Taiwanese Food: A Beginner’s Guide
From beef noodle soup to bubble tea and the night-market classics — what to eat in Taiwan, and where to start.
Updated 2026-07-10
Dishes to try first
Taiwan’s signature dish is beef noodle soup — slow-braised beef in a rich broth. Also essential: xiaolongbao (soup dumplings), gua bao (pork belly buns), lu rou fan (braised pork rice), oyster omelette, and scallion pancakes. Vegetarians are well served by Taiwan’s strong Buddhist food tradition.
Night markets
Night markets are the heart of the food culture. Wander, follow the queues, and share small plates: fried chicken cutlet, stinky tofu, grilled squid, and shaved ice for dessert. Shilin and Raohe in Taipei, and the Kaohsiung and Tainan markets, are all famous.
Bubble tea and drinks
Bubble tea (boba) was invented in Taiwan in the 1980s and remains a national obsession. Try it with tapioca pearls, adjust the sugar and ice, and branch out into fruit teas and winter melon tea.
Ordering tips
Cash is king at markets; many stalls are cash-only. Point and smile — vendors are used to visitors. Portions are small and cheap, so pace yourself and try many things.