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More Unique Foodie Experiences You MUST Try in Taiwan!

Foodies, rejoice! If you’re planning a trip to Taipei, we’ve got more specialty Taiwanese dishes right up your alley. You can easily squeeze these unique Taiwanese food experiences into your basic itinerary if it’s your first time to visit Taiwan, too. From the ever-popular xiao long bao to thick and spicy mala soup, skip the night markets for now and elevate your dining experience with these specialty Taiwanese dishes!

Treat Yourself in Taipei

Sample Xiao Long Bao at the OG Din Tai Fung

Din Tai Fung may have branches all over the world, but check out the original for a true taste of Taiwanese delicacies! Their bestseller? The steamy pork xiao long bao, a pork and aspic mixture wrapped in hand-made dough and steamed, which can be confusing for first-timers to eat. Not to worry—their friendly staff will be more than happy to instruct you on how to eat it: Dip the dumpling in ginger and vinegar sauce and enjoy the savory broth inside.

Fun fact: each carefully crafted dumpling is perfectly identical with the same number of 18 folds. If you’re not a fan of pork, try the steamed vegetable dumplings or the steamed shrimp dumplings. Taste the tangy hot and sour soup or fill up your belly with stir-fried vegetables over pork fried rice.

  • Ticket: Skip the hour-long queue by booking with KKday, the only platform you can guarantee priority seats. The packages available include a variety of dishes to sample for NT$800, perfect for beginners!
  • Address and How To Get There: Depends on which branch you’re visiting, just click the link above.

Shaved Mango Ice at Smoothie House (永康街思慕昔)

Taiwan is definitely known for its bao bing or shaved ice desserts! In Smoothie House, satisfy your sweet tooth with a Snowflake Ice, recommended by CNN as a must-eat delicacy in Taiwan. The fine, powdery texture of the shaved ice becomes much more heavenly when drizzled with rich condensed milk.

Topped off with fresh mangoes, Tie Guan Yin milk tea, sweet taro, and peanuts, each playful bite will differ in sweetness and crunch. If you’re feeling extra, order yours with panna cotta for a more pleasing mouthfeel and creamier experience. Hungry now? Share a generous bowl of Super Mango Snowflake Ice with some friends!

  • Book your ticket here
  • Address: Address: No. 16, Lishui Street, Taipei City
  • How To Get There: 5-min walk from MRT Dongmen Station (Exit 5)

Ding Wang Spicy Hot Pot

(Image via momo, Flickr)

Don’t leave Taiwan without this classic hot pot experience! Bring your special someone for a date or have a couples’ night out at your nearest Ding Wang Restaurant, one of Taiwan’s pioneering and top-rated hot pot restaurants (might we add that the service is top notch too!).

Their famed Yuan-Yang Guo (鴛鴦鍋) itself consists for two parts. The spicy one, mala soup, is made with…wait for it…duck’s blood! It also has tofu, along with your choice of prime meat (plum pork, white meat, or prime sirloin beef). The non-spicy broth comes with pickled cabbage. Toss in an assortment of dumplings, fish balls, and fresh cuttlefish into a giant bowl. Garnish with leafy vegetables, and savor the mouthwatering smell of fresh ingredients simmering right at your table.

  • Book your ticket here
  • Address and how to get there: Depends on which branch you’re visiting, just click the link above for more info.

Afternoon Delights Outside Taipei

Jiufen Teahouse Experience

Jiufen may seem out of the way but no worries—this must-visit area is highly accessible via shuttle from Taipei! Check out the Chinese-style lanterns, dragon-covered temples, narrow pathways, hilly landscape resulting in stairs..a lot of stairs, so watch your step! Behold the oriental beauty of Jiufen, a former mining town bursting in color and culture.

Did you know that A-Mei Teahouse inspired the very same teahouse that the main character, Chihiro, wanders off to in the beloved animated film, ‘Spirited Away’? Once inside A-Mei Teahouse, warm yourself up with the delicate taste of Lishan Oolong or traditional roasted tea, paired with seasonal snacks such as dried fruits and tea cookies.

After you carefully prepare your tea set with experts, there’s not much to do but relax and admire the vintage collection of fine tea sets. Fall in love with the refreshing views of Keelung Mountain overlooking the Pacific Ocean and daydream the afternoon away. Pure bliss.

Aspiring Chef? Savor These DIY Experiences

Taiwan Cooking 101 Cooking Class

You can’t bring ALL of the delicious food back from Taiwan, but you can bring home some cool cooking skills from Taipei instead. Whip up your very own Taiwanese food at Taiwan Cooking 101 School!

Make your own delicious beef noodles!

Choose any of the courses available from xiao long bao (similar to the ones in Din Tai Fung we mentioned earlier) to braised beef noodles with cold cucumber salad and handmade dumplings. Enter a spacious kitchen with high-end amenities and meet your friendly local chef. They’ll give you the tips you need to make your dish authentic. Dig into your very own creations at the end of the course. Bonuses include making some new foodie friends and get a certificate by the end of class, too.

P.S.: Don’t blame us for all the tasty Taiwanese food you’re gonna be eating back home!

  • Book your ticket here
  • Address: No. 221, Sec. 1, Dihua St., Datong Dist., Taipei

Taipei Kuo Yuan Ye Pastry Museum & Pastry Dessert DIY

Pen Pineapple Apple Pen. Do we still have your attention? Good. Okay, pineapple cakes can be found almost everywhere in Taiwan. But for budding bakers, learning how to make ‘em from the masters takes the cake (pun intended). Learn baking techniques with a 3-hour DIY session from Kuo Yuan Ye, a bakery established in 1867.

Local experts will take you through it step-by-step, plus you can garnish your creation with your own unique design! Afterward, explore the museum’s display of Taiwan’s pastry culture and history. It’s like a two-in-one museum and bakery experience—a steal for the price of only NT$200!

  • Book your ticket here
  • Address: Kuo Yuan Ye Cake Museum: 4/F, 546 Wenlin Road, Shilin District, Taipei (Shilin MRT Station, Exit 1)

Which one are you dying to try? Have some cool recos you wanna share? Let us know in the comments or tag us on IG using #travelwithKKday.

For more Taipei essentials, check out our guides below: