10 Bustling Night Markets to Visit in Taipei

When people think of night markets in Taipei, two instantly come to mind – Shilin and Raohe. They’re the city’s most famous night markets, and often the only ones first-time visitors go to. We were no different on our first trip to Taipei.

While Shilin and Raohe attract most of the attention, they’re really just the beginning. Explore more of the city, and you’ll find a wide range of night markets, each with its own character and atmosphere. Some are tucked away in less touristy neighborhoods and offer a more local, everyday experience.

Without question, Shilin and Raohe are fantastic and belong on every first-time visitor’s itinerary. But if you’d like to go beyond the usual, then Taipei has many more night markets for you to discover.

THE BEST NIGHT MARKETS IN TAIPEI

1. Raohe Night Market

Operating Hours: 5PM-12MN, daily
Closest Metro Station: Songshan

If you had time to visit just one night market in Taipei, my pick would be Raohe. It’s arguably the city’s second most popular night market, after Shilin, but I feel Raohe is the better choice for most first-time visitors thanks to its more compact, easier-to-navigate layout.

Plus, Raohe is home to one of Taipei’s most iconic night market food stalls, famous for its legendary black pepper pork buns.

Located near Ciyou Temple, Raohe Night Market is easy to navigate because all the food stalls are located along one street – Raohe Street in Songshan District. They’re densely packed with many delicious-looking options, so I recommend walking the length of the street first before deciding what to eat.

This is the famous pepper bun stall I mentioned earlier, arguably the most iconic food stall at any night market in Taipei. The market had just opened, and it had been raining shortly before this photo was taken, so the queue isn’t especially long (yet). Give it a little time, and the line will be dozens of people longer.

I’ve never known the stall’s actual name, but finding it is easy. It’s the very first stall you’ll see when entering Raohe Night Market from the western entrance on Tayou Road. It’s one of several Michelin-recommended stalls you’ll find at Raohe.

I’ve had those legendary pepper buns before, so I skipped them this time, but these steamed rice rolls with fresh oysters did catch my eye. Known as cheung fun, it features a thin layer of rice flour batter poured into the tray, along with a raw egg and a few fresh oysters. The batter is steamed for a few minutes before being scraped off the tray and served to you.

 

Drizzle with some soy sauce and chili, and you’re golden. You can typically find the same dishes served at every night market in Taipei – so the experience can get a little repetitive – but this was one of the only times I’ve seen this dish.

2. Shilin Night Market

Operating Hours: 4PM-12MN, daily
Closest Metro Station: Jiantan

Dating back to the early 20th century, Shilin is the largest and most famous night market in Taipei. Located on the city’s northern outskirts, near the National Palace Museum, it’s the perfect night market to visit after spending a day at Taipei’s best museum.

Shilin Night Market basically consists of three sections – a covered area for game stalls (pictured below), an outdoor food stall area, and a newer underground food court. Most Taiwanese night markets feature a handful of game stalls, but none can match the variety you’ll find at Shilin.

This is what the outdoor food stall area looks like. When we first visited Shilin years ago, the place felt so big and chaotic that I couldn’t tell where the market started and where it ended. But if I understand correctly, the majority of food stalls are set up along two streets that are perpendicular to each other.

The picture below was taken when it was drizzling, which explains why the market looks almost empty. Shilin typically gets a lot more crowded than this. For the best experience, plan your visits on clear nights because many night market stalls won’t open at all when it’s raining.

If Raohe has that pepper bun stall, Shilin has Hot Star. IYKYK.

Open since 1992 and still going strong! These large fillets of breaded fried chicken from Hot Star are among the most iconic street food snacks you’ll find in Taipei. Like Raohe’s pepper buns, it’s one of Shilin’s signature snacks and something many first-time visitors look for.

If you’re hungry and on a budget, this is a delicious and filling go-to meal.

This underground food court wasn’t open when we last visited Shilin Night Market a few years ago. I’m not sure when it was first built and why it closed, but based on what I’ve read online, it reopened only in April 2025.

This large food court consists of dozens of stalls in a comfortable, air-conditioned space. Admittedly, it doesn’t offer the same atmosphere as the outdoor area of Shilin, but there’s no place I’d rather be to enjoy my meal when it’s raining.

With proper tables and chairs, we feasted on Taiwanese staples like shrimp fried rice, stir-fried morning glory, and an oyster omelette. As much as we love Taiwanese night markets, the absence of places to sit can be a pain.

