Taipei Food and Travel 2026: Day Tours, DIY Tours, Night Markets, Street Food and Restaurants

Taipei Bound at Midnight

After weeks of gloomy skies, flooded streets, and the constant threat of yet another deluge, checking the weather forecast became less about packing an umbrella and more about calculating our exit strategy. Two relentless weeks of rain in Metro Manila meant a getaway was no longer a luxury, it was a necessity for our sanity. We just needed somewhere dry.

Taiwan’s forecast promised sunshine.

So we booked a trip.

Scheduled from August 23 to 28, 2026, our six day, five night adventure became an ideal blend of guided tours booked through Klook and spontaneous DIY exploration around Taipei.

Sunny day, alright and all by ourselves for our first 

photoshoot in Taipei because we arrived early!

The famous rainbow street pavement right outside Exit 6 of
the Ximen MRT station is officially named Rainbow Six. 

As always, we had a detailed itinerary. We had actually plotted it with far more obsessive precision than any of our past trips, treating every detail like a critical escape route. Still, past experience reminded us that no matter how meticulously we planned, sticking to it religiously was a whole other story.

Sometimes you follow the plan; other times, you let Google Maps take over or allow a museum exhibit to derail your schedule. Most often on this trip, however, we simply saw food and forgot everything else.

Taiwan has a reputation for being a premier food destination, and it took no time at all to see why. Eating was not simply something we squeezed between activities. The food itself became the main attraction.

Taiwan's Balimbing, Atis, and Bayabas
(Carambola or Star Fruit,
Sweet Apple, Guava) are huge! 

Our guided tours took us beyond Taipei to places such as Yehliu Geopark, Jiufen, Shifen, Golden Waterfall, Beitou Hot Springs, Yangmingshan, Shilin and more, with food experiences naturally becoming part of those journeys. Then we had our DIY Taipei days, where the MRT became our transportation, Google Maps became our unofficial tour guide and Ximending became our convenient food laboratory.

That combination gave us the best of both worlds.

The guided tours took care of transportation and logistics for destinations that would have required more planning.

Our DIY days gave us freedom.

And staying in Ximending gave us plenty to eat when we returned.

Arriving In Taiwan After Midnight

Our estimated arrival at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport was a little past 1 AM on August 23.

That created one little problem.

The hotel check in time.

Most hotels have a regular afternoon check in schedule, and there was absolutely no way we were going to arrive in Taipei at one in the morning, drag our luggage around the city and then wait until three in the afternoon for a room.

So we booked the hotel from the previous day.

Technically, yes, we were paying for a room before we physically arrived.

Practically, it meant we could check in, drop our bags, wash up, grab a quick nap, and hit the streets completely refreshed. After a late-night flight, that little bit of comfort was worth every bit of the cost.

Taoyuan Airport was relatively quiet when we arrived. There was no daytime airport rush to deal with, and because we had already prepared most of our travel essentials before leaving the Philippines, our arrival process was fairly straightforward.

My painting, "Blue"
was exhibited on wheels in Taipei! 😁😻🙀🐈‍⬛
I had my painting, Blue printed
as a customized luggage cover!

We had purchased our Taiwan eSIMs through Klook before the trip and activated them upon arrival. Having mobile data immediately available turned out to be one of those decisions that you appreciate more with every passing day.

Google Maps became our constant companion.

​So did Google Lens for translating menus and signs.

​Digital pass codes and booking receipts were never more than a tap away.

Mobile data and travel apps may seem like small details when planning a trip, but once you are navigating an unfamiliar city, they become some of the most useful tools in your travel arsenal.

Klook Became Our Travel Toolbox

For this trip, we also used Klook extensively.

We booked our accommodation, eSIM, travel insurance, airport transfer and guided tours through the platform.

Our guided experiences included tours covering Yehliu Geopark, Jiufen, Shifen and Keelung, as well as another tour covering  Yangmingshan, Beitou, Taichu and Shilin.

