One of Taipei’s great pleasures is its night markets, which satisfy diners, shopaholics, and just plain curious visitors into the early hours of the morning. Don’t miss these top night markets—ranging in size from a few stalls to major installations covering several blocks—during your next visit to Taipei.
Ningxia Night Market is a foodie paradise, perfect for sampling traditional Taiwanese snack foods in an atmosphere less cramped and crowded than the typical night market (some stalls even have tables). Must-try dishes here include oyster omelets, pork leg rice, sweet peanut soup, and fried taro cakes.
Huge and teeming with shops, street vendors, and food stalls, Shilin is one of Taipei’s most popular night markets—a one-stop shop for clothing, accessories, and street food of all types. Foodies from around the globe come here to sample fried chicken steak (a market specialty), Shilin sausage, creamy cuttlefish soup, and silken tofu.
The Shida Night Market near Taiwan Normal University caters primarily to students and expats shopping for housewares, appliances, clothes, and school supplies, but it’s also home to a variety of excellent sit-down restaurants. Shida is also the place to go for stylish (and inexpensive) clothes by young designers looking to establish themselves in the Taipei City fashion scene.
You might still find a couple of vendors selling shots of snake wine and other such reptilian concoctions, but nowadays Huaxi Street Night Market comprises mostly food stalls and day spas. An enclosed canopy above the street makes it a great rainy-day option.
Lydia Schrandt is a writer, editor, and award-winning photographer currently based in Houston. She’s a contributor for USA TODAY 10Best and serves as the first chair of the Editors Council of the Society of American Travel Writers. Her work has appeared in Draft, Time Out Beijing, Travel+, USA TODAY, San Francisco Chronicle, and others.