3. Ningxia Night Market

Operating Hours: 5-11:30PM, daily
Closest Metro Station: Zhongshan

Located not too far from trendy Chifeng Street in Zhongshan District, Ningxia is one of our favorite night markets to visit in Taipei. It’s close enough to walk from Zhongshan and even Ximending, and features a good number of food stalls along a single pedestrian-only street.

Ningxia Night Market is lively and seems to be popular with both locals and tourists. Once the market gets going, some of its most popular stalls, like this chicken and rice vendor, get their fair share of customers.

This stall’s chicken and rice is delicious. I had it three times on this trip.

When in doubt, always go to the stalls with the longest queues. We do the same with hawker stalls in Singapore, and the strategy works every time.

At Ningxia Night Market, this stall selling cucumber-stuffed fried squid was easily one of the most popular.

This stall selling fried tapioca balls was hugely popular too.

4. Nanjichang Night Market

Operating Hours: 5PM-12MN, daily
Closest Metro Station: None, best to travel by local bus or Uber

This was the night market I was most excited to visit on our recent trip to Taipei. From what I’d read, Nanjichang Night Market only became popular relatively recently, and its location in a less touristy part of town suggested that its customers were mostly locals.

Located in Zhongzheng District, around a 30-minute walk south of Ximending, Nanjichang Night Market isn’t near any metro stations, so it’s best to visit by local bus or Uber. If you’re staying in Ximending, then it’s possible to walk there as well.

Interestingly, the name Nanjichang literally means “South Airport”. The area was once home to an airfield built during the Japanese colonial era. The airport no longer exists, but the neighborhood and night market inherited the name.

Consisting of just one pedestrian-only street, Nanjichang Night Market gets absolutely packed with locals. At the time of my visit, I was one of just a handful of foreigners there.

You’ll only find food vendors at Nanjichang – no clothing shops or game stalls – and nearly every stall seems to have a long line of customers. Despite the crowds and longer waits, the atmosphere was a lot of fun and felt genuinely local. It’s one of the liveliest and most authentic night markets I’ve visited so far in Taipei.

I tried a few dishes that night, but this oyster and vegetable fritter was one of the standouts.

5. Linjiang Night Market

Operating Hours: 6PM-12MN, daily
Closest Metro Station: Xinyi Anhe

Linjiang Night Market is located in Daan District. Also known as Tonghua Night Market, there isn’t anything particularly noteworthy about Linjiang, which may be a good thing. Like Nanjichang, it feels like a neighborhood market that offers a more local experience compared to the more popular and touristy Shilin and Raohe.

There are several dozen food stalls at Linjiang, though nothing really stood out like the pepper bun stall at Raohe or Shilin’s Hot Star. Still, the market has a lively atmosphere and plenty of good food, without the crowds and long queues you’re sure to encounter at Nanjichang.

PRO TIP: If nothing catches your eye at Linjiang, and you’d like a break from Taiwanese food, then consider grabbing a slice at The Slice Shop. Located just a 2-minute walk from the night market, this tiny shop makes some of the best pizzas we’ve had anywhere in the world.

6. Banqiao Nanya Night Market

Operating Hours: 5PM-12MN, daily
Closest Metro Station: Fuzhong

Nanya is another neighborhood night market located in a less touristy part of town. Located in Banqiao District, not as many tourists explore this part of Taipei, so a visit to this night market promises a much more local experience.

We had never been to Banqiao before, so we decided to spend the day exploring the district. Aside from a few shopping malls, there isn’t a lot in the area for tourists, but the Lin Family Mansion and Garden is excellent and well worth a visit. If you’re planning a trip to Banqiao, I highly recommend stopping there before heading to the night market.

Banqiao Nanya feels a lot like Linjiang – authentic and untouristy without the crowds of Nanjichang.

We tried a few dishes at this night market – stinky tofu, shawarma, lamb skewers, qq balls, and more – but these chive cakes were a standout. They’re typically made with pork, so I was pleasantly surprised to find a version made without any meat.

7. Huaxi Night Market

Operating Hours: 4PM-12MN, daily
Closest Metro Station: Longshan Temple

Longshan Temple is one of Taipei’s most visited temples. After your visit, there are four night markets you can go to for a cheap and satisfying meal – Huaxi, Guangzhou, Wuzhou, and Xichang night markets. All four are located less than a five-minute walk from the temple.

Pictured below is one of the entrances to Huaxi Street Night Market. Formerly known as “Snake Alley”, this market once drew in tourists who came to watch live snakes being butchered for their meat, blood, and bile.

Huaxi also has a reputation for being one of Taipei’s “sketchier” markets, thanks to the red light district for elderly locals next door.