That turned out to be a practical approach.

Instead of trying to organize transportation between several destinations outside Taipei, we could simply show up at the designated meeting point and let the tour take care of the logistics.

East 3 Gate was the meeting place
for one of our Klook Guided Tours.

You may have your myproGuide
Taiwan Passport stamped on
at the places you will visit

This was particularly useful for destinations where public transportation connections can take considerably more time and planning.

But we deliberately did not book everything as a guided tour.

We wanted to experience Taipei on our own.

And eventually, we did.

Money, EasyCard And Getting Around Taipei

We took advantage to withdraw from the
Bank of Taiwan Yanping Branch
when we visited the Dihua Street Shopping District.

We came prepared for Taiwan's increasingly cashless environment.

Our plan was to use NFC and contactless payments as much as possible. We also brought a physical GCash Visa Card and our GoTyme Visa Debit Card as backups because, for this trip, we wanted to minimize the use of traditional credit cards.

Still, we knew better than to travel around Taiwan completely cashless.

One of our first priorities was withdrawing Taiwan dollars from a Bank of Taiwan ATM, our preferred bank, because it does not charge an international withdrawal fee using our GoTyme Bank Visa Debit Card, though a standard forex fee still applies. 

EasyCard

Then came the EasyCard.

We picked ours up at 7 ELEVEN.

For independent travelers, the EasyCard is one of those little things that makes Taipei considerably easier. It is a rechargeable contactless smartcard used primarily for public transportation, including Taipei Metro and buses, and it can also be used for payments at participating establishments. It can even be used on the Maokong Gondola.

Once we had our EasyCards loaded, navigating Taipei became almost ridiculously simple.

Tap in.

Ride.

Tap out.

Repeat.

Maokong Gondola Ride

The Taipei MRT turned out to be one of the most pleasant surprises of our trip. By our fourth day, we felt confident enough to navigate the city entirely on our own, planning a full DIY itinerary without a tour guide or tour bus. That adventure became the subject of a two-part blog post. In Part 1, we explored Dihua Street and the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. Part 2 detailed our journey to the Wenshan District, where we took a scenic, one-way ride up to the Maokong Gondola Station, took an Uber back down to the MRT Taipei Zoo Station, and then headed off to the Ningxia Night Market. After wrapping up our food trip at Ningxia, we walked out to the nearby Taipei Circle bus stop, hailed a cab to bypass the MRT entirely, and were dropped off right on the street by Ximen Station Gate 6 for a short walk back to Walkers Hotel.

 It sounds complicated, but we pulled it off easily, entirely on our own with a little help from Google Maps, of course.

That was a pretty good indication that Taipei had officially passed our DIY travel test.

Why We Chose Ximending

Welcome to Ximending!

For our Taipei accommodation, we chose Ximending.

Looking back, that was probably one of our smartest decisions.

Ximending is located in Taipei's Wanhua District and is one of the city's most recognizable pedestrian shopping and entertainment areas. Ximen Station connects the Bannan Line and Songshan Xindian Line, giving travelers convenient access to different parts of Taipei.

But transportation was only half the reason we chose it.

The other half was food.

Lots of food.

Ximending is the kind of neighborhood where sightseeing and eating naturally happen at the same time. Walk a few minutes and you can find bubble tea, noodles, dumplings, fried chicken, desserts, hotpot, traditional Taiwanese comfort food and plenty of street snacks.

The district itself has an interesting history.

The Red House

Ximending developed as an entertainment district during the Japanese colonial period, with the Red House becoming one of its most recognizable landmarks. The Red House was completed in 1908 as a public market and later served various functions including a bookstore, cinema and theater. Today, it is a cultural and creative venue.

That mixture of old and new is very much part of Ximending's personality.

Historic buildings stand alongside neon signs.

Traditional food shops operate beside modern cafés.

