I love Taipei. It’s fast-paced yet slow. It’s historic yet modern. It’s loud but quiet. It’s different and familiar. I have visited Taipei 3 times in the last 5 years, and I still have not yet explored all that it has to offer. Every time I return from Taipei, I am eager to visit again and find new corners of the massive city to set my feet in. My most recent visit was during the winter, unlike my previous visits in the hot and extremely humid summer. As it turns out, Taipei in winter might be my favorite time to visit, even if it is a bit rainy and cloudy.
From vibrant night markets to tranquil temples nestled in the mountains, there’s a lot to see in Taipei. Beyond the sites of interest are also a plethora of gastronomic options from Taiwanese cuisine to delicious milk teas. I was excited to try some of Taipei’s favorite food spots and even came across some spots that I had not researched beforehand. With our hotel being centrally located, it meant we were able to create a very diverse and lengthy itinerary to see as much as possible in 2 days. Below are the 5 spots you must visit in Taipei.
圣德宫
Also known as Xizhi Shengde Temple, this temple truly is off the beaten path. Tucked away in the mountains just above Xizhi, this temple is about half an hour outside of the main city center (we took an Uber to this spot). Driving up the winding road, we felt like we were driving up into the clouds. Even in the pouring rain, this quiet and “off-the-beaten path destination” was worth it.
This Taoist temple is the perfect spot for serenity, reflection, and peace. It’s never too busy, and the quietness after coming from a very loud and chaotic city is very noticeable. You can see the iconic Taipei 101 from the top of the steps, just as you enter the temple. It feels so distant and yet you aren’t actually that far. At sunset, the views are absolutely stunning, but even in the misty rains and low-lying clouds, it was still incredibly dreamy.
Odd One Out Tea
This adorable, award-winning tea spot in Taipei called Odd One Out is all about milk teas, and it features their one-and-only teaspresso machine which makes delicious milk teas or tea lattes especially on a cold day. Don’t worry though, in summer you can get any of them iced! But on this particular cold, rainy day, I opted for their Champion Milk Tea, which is a red oolong milk tea with extra cream foam. Essentially, it is a red oolong milk tea latte and it is THE BEST. The beau ordered a different tea, and while he enjoyed his, he absolutely loved mine and tried to steal it from me many times. It’s beyond delicious.
Raohe Street Night Market
You can’t come to Taipei and not visit one of their famous night markets. There are several well known ones throughout the large city, but the one the beau and I were particularly interested in visiting was the Raohe Street Night Market. It is well known for its large assortment of food vendors, whipping up Taiwanese delicacies and delights every night. There are stores selling souvenirs and gadgets too, but the real star of the night market is the cuisine. It’s best to come here on an empty stomach, because you will certainly fill up on yummy treats. We arrived at 7 pm, fully ready to have dinner here. You can easily have a multi-course meal here by trying foods from so many different stalls.
Here’s what you can expect to eat at Raohe Street Night Market:
- pork pepper buns – I don’t eat pork, but the pork pepper buns at Fuzhou Pepper Buns at the beginning of the market came highly recommended by everyone at our hotel.
- stinky tofu – Apparently this is a “you love it or you hate it” kind of delicacy. We didn’t end up trying it this time, but maybe next time.
- xiao long bao – Traditional soup dumplings. These ones are usually filled with pork, so if you don’t eat pork like me then I suggest scrolling down to read more about Din Tai Fung to be able to try xiao long bao without pork.
- bao bao – Taiwanese mochi (glutinous rice balls), typically covered in powdered sugar, sesame seeds, or crushed peanuts.
- roasted corn and sweet potato balls – Delicious typical street food, although I’m allergic to sweet potato so I couldn’t try the fried sweet potato balls but they looked incredible.
Din Tai Fung
You can’t come to Taiwan and not try their delicious xiao long bao. These are extremely popular, incredibly delicious soup dumplings. Filled with delicious broth and juicy meat, it’s probably one of my favorite foods at the moment. One issue is that xiao long bao is typically made with pork, and I don’t eat pork. Din Tai Fung solves that issue by offering a chicken xiao long bao and it is exceptionally good. Just pour a few drops of soy sauce on the spoon, pop a xiao long bao on top, poke a hole in it with your chopsticks, let the juices fall out into the spoon, and slide it all into your mouth for the perfect bite. Don’t forget to try their chocolate xiao long bao too for dessert!
Lin Dong Fang Beef Noodles
Another Taiwan staple that you must try is their famous Taiwanese beef noodles. Delicious broth filled with spices, noodles, and melt-in-your-mouth beef can be found pretty much anywhere and everywhere in Taipei, but if you want a really good version, I suggest trying Lin Dong Fang Beef Noodles. It’s a very casual spot in the heart of the city and very fast service of delicious beef noodles that are perfect for a cold, rainy night. But honestly, Taiwanese beef noodles are so yummy that I even ate them in the sweltering summer heat too.
There are a lot of great spots to visit all over the city, but these are my 5 spots you must visit in Taipei.