Unlike the other markets we’ve covered so far, Huaxi isn’t an outdoor market. It’s located indoors in a long, alley-like space with permanent stalls on either side. There are no mobile food carts here, so it doesn’t really feel like a traditional Taiwanese night market.

Unlike most other night markets, where we visit with no plans and just eat whatever catches our eye, we visited Huaxi with a purpose. We came specifically for Wang’s Broth, a Michelin-recommended restaurant with a reputation for serving some of the best lu rou fan in Taipei.

If you like braised pork rice, then we suggest giving this place a try. Their lu rou fan is as good as advertised.

As previously mentioned, always keep an eye out for stalls with long lines. We didn’t know about this gua bao place until we got there, but as it turns out, it’s also recommended on the Michelin Guide.

The line moved fairly slowly, but it was worth the wait. They make some of the best gua bao we’ve had anywhere in Taiwan.

8. Guangzhou/Wuzhou Night Markets

Operating Hours: 4PM-12MN, daily
Closest Metro Station: Longshan Temple

If you’re still hungry after Huaxi, you can continue on to Guangzhou and Wuzhou night markets. We didn’t realize it at the time, but what we assumed was a single night market spanning two perpendicular streets was actually two separate markets.

Guangzhou and Wuzhou night markets are essentially connected and difficult to distinguish from one another, so I’ve grouped them together on this list.

Unlike Huaxi, Guangzhou and Wuzhou feel more like traditional Taiwanese night markets – packed with food carts, a little chaotic, and filled with inexpensive but delicious food.

Have you ever tried this fruit? Called cherimoya or custard apple, it’s one of the most delicious fruits you’ll eat in Taipei. Known for its creamy white flesh reminiscent of papaya, banana, and pineapple, Mark Twain once described it as “the most delicious fruit known to men”.

9. Gongguan Night Market

Operating Hours: 3-11:45PM, daily
Closest Metro Station: Gongguan

Gongguan is a night market located near National Taiwan University. Smaller than many of the other night markets on this list, it caters to a younger crowd and is said to be heavily shaped by student culture, so you can expect to find lots of budget-friendly eats here.

There’s no shortage of cheap and delicious food at Gongguan, but when you visit, we recommend checking out the indoor market right next door. Known as Shuiyuan Market, it’s home to this popular stall selling a variety of Taiwanese delicacies.

We made the trip to Gongguan and this indoor market specifically for this taro and purple rice cake. Interesting and delicious, it was one of the most memorable things we tried on our recent trip to Taipei.

10. Ximending Night Market

Closest Metro Station: Ximen

This last entry doesn’t feel like a true night market, but I’ve included it anyway because it’s located in Ximending, one of Taipei’s most popular and tourist-centric areas.

When I read that there was a night market in Ximending, I looked around but couldn’t find anything that resembled a traditional Taiwanese night market. We’ve been to Ximending dozens of times, and I’d never really noticed one.

It eventually dawned on me that what people were referring to was probably this small cluster of six or seven food stalls in the heart of the main pedestrian area. I walked past them numerous times without realizing this was the “night market” people were talking about.

One evening, the vendors suddenly packed up in a hurry and pushed their carts down an alley, almost as if they were running away from something. Moments later, a police officer appeared. Perhaps these mobile vendors aren’t allowed to operate here?

Whatever the situation may be, you’ll find these mobile food carts in Ximending from the early hours of the morning. This pork egg burger stand was consistently the most popular.

TAIPEI NIGHT MARKETS LOCATION MAP

To help you navigate, I’ve pinned the Taipei night markets recommended in this guide on this map. Click on the link to open the map in a new window.

FINAL THOUGHTS ON THE NIGHT MARKETS IN TAIPEI

As mentioned, Shilin and Raohe are a must for first-time visitors, but personally, Ningxia is my favorite night market in Taipei. I like it for its compact size, easy layout, and strong focus on food stalls. Plus, it’s easy to get to from Zhongshan and Ximending, two of our favorite neighborhoods in the city.

Though it’s a little less accessible than Ningxia, Nanjichang is another great night market to visit. Of all the night markets we’ve been to in Taipei, it’s the liveliest and most local.

Some stalls like Raohe’s pepper buns and Shilin’s Hot Star fried chicken have become iconic, but in my opinion, it doesn’t really matter where you go if good, cheap food is all you care about. You’ll find pretty much the same dishes at every night market, so just go to the market that’s most convenient for you.

Lastly, most night markets start at around 4 or 5PM, but it’s best to go a little later, around 6-7PM. This gives the stalls enough time to set up. Arrive too early, and many stalls may still be closed.

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