Sip a Refreshing Cup of Tea in Dadaocheng & Indulge in Fragrant Street Food

Reported by %q Wu Mengfang   Photography by %q Kao Shian

Dadaocheng developed rapidly in the mid-19th century and is one of Taipei’s important historical birthplaces. Its central thoroughfare, Dihua Street, flourished alongside Dadaocheng as foreign trading companies gathered and commerce thrived. It remains a popular spot for people to shop for Lunar New Year goods. In recent years, like Tainan, Dihua Street has seen many examples of old buildings being revitalized, bringing a fresh new vibe to the area that’s well worth exploring.

Dihua Street is not only the best-preserved old street in Taipei, but its appearance has also gradually changed in recent years. Following the transformation of Taiwan’s first Western pharmacy, Watsons, into the cultural and creative space “Xiao Yi Zheng,” more and more businesses have moved into the old street buildings, either opening venues or offering tea and snacks, giving the public a chance to engage with these historic spaces.For example, “Min Yi Zheng,” a new project by the Xiao Yi Zheng team, opened in mid-2012 and is housed in a 90-year-old building.

Historic Teahouse Echoes the Past

Once a fabric and traditional Chinese medicine shop, Min Yi Zheng is now a hub for “people’s crafts,” focusing on ceramics. It displays works by Japanese design master Sori Yanagi and creations from the “Taike Blue” series inspired by local Taiwanese culture. The space utilizes the traditional “jin” (division) of the street house and incorporates the courtyard feature, offering excellent natural lighting and lush greenery, showcasing the original layout and glory of Dihua Street architecture.

In addition to a small bar called “Luo,” the teahouse “Nan Jie De Yi” on the second floor highlights the area’s history of prospering through tea. The teahouse is decorated to reflect its original appearance, using old chairs from different eras to showcase the passage of time. The environment is elegant, blending the old and the new. The Oriental teas served here are carefully selected in collaboration with a local century-old tea merchant. For instance, the delicately fragrant and sweet “Dong Fang Mei Ren” (Oriental Beauty) is of exceptional quality. Each tea set also includes dried fruits and pastries sold in Dadaocheng, further connecting with the local culture.

Also combining tea with heritage is the “Zhen Wei Tea Garden,” located in the first street house on Dihua Street, within the ancestral home of the Lin family.Built in 1851, this old street house features architectural elements of Qing Dynasty southern Fujian style, including a courtyard well, covered walkways, and a storefront built without nails. To match the historic ambiance, the tea shop has specially arranged old tea chests and canisters, some dating back as far as the Qing Dynasty.Its tea selection is carefully chosen from all over Taiwan, with exquisite packaging, and includes rare varieties such as Buddha’s Hand tea that are seldom found on the market.

Between Minsheng West Road and Guisui Street (the middle section of the street), there is a row of seven adjacent and facing splendid Western-style buildings known as the “Baroque Architecture Group,” which are about a hundred years old.

“Zun Chu” and “Zhai Di Shi Lu” are located here. The buildings’ exteriors blend Japanese Western-style and southern Fujian red-brick features. The lanterns at the entrance are designed based on the painting “Nan Jie Yin Zhen” by artist Kuo Hsueh-hu. The interior retains the original layout, divided into a kitchenware display area and dining space, without adding or removing a single wall. This respectful approach to preserving the old building earned the “2012 Old House Revitalization Award.”

Foundry Shop Preserves the Beauty of Typography

Zhai Di Shi Lu offers light meals and desserts for afternoon tea, with flavors changing seasonally based on available ingredients. Aside from admiring the typical street house style of Dihua Street, visitors will find a secret garden filled with lush greenery in what is usually the third-section space. Looking out from the lofty third-floor space through the windows, you’ll see the splendid Baroque gables across the street—a rare and unforgettable visual experience.

