ExploFood · Asia
What to eat in Taiwan
Five dishes to try in Taiwan, the most typical first. Two are vegetarian.
Five dishes to try in Taiwan
Beef noodle soup 牛肉麵
Wheat noodles in a rich braised-beef broth with tender shank and pickled greens.
How to have it: Taipei has shops devoted to it; choose red-braised (hongshao) or clear broth.
Lu rou fan 滷肉飯
Rice topped with soy-braised minced pork belly.
How to have it: A cheap everyday bowl at small eateries; add a braised egg and a side of greens.
Oyster omelette 蚵仔煎
Small oysters in egg and sweet-potato starch batter, topped with a sweet red sauce.
How to have it: A night-market classic; Shilin and Raohe markets in Taipei are good places to try it.
Stinky tofu 臭豆腐
Fermented tofu, deep-fried or stewed, with a pungent smell and mild taste.
How to have it: Follow the smell at night markets; the fried version with pickled cabbage is the easiest start.
Bubble tea 珍珠奶茶
Sweet milk tea with chewy tapioca pearls, served cold.
How to have it: Invented in Taiwan; chain stalls let you set sugar and ice levels, so try half sugar.
What to eat next door
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Questions
What food is Taiwan famous for?
Beef noodle soup (wheat noodles in a rich braised-beef broth with tender shank and pickled greens) comes first on our list, followed by Lu rou fan, Oyster omelette, Stinky tofu and Bubble tea.
What is the national dish of Taiwan?
Ask ten people and you get several answers. The dish we put first for Taiwan is Beef noodle soup: wheat noodles in a rich braised-beef broth with tender shank and pickled greens. Taipei has shops devoted to it; choose red-braised (hongshao) or clear broth.
Which dishes in Taiwan are vegetarian?
Two of the five on this page are vegetarian as usually made: Stinky tofu and Bubble tea. Recipes vary, so ask about stock, lard or fish sauce.
What street food should I try in Taiwan?
Oyster omelette (small oysters in egg and sweet-potato starch batter, topped with a sweet red sauce) and Stinky tofu (fermented tofu, deep-fried or stewed, with a pungent smell and mild taste).
What do people drink in Taiwan?
Bubble tea: sweet milk tea with chewy tapioca pearls, served cold.
How reliable is this list?
The dishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, where you can also tick off the ones you have tried. Recipes vary by region and by family, so take it as a starting point.
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Get ExploDishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, with links to Wikipedia. Recipes and names vary by region.