Text by Chen Guanxin, MOOK Scenic Spots & Travel Life Network; compiled and reported. Source: Mofo Editorial Department
For travelers who love to collect local memories through their taste buds, visiting a new place always means diving into the local night markets or alleys to find special snacks. However, while fried chicken cutlets, pan-fried buns, oyster omelets, and rice balls may vary slightly in taste depending on the chef, and each has its loyal regulars, these widely available snacks often fail to offer something truly fresh. That’s why this week’s special feature by MOOK Scenic Spots & Travel Life focuses on local cuisine, uncovering 20 unique snacks rarely found elsewhere. These distinctive flavors will take you on a delicious island-wide culinary journey.
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Savor exclusive local snacks and complete your own gourmet island tour!(Photo provided by Mofo Editorial Department)
1. Yilan / Luodong Night Market / Qiqiaowei Sanxing Scallion Pancake — A Treasure Bag Stuffed with Emerald Green Scallions
This small stall always draws a long line at Luodong Night Market. The sizzling sound from the frying pan reveals scallion pancakes the size of meat buns. Their crispy, thin crusts are packed with fresh, emerald-green Sanxing scallions, seasoned minced pork, and white sesame seeds. A big bite brings not spiciness, but a sweet scallion aroma mixed with the umami of the meat and the fragrance of sesame—crispy, savory, and not greasy. Paired with their signature sauce, the flavor is even more delightful.
[Info]
Address: Intersection of Gongyuan Road and Zhentai Street, Luodong Township, Yilan County
Phone: 0983-951-524
How to get there: Starting from Luodong Zhongshan Park, walk along Gongyuan Road for about 10 seconds until you reach the intersection with Zhentai Street.
2. Yilan / Luodong Night Market / Bu Ya Snack Shop — Uniquely Flavored, Delicious Fried Duck
Bu Ya refers to fried duck—the word “bu” is the Taiwanese pronunciation of “fried.” This snack shop, located next to Dian’an Temple, has been operating locally for nearly 40 years. They carefully select semi-free-range local ducks from Yilan, marinate them in pepper, five-spice, wine, sugar, and more for over half a day, coat them with ingredients like sweet potato starch, and then deep-fry them. The result is juicy, springy fried duck with a crispy skin and tender yet chewy meat, offering a texture similar to salt-and-pepper chicken. It gives off a unique aroma and has a truly distinctive taste.
[Info]
Address: No. 209, Section 3, Zhongshan Road, Luodong Township, Yilan County
Phone: 03-956-5426
How to get there: Starting from Luodong Zhongshan Park, walk straight along Gongyuan Road, turn left onto Section 3 of Zhongshan Road, and you’ll arrive in about 2 seconds.
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Left: The scallion pancake is bursting with scallion filling and aroma. Right: Bu Ya is one of Luodong’s most iconic night market foods—don’t miss it when you’re in Yilan. (Photo provided by Mofo Editorial Department)
3. Keelung / Keelung Night Market / Charcoal-Grilled Peas — A Nearly Lost Traditional Snack
The owner’s wife has been selling charcoal-grilled peas for decades, and now her university-going granddaughter helps out too—all to let modern city dwellers and kids experience the great taste of traditional snacks. Grilling peas requires skilled technique and plenty of patience, constantly adjusting the angle to achieve that special smoky aroma and the satisfyingly chewy, toasty flavor.
[Info]
Address: No. 27-2, Ren 3rd Road, Keelung City
Phone: 0937-508-711
How to get there: About a 9-minute walk from the exit of Keelung Railway Station
4. Taipei / Shilin Night Market / Old Shilin Big Wrap Small Pancake — A Must-Try Signature Snack
One of the representative foods of Shilin Night Market, this snack has a unique way of eating. A crispy flatbread is placed inside a wrapper similar to a spring roll skin, then the crispy part inside is smashed with a hammer before being wrapped up for eating. In addition to the original flavor, there are various salty and sweet options such as shredded pork, curry, spicy, red bean paste, peanut, and sesame—add whatever you like. The result is a mix of chewiness and crispiness, refreshing with layers of flavor.
