Easy eats, even with kids, abound at Taipei’s major night markets
Taipei. Three main night markets. Endless street food to choose from. Taiwan is all about the food, but every taste and treat points to something deeper: A timeless culture that’s not afraid to change, face the world, or be itself. And for our family of four, a Taipei night market tour helped us get a taste of Taiwan.
Watch this video for our experience touring and tasting at Taipei’s Shilin Night Market
Join us and our kids as we sample a taste of Taipei, along with why a tour can make it easier to find your foodie way as you get started with Taipei’s night markets:
More about visiting Taipei night markets
Taiwan is all about the food, but it’s never just about the food.
Taipei is home to three popular street food markets:
- Nanjichang Night Market: overall less touristy, more local
- Raohe Night Market: Popular, can be more touristed, lots of options, generally considered to be a good value
- Shilin Night Market: Like a street fair of freshly cooked food, shops, carnival-style games, and more
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Tips for visiting Taipei night markets
- When visiting Taiwan night markets with kids, we found it helpful to arrive earlier in the evening when possible. It was easier to keep the kids engaged and wove in naturally with dinnertime.
- Depending on where you’re staying and which night market you’re going to, you may also need an earlier start to get across the city by bus, train, or rideshare. We came via bus, and traffic definitely slowed us down.
- If you’re taking a guided tour and anything comes up, check in with your guide. WhatsApp is commonly used across Taiwan for texting and calls. When we knew our bus was going to arrive late at our meeting point, we messaged our guide so he was in the know.
- Don’t feel like you have to try the first thing you see. There’s lots on offer at Taiwan night markets. It’s okay to get deeper into the market before you visit any stalls, especially since many people will beeline straight for the first stall they see.
- Carry cash. At night markets you’ll typically need to pay with cash, and card payments won’t be an option. Coins and small bills are your friend.
- Prioritize which lines you want to wait in. Some stalls are going to have a line, and it’s probably not going away until the last customer is served for the night. Most lines move at a decent pace, but if you’re keeping an eye on time, it’s okay to pass on busy stalls, or only wait in the lines for your highest-priority eats.
- Share with your group. You’ll keep your appetite longer if the whole group is sharing what you order. Plus, it’ll be easier to try more dishes.
A Taipei night market tour offers a guided intro to Taiwanese street food
We decided to try one out as part of a guided private tour of Shilin Night Market. Our tour was easy to follow, and it was easy to pick tasty treats for us and our kids.
If food is how you like to get to know a country and a culture, Taipei is your kind of place. Come along for our family’s experience sampling Taipei’s Shilin Night Market, and find out how you can use a guided small group or private tour to get the most out of your Taipei night market experience.
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