If you ask a Taiwanese person the first thing they think of when they hear Tainan, chances are they’ll say street food. Known as xiaochi, or literally “small eats” in Chinese, street food is considered by most to be the closest thing to Taiwan’s traditional food culture. No matter where you travel in Taiwan, you can see vendors lining the streets hawking their snacks; some more famous vendors have been selling the same few items for more than 50 years! This dedication to their craft means that most locals have a preferred stall for each of their favorite street foods. However, Tainan is by far the undisputed leader in street foods, and locals will travel by train or car from Taipei to Tainan just to get their street food fix. We’ve compiled a list of Tainan’s most iconic street foods as well as some of their most famous vendors to help you eat like a true local on your next visit.

Beef Soup

Perhaps the most famous street food local to Tainan is beef soup, or niuroutang. Deceptively simple, most beef soups are made of a clear broth, ultra-thin strips of medium rare beef, and occasionally a side of raw ginger and soy sauce for dipping. Don’t be deceived by the delicate-looking broth: visitors are always surprised by the amount of flavor Tainan’s vendors can infuse by steeping overnight. Aside from their ability to create unique flavors from such simple ingredients, beef soup vendors in Tainan are also known for keeping strange hours. Beef soup is considered a traditional breakfast food by older generations, and the most famous stalls open anywhere from 4 AM to 6AM. If you want to snag a bowl, you may need to get in line an hour before opening though, because most vendors simply define closing time as “whenever we sell out for the day”. Tainan’s most popular vendors include Win Chang Beef Soup (文章牛肉湯), Six Thousand Beef Soup (六千牛肉湯), and A Yu Fresh Beef Shabu Shabu (阿裕涮涮鍋溫體牛火鍋).

Photo credits: tacototoro

Photo credits: Flickr

Photo Credits: Flickr

Zongzi (Rice Dumplings)

Tainan’s locals are fiercely proud of the difference between their cuisine and Taipei’s, and nowhere is that more apparent than zongzi. Northern zongzi are usually richer and more heavily spiced, but Tainan’s dumpling experts believe in showcasing the natural flavors of the ingredients; Tainan’s zongzi are boiled rather than steamed. Often translated in English as “rice dumplings,” zongzi are made using tender braised meat, mushrooms, peanuts, dried shrimp, and salted egg yolk, all wrapped up in glutinous rice infused with sesame oil and soy sauce. The “dumpling” is then wrapped in large bamboo leaves and tied up with a string. Although zongzi are often made at home to be eaten around the Dragon Boat Festival, locals enjoy them year round for their unique flavors. Northern zongzi are usually richer and more heavily spiced, but Tainan’s dumpling experts believe in showcasing the natural flavors of the ingredients; Tainan’s zongzi are boiled rather than steamed. Be sure to check out Liu Rice Dumplings (劉家肉粽菜粽), popular with tourists; Zai Fa Hao Rou Zong (再發號百年肉粽), or Yuan Huan Ding (圓環頂肉粽菜粽).

Photo Credits: Flickr

Photo Credits: Flickr

Yimian and Yangchun Noodles

Although Taiwanese cuisine is best known for its bold flavors and heavy spices, sometimes less is more. Yimian and Yangchun noodles are two favorite Tainan street foods for those with a more delicate palate. Not to be consumed with their Cantonese counterpart, Yimian are a type of golden yellow noodle created by combining wheat flour and egg yolks. This noodle was actually first made in Tainan, so it’s no wonder locals are so passionate about their favorite vendors! Yangchun noodles are even simpler. Yangchun can be translated as “simple,” and the dish is just that. Yangchun noodles usually consist of plain noodles in a clear broth. Vendors often make small additions, such as green onions or minced meat. Despite the simplicity of these two recipes, foodies each have their favorite tiny stall, most of which have been selling noodles in Tainan for more than 50 years. Feel free to take your chances on different vendors; who knows, you might just find the diamond in the rough.

Photo Credits: Flickr

Photo Credits: Flickr

Photo Credits: Wikipedia

Spring Rolls, Shrimp Rolls and Oyster Rolls

As the title suggests, Tainan’s locals like their rolls. Everyone’s heard of spring rolls, but what about the other two? Shrimp rolls and oyster rolls look much like what Westerners commonly refer to as “egg rolls,” but recipes vary between vendors, with some made simply by tempura-frying a large shrimp, and some made with vegetables and rice noodles. Discerning local foodies say that the shrimp and oysters should be so fresh that they taste “sweet.” As Tainan is located along the ocean, the freshest seafood is not hard to come by. Look for shrimp and oyster rolls at Tainan’s historic Anping Old Street. For those who don’t prefer turf over surf, Tainan’s spring rolls can’t be beat. Packed with a mixture of meat and shredded vegetables, lightly pan-fried, and sprinkled with sugar, spring rolls pack a punch in every bite. You can find the best spring rolls at Jin De Spring Rolls (Kintoku).

Photo Credits: kintoku1954

Photo Credits: kintoku1954

Photo Credits: vacuumorange

Photo Credits: changyisheng

They say you can’t really say you’ve been to Tainan if you haven’t had the street food. Foodies travel to the city just to do street food crawls, which are usually made up of 15-20 stops. So choose a few intriguing options and see for yourself what all the rage is about. Don’t be afraid to stray off the beaten path and hit up that hole-in-the-wall everyone’s lined up outside of. Chances are you’ve discovered a hidden gem.