Every city in Taiwan boasts its own night market, each with its own charm, but all overflowing with delicious eats waiting to be devoured. Stepping foot into this bustling haven of food, it’s easy to be overwhelmed – with so much food on offer, what exactly do you go for? For all the foodies out there, make this your checklist for truly unmissable Taiwanese night market snacks.

Taiwanese Pork Belly Buns

Source: insatiablemunch, Flickr

Braised pork belly, pickled greens, coriander and powdered peanuts, all wrapped in a soft steamed bun. Think of it as a Taiwanese take on the classic hamburger. Just one bite is needed for an explosion of flavor and texture in your mouth. Soft, crunchy and savory, it’s definitely a snack you’ll eat more than once while in Taiwan.

Green Onion Pancake

A mix between a crepe and pastry, this simple but delicious snack is the perfect item to whet your appetite. Mixed in are minced green onions for a burst of freshness and flavor. If you’re feeling extra hungry, add a fried egg on top for just a few extra dollars.

Braised Pork Rice

Photo credits: LWYang, Flickr

Simmered & braised pork belly minced and served over a bowl of steaming and fluffy rice. It’s the ultimate comfort food for locals and once you take that first bite, it’s not hard to see why. Portions are small, so is best paired with a side of soup and vegetables – add a tea egg for the ultimate experience.

Oyster Omelette

Photo credits: Ishwar, Flickr

A flavourful mix of oysters, leafy vegetables and starch smothered in a delicious savory sauce. Different in texture to your traditional omelette, the added starch gives the omelette a thick and gooey consistency. Coupled with thick gravy and the crunch of fresh greens, every bite will leave you wanting more. As far as night market eats go, this one is your quintessential Taiwanese snack!

Stinky Tofu

The most notorious night market snack amongst visitors to Taiwan. Cutting through the typical mouth-watering smells of a night market, you’ll suddenly be struck by something very unexpected. Follow your nose for the gold at the end of this fragrant rainbow. Prepared in a variety of ways, fried, steamed or simmered, a bite definitely makes for an unforgettable experience. For first timers, try the fried version of this dish paired with picked cabbage – it’s a palatable route to get you used to the world of stinky tofu. Once you’re hooked, level up with the glorious stinky tofu hot-pot!

Fried Chicken Cutlet

Photo credits: Brian Jeffery Beggerly, Flickr

If you’ve ever dreamed of eating a piece of fried chicken the size of your head, get ready for those dreams to become reality. It’s a popular snack amongst locals and you’ll often see people clutching their fried chicken in one hand, bubble tea in the other. Store-dependent, you can customize with a variety of different spices to compliment the juicy flavors of the chicken.

Taiwanese Sausage with Sticky Rice

Photo credits: Jorge Gonzalez, Flickr

So we’ve already mentioned the Taiwanese ‘hamburger’ let’s move on to the hot dog. Translating Chinese directly into English, it’s simply big sausage in little sausage. Rather than a doughy bun, it’s instead made out of sticky rice, then garnished with pickled greens and sauces. If you’re saving room in your stomach, just grab the Taiwanese sausage on its own to go.

Bawan, Taiwanese Dumbling

Made with rice flour, the dough when steamed is transparent enough to allow a glance at the juicy pork meat filling inside. When served, it’s cut into bite-sized chunks and smothered with a thick, savory gravy. The most famous of these dumplings lies in the old street of Jiufen, a day trip away from Taipei.

Candied Tomato

A classic sweet item seen across many night markets in Taiwan, the option favored by locals are the candied cherry tomatoes. Served on a skewer, this may not be the healthiest option but is for sure a flavor profile many wouldn’t have encountered before. If you can’t get your head around tomatoes for dessert, go for the failsafe candied strawberry skewer.

Fried Milk

For a creamy and rich way to end your night market tour, opt for a stick (or bag) of fried milk. Whilst it might sound strange, the ‘milk’ is more of a solid custard which then gets dipped into batter and fried. Not overly sweet, the size and portion they’re sold in makes for the perfect last course of your extravagant night market meal.

This list gives you the basics, but with the number of night markets across Taiwan, there’s a whole variety of food options to explore. Each night market has its own unique offerings, but these 10 delicious food items make up the foundation and should be found across most locations. Make sure to share with a friend to maximize your stomachs and taste a bit of everything! If you manage to conquer this list and are unsure of what to try next, always keep an eye out for a line-up of people and you won’t be disappointed.