One-day Trip to Shenkeng Old Street: A Lazy Eater’s Guide to 4 Must-Try Foods

Text and photos byDaKou

What to do on a weekend? Sometimes a short one-day trip is just perfect too. This time, DaKou is taking you on a one-day trip to Shenkeng Old Street. After years of restoration, Shenkeng Old Street has transformed into a quaint, newly renovated spot with consistent overall planning and even covered walkways for shelter from rain and rest stops. When you’re at Shenkeng Old Street, what else are you there for if not to eat and drink?

Upon arriving at Shenkeng Old Street, your first stop should be the “Bei Yi Mung Bean Milk & Grass Jelly Tea” next to the century-old eggplant tree. Grab a cold drink to start—their mung bean milk is incredibly smooth and silky, with just the right touch of sweetness. The grass jelly tea, brewed for over 12 hours, is also refreshing and perfect for beating the heat. They definitely take quality seriously. Then, you’ve got to try “Grilled Stinky Tofu Under the Big Tree,” “Shenkeng Under the Big Tree,” and “Jin Da Ding Grilled Fragrant Tofu.” Walking around, snacking, and sightseeing—it’s all so relaxing.

Next, let’s take a look at the must-eat, must-drink highlights as well as parking and transportation info for your “Shenkeng Old Street One-Day Trip”!

If you’re someone who always visits this popular old spot during weekends or holidays, or if you’re looking for a place to enjoy coffee, afternoon tea, or just have a casual stroll, then you’ll definitely love coming here.

After parking nearby, head to the corner where this iconic old store is located. It sits right between Shenkeng Old Street and the nearby neighborhood.　

Before you head out, here's a tip on where to park. As soon as you exit the highway, turn onto Beishen Road toward the old street—the right side has parking. But DaKou’s favorite is the parking lot located on Pingpu Street, the one at the very bottom of the map. On weekdays, it’s only 20 NT per hour, which is super affordable. If that one fills up, there are two other parking options nearby, and their prices aren’t too high either.

Now for the best part: after parking, get ready to begin your must-eat and must-drink adventure in Shenkeng Old Street. With the hot weather, you’ll definitely want something cold to drink first. This “Bei Yi Mung Bean Milk & Grass Jelly Tea” is right by the big tree, and it’s a drink shop highly recommended by the locals.

Their freshly squeezed juices are made without added water or concentrate—only high-quality fruit is used. That’s the guarantee of great-tasting juice.

The mung bean milk (45 NT): They carefully select high-quality, smooth-textured mung beans, cook them, then mix with cane sugar and fresh milk to create a fresh batch. The mung beans are blended into the cup, showing how generous the owner is.

The taro milk (50 NT): Made with seasonal taro from Dajia or Jiaxian, each cup is packed with plenty of taro pieces, blended with fresh milk. It’s rich and aromatic.

Other options include papaya milk (50 NT) and grass jelly tea (50 NT, sweetened). They use naturally ripe, high-quality papaya blended with milk—no mushy or stale taste. The grass jelly tea may seem a bit pricey at 50 NT, but knowing the detailed process behind it shows it’s actually great value.

The taro milk has the natural sweetness of taro and blends smoothly with the milk. It’s creamy, not gritty, with a delicate texture and not overly sweet—definitely not cloying. Papaya milk has a nostalgic taste, balancing papaya’s sweetness with the richness of milk. The ratio is just right, both in flavor and texture. The mung bean milk, being their signature drink, is incredibly smooth with no graininess. The mild sweetness is just perfect—arguably one of the best mung bean milks DaKou has had recently.

If you’re a fan of the papaya milk, you should definitely get a bottle (100 NT) to take home. The white cap is sweetened, while the red is unsweetened—but even the sweetened version is only lightly sweetened or semi-sweet, and it’s just right.

Their grass jelly tea is made from certified SGS, sulfur-free white fungus, blended with goji berries, red dates, and lotus seeds, then slow-cooked. It has a faintly sweet taste, plus a silky texture from the natural gelatin. You can even taste the bits of lotus seeds, dates, and goji berries. It’s refreshing, delicious, and very satisfying.

The grass jelly tea (60 NT): Their white fungus is made from sulfur-free, SGS-certified fungus, ground up and cooked with wolfberries, red dates, and lotus seeds. It has a subtle sweetness and a smooth, gelatin-rich texture. You can still taste the bits of lotus seeds, dates, and goji berries. It’s very enjoyable.

