion egg pancake. You can also try the freshly cooked and chewy, soft blood cakes. This night bazaar is located at an accessible distance from Gonguan Station.
Gongguan Night Market
Address: Ln 90, Section 4, Luosifu Rd, Da’an District, Taipei City, Taiwan
Opening hours: Thu - Tue: 3pm – 11:45pm (closed on Wed)
Traveler's tips
One of my favorite snacks where I live is cuapao or gua bao (mini siopao with braised pork, pickled mustard greens, and peanut), and I was not aware that the snack originated in Taiwan, so I definitely had to try it during my visit. This is Lan Jia Gua Bao in Gongguan Night Market. The lines are always pretty long, so I’d recommended visiting after lunch or dinner hours.
22. Kenting Night Market
Kenting Night Market is located in Hengchun Township of Taiwan and spans Kenting National Park to Caesar Park Hotel—for a length of 2 kilometers (1.24 mi). It has numerous pubs and bars that attract tourists to Kenting Party Night. There are also exotic restaurants and souvenir shops that you must check out. The food stalls sell the most delicious grilled scallops and squid, stinky tofu, fruit cocktails, deep-fried milk, and fried noodles in the region. You can even witness people dancing in the street at this vibrant night market.
Kenting Night Market
Address: Hengchun Township, Pingtung County, Taiwan
Opening hours: 5:30pm - 12am (daily)
23. Yizhong Street Night Market
The last night market on this list is Yizhong Street Night Market, located in Taichung City. It is known for its fast-food stalls that serve yummy hot Taiwanese fare. There are also numerous clothing and gaming stalls where you can get things at bargain prices. This is a busy market in Taichung, second to Fengjia, and serves the best milk tea in the city. When at Yizhong, don’t forget to try the taro ice, Taiwanese sausages, and sticky rice.
Yizhong Street Night Market
Address: Yizhong St, North District, Taichung City, Taiwan
Website: Yizhong Street Night Market
Opening hours: 4pm - 2am (daily)
Treat your tummy to the best of Taiwanese cuisine!
Taiwan’s street-food scene is one of a kind in the whole world and a must-try experience. The sounds of people slurping and munching on food, vendors calling out, the clinging of pans and dishes, mixed with the bright neon lights and stove firelights, the aroma of delicious flavor-filled dishes—all of this together is a treat to one’s five senses. Hence, these night markets are not just about getting to know the traditions of Taiwan or its mouthwatering food. It is more of a holistic experience. Satisfy your hunger for lip-smacking food, shop to your heart’s content, check out the tattoo parlors, visit the pubs and bars, dine at exotic restaurants, and fully enjoy the lively Taiwanese life in these night markets.
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