"If You Like, Give Me Money."

Busking and street performance culture are 

defining elements of the vibrant, 

energetic atmosphere in the Ximending 

Pedestrian Zone of Taipei.

Street performers entertain crowds while shoppers move through the pedestrian streets.

And somewhere in between all of that, there is always something to eat.

Walker Hotel Ximen: Our Practical Home Base

We stayed at Walker Hotel Ximen, conveniently located near Ximen MRT Station Exit 6.

That location worked beautifully for us.

After spending the day on a guided tour somewhere outside Taipei, we could return to Ximending, drop our bags and still have an entire neighborhood waiting outside.

On our DIY days, it was even more convenient.

We could walk out of the hotel and immediately start exploring.

The hotel itself was practical rather than extravagant, which suited the way we traveled. The room had the essentials we needed, including air conditioning, Wi Fi, television, refrigerator, electric kettle and spacious private bathroom.

There was also a laundry facility.

And yes, we used it.

Free 7 in 1 Laundry Pods!

This is a good Philippine brand that we use,
BestLab's 3 in 1 Action Detergent Pods

August in Taipei usually means sticky heat, but with afternoon downpours, having access to laundry was a lifesaver. A quick run to the hotel laundry area meant washing and drying were hassle-free. Best of all, with complimentary laundry pods provided, we unbelievably managed to fly home with completely fresh clothes.

Best of all, there was also a reception area with coffee, tea and water.

Free coffee, chocolate drink, tea and bottled water.

Free use if the microwave oven.

Nothing complicated.

Just useful things that make a traveler's life easier like the free use of their microwave oven for takeout food and a luggage scale.

And that was exactly what we needed because we were not in Taiwan to stay inside the hotel.

We were there to explore.

And eat.

Our Klook Guided Tours vs. DIY Tours

The beauty of our itinerary was the contrast between guided and DIY travel.

Our Klook day tours took us out of Taipei’s dense urban core and into some of northern Taiwan's most iconic spots. 

​Our first tour delivered a mix of dramatic landscapes and culture. Yehliu Geopark showcased stunning coastal rock formations, while Jiufen charmed us with its atmospheric mountain lanes and teahouses. We admired the shimmering cascade of the Golden Waterfall and wrapped up in Shifen, experiencing the historic railway town and sending our wishes up during the famous sky lantern tradition.

It rained hard in the afternoon when we were in
 Yehliu Geopark but the tourism was going strong!

Sculpted by thousands of years of ocean waves,
coastal winds, and geological shifts, the famous sandstone
pillars of Yehliu Geopark rise along the New Taipei
coast in striking mushroom-like forms.

Sky lanterns inscribed with personal 

wishes rise directly from the bustling train 

tracks, defining the iconic charm of Shifen Old Street.

Famous for inspiring the mystical town in Hayao Miyazaki’s
 Spirited Away, Jiufen draws travelers to its lantern-lit
 alleyways, where the intricate, multi-story wooden facade of
 A-Mei Tea House mirrors the magical allure of the film.

Chasing waterfalls and making memories
at the "Little Niagara of Taiwan," the Shifen Waterfall. 

Sizzling, sweet, and savory: Freshly grilled Bakkwa
(pork jerky) at Shifen Waterfall!

Our second tour took a greener, more relaxing turn toward Yangmingshan and the thermal valley of Beitou Hot Springs, before bringing us back to the city to dive into the energetic Shilin Night Market.

Naturally heated rock baths at Beitou’s "Worry-Free Brook" in Taiwan! These stone benches right outside Thermal Valley are warmed by the hot springs underneath. It's the perfect spot to sit back, absorb the natural thermal energy, and enjoy the relaxing view.

The historic washing and shower station inside the Beitou Hot Spring Museum in Taipei. Opened by the Japanese colonial government in 1913 as the Hokutō Public Bathhouse, it was once the largest public bathing facility in East Asia.