[Info]
Address: No. 101, Jihhe Road, Taipei City (Stall 67, B1 of Shilin Market)
Phone: 0928-829-926
How to get there: About a 5-minute walk from Exit 1 of Taipei Metro Jiantan Station
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Left: Nearly extinct traditional snacks—charcoal-grilled peas—are hidden in Keelung Night Market. Right: Shilin Night Market’s famous “big pancake wrapped around small pancake,” which you can’t find anywhere else. (Photo provided by Mook Editorial Department)
5. Taipei / Shuangcheng Street Night Market / Ah Hong Black-Bone Chicken—Shiny and Oily, Truly Unique
Once winner of the Sesame Oil Chicken Shop PK Competition, Ah Hong Black-Bone Chicken is run by Boss Ah Hong, who uses his unique craftsmanship to prepare low-fat, high-protein free-range black-bone chicken. The chicken is smoked with cane sugar to create an exclusive flavor—chewy with a juicy, rich taste that you’ll never forget after trying it once.
[Info]
Address: Stall 26, Shuangcheng Street Night Market, Taipei City
Phone: 02-2593-5650
How to get there: Get off at Zhongshan Elementary School MRT Station, exit via Exit 1, turn onto Shuangcheng Street from Minquan East Road, about a 12-minute walk.
6. Taipei / Liaoning Night Market / Hei Ma Jia—Self-Developed and Made Fresh Daily
The boss has been developing the flavor of Hei Ma Jia for over 30 years, insisting on making it fresh every day. The signature one-bite version layers purple rice Hei Ma Jia, regular Hei Ma Jia, red beans, and roasted peanuts, then rolls them up. With its unique taste, generous fillings, and very soft, chewy texture, there are also many other flavors to choose from. The boss kindly reminds you to eat it the same day for the best texture.
[Info]
Address: Opposite No. 79, Liaoning Street, Taipei City
Phone: 02-2777-3652
How to get there: About a 10-minute walk from the exit of Nanjing East Road MRT Station
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Left: The juicy black-bone chicken carries a special aroma from cane sugar smoking, making the taste unforgettable. Right: The daily fresh-made Hei Ma Jia has a uniquely soft and chewy texture—and must be eaten the same day for the best flavor. (Photo provided by Mook Editorial Department)
7. New Taipei / Fu Jen Catholic University Garden Night Market / YA.MA.I.WA Coffee Latte Bread—Incredibly Soft Yet Chewy Bread
This is a shop opened by a group of young bakers. Driven by their passion for handmade bread, they started selling bread online three years ago, gaining a loyal fan base, and have now opened their first physical store in Fu Jen Catholic University Garden Night Market. The best-selling bread includes Snow Latte Bread, Chocolate Soft Wheat, and Strawberry Yogurt—all soft yet chewy and sell out quickly after being freshly baked.
[Info]
Address: E3, No. 666, Section 2, Zhongshan Road, Taishan District, New Taipei City
Phone: 0936-884-302
How to get there: About a 12–15 minute walk from Exit 1 of Fu Jen Catholic University MRT Station
8. New Taipei / Fu Jen Catholic University Garden Night Market / George’s Vegetarian Burger—Taiwan’s First of Its Kind
The boss, George, is an overseas Chinese from the U.S. As a vegetarian himself, he found that most vegetarian food in Taiwan was Chinese-style when he first returned to Taiwan, so he opened a vegetarian burger shop. The vegetarian burgers are made from soybeans and wheat, aiming to offer more dining choices for vegetarians.
[Info]
Address: M10, No. 666, Section 2, Zhongshan Road, Taishan District, New Taipei City
Phone: 0960-000-133
How to get there: About a 12–15 minute walk from Exit 1 of Fu Jen Catholic University MRT Station
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Left: Who could bear to eat such cute-looking bread? Right: Taiwan’s first night market vegetarian burger—truly touching for vegetarian travelers. (Photo provided by Mook Editorial Department)
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