Nearby in a lane on Taiyuan Street, the “Ri Xing Type Foundry,” established in 1969, is Taiwan’s only remaining lead-type foundry, preserving the increasingly rare resources of letterpress printing.Inside this seemingly ordinary shop are every character handwritten by the owner Zhang Jieguan’s elders; over 2,000 commonly used characters and more than 8,000 rare characters are all memorized in his mind. Although offset printing is more than five times faster than letterpress, letterpress has an irreplaceable aesthetic—like the power of ink being pressed into the paper.

▲ The font styles and sizes of letterpress printing all rely on the craftsmanship of type casting.

Despite losing its place in the mainstream market, Ri Xing remains committed to its craft and even opens its doors to visitors. Here, you can learn about the letterpress printing process and type casting, and even select lead type (priced between NT$3 and NT$150) as a meaningful gift.

Fragrant Street Food Everywhere

The historic Dihua Street is complemented by street food, especially around Yongle Market and Cisheng Temple. “Min Le Qiyu Rice Noodle Soup,” located on Minle Road next to Yongle Market, is only open in the morning but is highly recommended by locals. At just NT$35 per bowl, it’s affordable and the service is friendly. The “Qiyu Rice Noodles” are infused with lard for aroma, yet the broth is rich yet not thick, sweet and refreshing.

▲ Qiyu rice noodles soup, peanut soup with deep-fried dough sticks.

Situated on Guisui Street, where it intersects with Yanping North Road, “Yi Mian Wang” is another well-known historic eatery. Its simple yet unpretentious menu of noodles and cold side dishes includes the signature “Dry Yi Mian” (NT$25)—finer and smoother than regular yi mian, paired with a special sweet and spicy sauce for a rich flavor.

Peanuts are soft and tender, the soup is rich and sweet.

Also on Dihua Street, “Yan Ji Ice Cream,” recommended by locals, mainly serves frozen treats but also offers hot dishes in winter (November to May). Its signature “Peanuts with Deep-Fried Dough Sticks” (NT$60, half a stick of dough stick) features extremely soft peanuts and a thick, sweet soup. Together with the dough stick, the sweetness is balanced—definitely worth a try.Excerpted from 《PlayGo Taiwan: 55 Popular Selfie & Adventure Routes》／Published by Business Weekly Publishing

Travel Information

● By car

Dihua Street: Exit at Taipei Interchange on Zhongshan Expressway, then take Chongqing N. Road to Nanjing W. Road, turn onto Dihua Street to successively reach Yanji Ice, Xiadai Chenghuang Temple, Minyi Ting, Zhaidi Food Inn, and Zhenwei Tea House.

Rixin Type Foundry: Turn from Nanjing W. Road onto Taiyuan Road, located in Lane 97.

Minle Sailfish Rice Noodle Soup: Accessible via Dihua Street turning onto Minle Street.

King of Pasta: Accessible via Dihua Street turning onto Guisui Street.

● By public transport

Dihua Street: Take buses such as Brown 9, 206, 255, or 274, get off at the Nanjing W. Road intersection, then walk to your destination.

Rixin Type Foundry: Take MRT to Zhongshan Station, or take bus 304 and get off at Jiancheng Park Station, then walk to your destination.

● Related information

Minyi Ting (02)2552-1367. Open 09:00–19:00.

Nanjie Deyi (02)2552-1367. Open 11:00–19:00. Children under 12 not admitted; reservations recommended on holidays.

Zhaidi Food Inn (Zun Chu) (02)2553-0623. Open 09:00–18:00. Groups of 8 or more can book guided tours at NT$250 per person (includes drink).

Lin Family Ancestral House (02)2944-7716. Open every 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month: 10:30–12:30 (with guided tour), 14:00–16:00 (free entry).

Zhenwei Tea House (02)2557-5333. Open 10:00–20:00.

Rixin Type Foundry (02)2556-4626. Weekdays 08:30–18:00, Saturdays 09:00–18:00, closed on Sundays.

Minle Sailfish Rice Noodle Soup (next to Yongle Market) 06:00–12:30.

Yanji Ice 0916-838-987. Ice treats 08:30–18:30, hot food 10:00–17:30.

King of Pasta (02)2553-0538. Open 10:30–21:00.