The Gender Divide: While built as a respectable public sanitation facility, it featured strict gender inequality. The grand, Roman-style main pool was reserved exclusively for men, while women were restricted to a much smaller, private bathroom tucked away in the back.

Though this public bathhouse was state-run,
the surrounding Beitou valley famously
grew into a vibrant, upscale entertainment
and red-light district. Private hot spring inns
throughout the neighborhood employed
geishas and licensed hospitality workers
until the industry was officially banned in 1979.

Guided Tour Group Lunch

By day four, we had gained the confidence to venture out independently, and our pace changed completely.

Instead of following a tour schedule, we could decide where to go, how long to stay and, most importantly, where to eat.

That flexibility made the DIY portion particularly enjoyable.

We were no longer simply tourists moving from one attraction to another.

We were exploring.

And food became one of our best reasons to wander.

Ximending Food Scene, Night Markets, Street Food, Underground Foodcourts, Buffet, groceries, and more!

I would not call it a structured food crawl, and we definitely spread our eating over several days rather than tackling it all at once. The Ximending food scene was massive, and a few spots were so good we had to visit more than once.

There was no carefully arranged sequence of restaurants.

We simply had a list of places we wanted to try, recommendations from other people and plenty of opportunities to discover something along the way.

Some food stops were famous.

Some were recommended.

Some were simply convenient.

And a few surprised us.

That is what made it fun.

Xing Fu Tang And The 18 Stir Rule

Xing Fu Tang was one of the first places that caught our attention.

The brand is particularly known for its Brown Sugar Boba Milk, featuring handmade brown sugar boba, whole milk, milk foam and torched brown sugar.

What makes the drink entertaining is that the preparation is part of the experience.

The brown sugar boba is cooked and caramelized, then combined with milk and finished with a layer of torched brown sugar.

There is also an 18 stir instruction associated with the drink.

We were not given that instruction during our first visit, or we were not paying attention.

So naturally, we did not stir it properly.

And our first experience was not exactly spectacular.

The drink was lukewarm, and the flavors did not come together as nicely as expected.

But the story did not end there.

We came back.

And then we came back again.

We also received fans for following the shop and stickers equivalent to our purchases.

Brought home a little piece of Taipei to Manila! 🪭
These cute Xing Fu Tang fans and stickers made it back
as the ultimate sweet souvenirs. Yes, we can easily grab
our brown sugar fix at Greenhills Promenade, but these specific
freebies are exclusively given out at their Taipei branches.🧋

Located on the very same street as our hotel and the famous Ay Chung Flour Rice Noodle, Xing Fu Tang caught our attention immediately.

​We had heard about it before, but watching the constant, steady queue wrapped around the corner day in and day out made it impossible to resist.

Back home in Manila, the original branch at The Podium had already closed, leaving the location at Greenhills Promenade as the sole spot to get it.

​Yet, standing right there in Ximending was where we finally gave in and ordered our very first cup.

 

It earned its spot on our personal list of favorite milk tea brands in Manila alongside Chatime, Imperial Macao, Gong Cha, and CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice. It stands proudly right next to Serenitea, the country's pioneering homegrown brand that started the local milk tea craze.

​Trying it fresh at the source in Ximending made the experience even more special.

Ay Chung Flour Rice Noodle

If there is one Ximending food stop that seems almost impossible to avoid, it is Ay Chung Flour Rice Noodle. It was practically on our doorstep, located on the exact same street as both our hotel and Xing Fu Tang.

Established in 1975, Ay Chung is famous for its thickened flour rice noodles served with pork intestines and a savory broth. It has become one of the district's most recognizable food institutions.

And yes, there is usually a queue.

 

​But this is not the kind of restaurant where people sit comfortably for an hour discussing the menu.

​The experience is fast and straightforward.

​Order.

​Get your bowl.

​Find a spot.

​Eat.

​Move.

​Or in our case, take it home to the hotel.