Among the mung bean milk, papaya milk, taro milk, and grass jelly tea, the taro milk and papaya milk are especially outstanding. But honestly, each one is unique in its own way, and none disappoint. The mung bean milk lives up to its reputation as a signature drink—it’s incredibly smooth with zero grittiness, and the sweetness level is just right. It’s arguably the best mung bean milk DaKou has had in a while.

If you’re a fan of papaya milk, you should definitely get a bottled version (100 NT) to take home. The white cap is sweetened, the red is unsweetened—but even the sweetened one is only mildly sweet, just right.

Next up is “Grilled Stinky Tofu Under the Big Tree.” We got lucky on a weekday with almost no line, so DaKou bought some right away.

Their stinky tofu is really good—you take it out of the bag, and the aroma just hits you. They even serve it with a decent amount of toppings, making it look super appetizing. The highlight? They even offer a vegetarian version, so even vegetarians can enjoy it.

They recommend getting a set of three skewers for 35 NT. Seriously, the boss is so generous—the toppings almost cover the tofu, making it look super tasty. Take a bite, and the grilled stinky tofu is flavorful with a nice bounce to the texture. The sauce is slightly salty-sweet with a hint of garlic—almost like barbecue sauce—and paired with mildly spicy pickled vegetables and tangy Taiwanese pickles, it’s absolutely delicious (cheers!).

After enjoying the tasty grilled stinky tofu, it’s time to explore another legendary spot on the old street: “Under the Big Tree.” This is one of Shenkeng’s famous old shops, formerly known as the Under the Big Tree Snack Shop, best known for its signature Three Ways to Eat Tofu.

The shop is housed in an old Japanese-style building, with a retro exterior and interior decor. They have an open kitchen so you can see the cooking process. The wooden tables and chairs are simple and rustic, and the air conditioning is nice and cool.

We ordered three dishes to share. First up is the Spicy Duck Blood Stinky Tofu (small/90 NT). It comes with two big pieces of stinky tofu and lots of duck blood. The spice level isn’t very high—the porous tofu absorbs the spicy broth, giving it a mildly spicy kick that goes well with rice.

Next: Braised Tofu (50 NT) and Crispy Fried Stinky Tofu (60 NT). The braised tofu is savory and flavorful. Though the tofu is a bit porous, it remains soft and soaks up the sauce, offering a mildly sweet and salty taste that stimulates the appetite. The crispy fried stinky tofu is bite-sized, served with garlic soy sauce, doubanjiang, and Taiwanese pickles. It’s crispy outside, soft inside, filled with juice, and super moreish.

After finishing these tasty dishes, it’s time to head to another legendary spot: “Under the Big Tree Snack Shop.”　

This is the most famous dish here: Crispy Fried Fragrant Tofu. You’ll see the grill covered with rows of fragrant tofu, and the boss lady’s hands never stop moving.

% The spicy tofu here is also quite famous in southern Taiwan... You can actually order just by telling the boss your number!

% We ordered the spicy tofu with pickled vegetables + cilantro + peanut powder (35 NT), and the spicy tofu here is really unique — it’s a rectangular piece of tofu split open in the middle, spread with sauce, then topped with pickled veggies, cilantro, and peanut powder!

% After taking a bite of the spicy tofu, we found the flavor to be quite rich. The mix of pickled veggies (similar to spicy dried cabbage), cilantro, and peanut powder somehow reminded us of pig’s blood cake (weird, right?!). The taste is mildly spicy with a hint of fragrance from the cilantro and the sweet aroma of peanut powder — it’s actually pretty tasty!

% After walking around the old street for a while, we started to feel its charm. The renovated old street is full of traditional vibes, and now there are also covered walkways where visitors can take shelter from the rain or rest.

% The cultural and historical signs around the area give you a deep sense of connection to the stories behind the buildings.

% As we continued down the old street, an old building with a very retro exterior caught our attention. It turned out to be part of a display showcasing the traditional spatial layout of old shop houses, and you can even smell the rich scent of Hinoki wood here!

% I was quite surprised by this special display of a traditional father’s room. It turns out this is a real-scene exhibition of a traditional shop house’s interior space, and you can even smell the strong aroma of Hinoki wood here!