 

​The standing-only setup is actually part of its unique character. We stood and ate there the first time, but succeeding runs were all takeout so we could enjoy our noodles in our room, which was literally just a few steps away from the store.

The noodles are soft and slippery, the broth is savory and slightly thick, and the pork intestines add the texture and flavor that distinguish the dish.

It is not fancy.

It does not need to be.

This is the kind of food that works because it is simple, fast and deeply associated with the neighborhood.

Lao Shan Dong Homemade Noodles

Lao Shan Dong was a different noodle experience altogether.

Located in an underground food court, the restaurant has been building its reputation since 1949. Michelin describes its beef broth as being slow cooked with beef bones and a blend of ten Chinese herbs, served with hand pulled ribbon noodles. The restaurant is also recognized by Michelin with a Bib Gourmand distinction.

We ordered Beef and Tendon Noodles and Chive and Pork Dumplings.

The beef and tendon combination was exactly the kind of meal you want after a long day of walking.

The broth had depth.

The beef was tender.

The tendon provided that soft, gelatinous texture that makes tendon lovers happy.

Then there were the noodles.

Hand pulled and satisfyingly chewy, they gave the bowl a texture that packaged noodles simply cannot reproduce.

The dumplings were equally enjoyable, particularly with the chive and pork filling.

What I liked about Lao Shan Dong was that it felt like a real meal rather than simply a famous tourist food stop.

It had history, character and substance.

And being underground somehow made the experience even more interesting.

There were plenty of other restaurants to try at the B1 Food Court, but we had limited time to check them all out.

Lia Lia Crispy Milk Donut

Not every famous food becomes a personal favorite.

We were recommended Lia Lia Crispy Milk Donut, so naturally we tried it.

The concept is straightforward and very Taiwanese street snack in spirit.

Fried dough.

Crispy outside.

Soft inside.

Sugar and milk powder on top.

It was not bad.

Actually, it was perfectly decent.

But for us, it did not quite reach the level of “we have to come back tomorrow.”

That happens.

Food is personal.

A snack can be hugely popular and still not become your favorite.

We tried it, gave it a fair chance and moved on to the next craving.

That is one advantage of exploring a food heavy neighborhood like Ximending.

There is always another option.

Wang Fu Taro Balls

After savory food, Taiwan's dessert culture deserves attention.

Wang Fu Taro Balls was one of the places we visited for traditional Taiwanese style desserts featuring familiar favorites such as taro balls, grass jelly and shaved ice.

Taro balls are particularly fun because of their chewy texture. Combined with cold shaved ice, grass jelly and sweet toppings, they create a dessert that is refreshing without being overwhelmingly heavy. 

​Mountain Tofu Dessert

While the taro ball dessert in Ximending was a fantastic start, this discovery in the mountains easily took the crown as my ultimate favorite dessert of the entire trip.

​Mountain Tofu Dessert is a popular traditional shop located near the Maokong Gondola Station in the Wenshan District, famous for its handmade tofu pudding and warm mochi.

​We stopped by right after taking our scenic, one-way ride up on the cable car.

​Their Pineapple Shaved Ice is pure bliss, but their Brown Sugar Shaved Ice loaded with three custom toppings was unforgettable.

A bowl piled high with chewy taro balls, crunchy peanuts, and sweet pineapple created the perfect blend of textures.

​Savoring that delightfully refreshing treat while soaking in the cool mountain breeze and stunning scenery made for a memorable photo session.

​It was the absolute cherry on top to end our cable car ride.

​Once we finished every last bite, we called an Uber back down to the MRT Taipei Zoo Station and headed off to Ningxia Night Market for dinner.

The Stinky Tofu We Did Not Eat in Ximending 

After securing the legendary Hot Star Large Fried Chicken on the streets of Shilin Night Market, we knew exactly what was missing. Because rice is life, we smuggled our chicken down into the air-conditioned Underground Food Court to enjoy it the right way! Pairing that giant, crispy, savory cutlet with garlic rice was a total game-changer. 

"Pabili po."

Rain or shine, the food hunt never stops.
There were so many incredible street food stalls outside
that we would’ve loved to try, but the rain had other plans!
Instead, we grabbed some Hot Star large fried chicken
to take downstairs and ducked into Shilin’s
air-conditioned underground food court to finish
 our feast, especially the rice! 🍗🍚

The restaurant where we ordered
the beef tendon noodles and xiao long bao.

The Garlic Fried Rice with Egg paired
with the Hot Star large fried Chicken. Perfect!

The Hot Star Large Fried Chicken

While downstairs, we turned it into a full-on feast! We ordered comforting bowls of rich beef and tendon noodles and baskets of steaming xiao long bao. But the absolute highlight of the night? We finally built up the courage to try stinky tofu! We didn’t dare touch it when we smelled it in the streets of Ximending, but we finally braved it in the food court. Honestly, it’s still pretty funky, but nowhere near as bad as it smells! Respect!

Shilin food crawl: successfully conquered!

Popcorn Chicken King

Then there was Popcorn Chicken King.

You really cannot miss it.

The brightly lit glass displays filled with skewered and deep fried food practically demand attention.

Taiwanese fried food is a whole category of its own, and places like this turn the experience into a visual feast before you even order.

The appeal is partly the variety.

You can look through the display, point at what looks interesting and let your appetite make the final decision.

It is the kind of food experience that works particularly well when you are wandering around without a strict itinerary.

See something interesting.

Stop.

Eat.

Continue walking.

That became something of a pattern for us.

Tian Tian Li Delicacies

Tian Tian Li is another Ximending institution known for classic Taiwanese comfort food.

The restaurant is particularly associated with dishes such as braised pork rice, radish cake and oyster omelette. It has remained a popular stop for both visitors and diners looking for familiar Taiwanese dishes.

Radish Cakes and Sunny Side Up Eggs

We ordered the braised pork rice and radish cake.

I would normally have been very tempted by the oyster omelette.

Unfortunately, I had recently developed an allergic reaction to my favorite oyster.

That was painful in more ways than one.

Imagine being in Taiwan, surrounded by oyster dishes, and having to say no.

So the oyster omelette had to stay off the table.

Take Out Food

We decided to take our food back to the hotel instead because there were plenty of customers and limited seating.

Honestly, that worked out fine.

The braised pork rice and radish cake made a perfectly satisfying hotel meal.

Sometimes travel dining does not have to involve a beautiful restaurant table.

Sometimes the best setup is simply opening a takeout box after a long day and eating in your room while scrolling through the photos you took that day.

Mala Hot Pot: My Personal Favorite

 

🍲 Mala Hot Pot in Ximending, Taipei is a must-visit! Come for the epic buffet, stay for the unlimited Häagen-Dazs ice cream with tons of flavors to choose from, and free-flowing alcoholic drinks! From Taiwan Beer and Heineken to Whiskey, Rum, Soju, and mixed cocktails, they have it all! 🍨🍻🥃

Digital dining at its finest! At Mala Hot Pot, ordering
premium meats like Angus Beef and U.S. Prime Chuck is
seamless. You simply scan the QR code assigned to your table,
in our case, table B6, to browse the menu andadd fresh,
prime cuts straight to your cart from your phone.

And then there was Mala Hot Pot.

Finally.

A buffet.

This was my personal favorite among the restaurants we tried in Ximen.

Mala's hotpot concept gives diners a massive selection of ingredients, including various meats, seafood, veggies, dumplings, hotpot balls, and noodles. And let's not forget the wide range of condiments you can mix and match. Suffice it to say, my Pinay Sawsawera Heart felt at home.

But what really won me over was the dessert section.

There were multiple ice cream choices, including Häagen Dazs, along with other sweets and drinks.