% When you come here, you’ll get a unique feeling — the architecture has its own distinct character. There’s also multimedia guidance about the many special buildings around, apart from the Shenkeng Old Street itself. Friends who are interested can definitely walk around and check them all out!

% Aside from the nostalgic vibe of the old street, there are also many other local specialties and food stalls worth trying. It seems like there are plenty of great shops, so we’ll definitely come back to challenge more next time!

% There are also many dessert shops around, selling things like shaved ice and old-school snacks that remind us of our childhood days. Whether it’s movies or toys, everything here brings back lots of good memories.

% There are also many other interesting sights here that bring back a lot of nostalgia. Visiting this place makes you recall the days of your childhood — whether it’s the old movies or the classic toys, everything here stirs up a lot of wonderful memories.　

Coming to Shenkeng Old Street, the first stop is located next to a century-old eggplant tree — “North One Mung Bean Smoothie Milk & Grass Jelly Tea,” a drink shop highly recommended by locals. Whether it’s mung bean smoothie milk, taro milk, or papaya milk, they all taste incredibly smooth and sweet; the grass jelly tea is especially rich and refreshing, making it a must-have summer coolant!

Additionally, their freshly blended juices contain no added water or concentrated juice — it’s all about keeping it real. Friends coming here to have fun should definitely grab a cold drink to go. Also, “Under the Big Tree Skewered Stinky Tofu” and “Jin Dading Skewered Fragrant Tofu” each have their own unique appeal. Those who like stinky tofu with a slightly chewy, Q-texture paired with Taiwanese-style pickled veggies can go for Under the Big Tree Skewered Stinky Tofu, while those who prefer a softer texture and peanut powder can choose Jin Dading Skewered Fragrant Tofu!

Of course, if you’re looking to have a full meal, you can try the two long-standing shops “Shenkeng Under the Big Tree” or “Wang Shui Cheng” on Beishen Road. The specialty tofu dishes at other restaurants are also quite good as well. Hope you’ll enjoy this sharing!

Transportation Information
【Public Transport】
1. Take the bus (you can take it slow)
You can take buses No. 660, 666, 679, 819, 912, 251, or 236, and get off at the Shenkeng Station to reach the entrance of the old street.

2. Take the MRT (transfer to a bus from the MRT, which is also convenient)
(1) Taipei MRT Bannan Line heading toward Nangang Exhibition Center Station → walk to Taipei City Hall Station → take bus No. 912 toward Shenkeng
(2) Taipei MRT Tamsui Line heading toward Xindian Station → walk to Wanlong Station and take bus No. 660 toward Shenkeng
(3) From MRT Wenhua/Wenhu Line at Muzha Station, transfer to bus No. 660 to Shenkeng Station

3. Taiwan Tourist Shuttle
Take the MRT Wenhua/Wenhu Line to Muzha Station, then transfer to Taipei Bus No. 795 (Taiwan Tourist Shuttle – Muzha Pingxi Line) to reach Shenkeng (Old Street) Station

【Driving】 (Parking information included in the text)
1. National Freeway No. 3 → Muzha Interchange → Shenkeng Connector → County Highway 106 → Shenkeng.
2. Provincial Highway No. 9 → Shiding → Shenkeng.
3. Southern Section of Keelung Old Village → County Highway 109 → Nan-Shen Road → Shenkeng.

【Shop Information】

North One Mung Bean Smoothie Milk & Grass Jelly Tea
Address: No. 179-1, Section 2, Beishen Road, Shenkeng District, New Taipei City (next to the big tree at the intersection of Beishen Road and Shenkeng Old Street)
Phone: 02-26622638
Business Hours: 10:30–21:00
FB Fan Page: Please click here

Under the Big Tree Skewered Stinky Tofu
Address: No. 163, Shenkeng Street, Shenkeng District, New Taipei City
Phone: 0933088980, 0933748996

Shenkeng Under the Big Tree
Address: No. 163, Shenkeng Street, Shenkeng District, New Taipei City (next to the old camphor tree)
Phone: 02-26625688
Business Hours: 10:30–22:00

Jindading Skewered Fragrant Tofu
Address: No. 161-1, Shenkeng Street, Shenkeng District, New Taipei City
Phone: 02-26624645
Business Hours: 9:00–22:00

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