There were also alcoholic beverages available during our visit.

So yes, we went from boiling meat in hotpot broth to eating premium ice cream.

That is a perfectly reasonable progression.

At least in my travel logic.

What made Mala especially enjoyable was the freedom to try different combinations without committing to one dish.

Hotpot is already interactive dining, but the buffet format turns it into an entire meal adventure.

Choose.

Cook.

Eat.

Repeat.

Then dessert.

Then more dessert.

And maybe one more scoop because you are technically already there.

Of all the Ximending food experiences, this was the one I would most happily repeat.

Spicy hot pot calls for a serious cool down. 🌶️🍦
Kept it to one scoop each of green teaand strawberry
because the dessert station has way too many other flavors
waiting for round two, and three, and four. 😁🍦🍨

Ningxia Night Market

The neon lights of Taipei were just starting to hum to life as the evening heat began to settle. 

The immediate sights and sounds of the bustling Datong District made it clear this was not a mere tourist stop because it truly felt like the vibrant heart of the local neighborhood. Standing tall at the entrance, a landmark stone pillar monument welcomed hungry visitors to what locals affectionately call the Stomach of Taipei, the Ningxia Road Night Market.

Walking into the market lane, the atmosphere became a lively mix of everyday city life and sensory overload. On one side, the bright yellow sign of a 24-hour neighborhood grocery store glowed under the evening sky, its shelves packed with household goods just steps away from sizzling food stalls. The aroma of rich broths, grilled skewers, and sweet treats immediately filled the air, which drew a diverse crowd of locals finishing their workdays and travelers eager for their first bite.

Wandering deeper into the vibrant crowd, another stall demanded a stop. A massive, steaming vat of mian xian, which consists of oyster and large intestine flour rice noodles, burbled under the stall lights. While it closely resembled the famous Ay-Chung variant over in Ximending, this version featured a noticeably deeper and darker broth rich with soy sauce. It came overloaded with generous layers of toppings, giving the traditional comfort food an extra savory depth. Ladled into a piping hot bowl, each spoonful of the thick, silky noodles offered a perfect contrast to the next sweet stop just down the lane.

Nearby, the famous peanut ice cream roll station caught our attention. Watching the vendor hand-shave a giant block of crisp peanut candy onto a delicate crepe skin felt like witnessing a local art form. With scoops of traditional ice cream neatly bundled inside the roll, the first bite offered a perfect, nostalgic contrast of cold, sweet, and crunchy textures, which was the ultimate reward after a spicy bowl.

Yet, the true culinary core of the night market revealed itself through a succession of legendary stalls highlighted by the prestigious red Michelin Guide emblem. The first of these high-status stops was Yuan Huan Pien Oyster Omelette, an institution that has been perfecting its craft since 1965. Joining the fast-moving queue, we watched the chef ladle fresh, plump oysters sourced from southern Taiwan onto a screaming hot flat-top grill. Poured over with a chewy sweet potato starch batter and whole eggs, the edges fried to a delicate, lacy crisp while the center remained luxuriously custardy. Drenched in a signature sweet and savory red sauce, the finished plate offered a beautiful harmony of briny oceans, charred edges, and pillowy textures.

Just a short walk down the row at stall 60, the unassuming neon sign of Fang Chia Chicken Rice called to us. This minimalist stall commands massive respect among local foodies for its unpretentious, flawless execution of traditional comfort food. Served in small bowls, the shredded poached chicken was meticulously stacked over perfectly glossy, hot short-grain rice. Glazed with aromatic chicken schmaltz and a masterfully calibrated splash of premium soy sauce, every grain of rice absorbed the deeply savory essence of the bird. It was surprisingly simple yet profoundly addictive, creating a silky and lip-smacking finish that vanished within seconds.

The grand finale of our tour arrived at Liu Yu Zi at stall 91, a legendary spot wrapped in a dense, tantalizing cloud of sweet taro aroma. Peering past the heavy crowd, we watched the master vendor at work executing a rhythm perfected over generations. He scooped perfectly rounded balls of smooth, purple taro paste, deftly stuffed them with a rich, golden center of salted duck egg yolk alongside a generous helping of savory pork floss, and dropped them into a massive, bubbling vat of hot oil. They fried until they expanded into beautifully blistered, golden-brown spheres that were scooped into a wire basket to drain.

Biting into one fresh from the fryer was a true revelation of textures and contrasting local flavors. The exterior was shatteringly crisp, giving way instantly to a warm, velvety, and naturally sweet taro interior. Just as the sweetness coated the palate, the deeply savory, melt-in-your-mouth pork floss and the rich, velvety saltiness of the egg yolk burst through. It was an absolute masterclass in Taiwanese flavor balancing where the sweet, salty, creamy, and crunchy elements were tightly packed into one perfect, comforting street snack that closed out our unforgettable night at Ningxia Night Market.

With full stomachs and a phone full of memories, it was finally time to head back. Standing at the nearby bus stop, a quick check of the routes revealed there was no direct bus trip back to Ximending for the late hour. Pivoting to a backup plan, a traditional local cab was hailed right from the street. Unlike previous Uber rides where digital GCash payments kept things seamless, this ride meant counting out physical cash, which served as a fittingly traditional end to an authentic night out. The metered fare was NT$ 149 inclusive of the NT$ 85 flag down fee, which was completely worth it for the convenience it gave the two of us as passengers. Instead of taking the taxi all the way to the hotel doors, we opted to be dropped off on the street near gate 6 of Ximending Station, because we still had plenty of energy left to walk the remaining distance while strolling and enjoying the electric Ximending night buzz.

Six Days, Plenty Of Food And A Lot Of Walking

Our Taiwan trip started because we were tired of the persistent rain back home in the Philippines. It ended with us realizing that what we really needed was not just clearer skies, but a complete change of scenery.

​And Taiwan delivered.

​Across our journey, we took in the dramatic coast of Yehliu, the lantern-lit lanes of Jiufen, the soaring sky lanterns of Shifen, the shimmering Golden Waterfall, the tranquil hot springs of Beitou, the mountain vistas of Yangmingshan, and the electric energy of Taipei.

​Yet some of our fondest memories were not tied to grand landmarks. They belonged to the food.

​A warm bowl of noodles. A rich cup of brown sugar boba. A steaming plate of braised pork rice. Delicate dumplings. Cold shaved ice after walking under the midday heat. A hotpot buffet that quickly became my personal highlight.

​Food crawls through the bustling night markets of Ningxia, Shilin, and Ximending added an entirely new dimension to our journey. Even stinky tofu, which we hesitated to try in Ximending before finally braving it in Shilin, earned its place in our story.

​That is the magic of travel. You can carefully map out every destination, but you can never script the experience itself. The richest moments often arise from taking a wrong turn, arriving earlier than expected, lingering a little longer, or simply following your appetite.

​Our debut in Taiwan became a seamless blend of structured tours, DIY exploration, quick MRT rides, endless walking, and spontaneous detours. It reminded us that independent travel does not mean doing everything without support. Thorough preparation sets the stage. A reliable booking platform simplifies the logistics. Constant connectivity keeps you moving smoothly. An EasyCard makes transit effortless. Supportive shoes are non-negotiable. And choosing the right home base changes everything.

​For us, that home base was Ximending.

​It served as our launchpad for exploring Taipei and our comforting sanctuary at the end of every long day. Most of all, it placed a world-class culinary landscape directly outside our doorstep, offering something incredible to taste with every step.

​Perhaps that is the true reward of stepping out into the world. You leave home expecting to see new places, only to return with a treasure trove of moments you never knew you were searching for.

​Until our next travel and food adventure!

Take home goodies!