Crime-level snacks at Dongmen Market: Crispy soy-braised pork rice and stripped-down orange juice that’ll blow your mind

▲ Shu Guozhi always orders a bowl of soy-braised pork rice with a few side dishes when he visits.

As you walk into the market, each vendor sets up just a few simple tables, chairs, and small cooking stations, with the aroma of traditional snacks wafting through the air and instantly whetting your appetite. Among them, the Dongmen City Soy-Braised Pork Rice stall is particularly enticing, with its bubbling pot of golden, glossy pork rice that gets everyone’s mouth watering. This eatery has already gained some fame, having been featured in “Taipei Snack Notes” by Taiwan’s snack guru Shu Guozhi, drawing many curious diners. It’s often ranked among the best soy-braised pork rice in Taipei.

▲ The glossy soy sauce bubbles in the pot as it simmers, instantly stimulating your appetite.

Huang Zhongxiu, the third-generation owner of Dongmen City Soy-Braised Pork Rice, took over the stall from her mother-in-law—who had been running it for 53 years—three or four years ago. She now tends to the nearly 60-year-old master broth every day. Her daily routine involves chopping the fresh pork belly bought that day, tossing it into the pot, and adding the family’s secret seasonings. To ensure her customers dine with peace of mind, all the lard used in the shop is homemade. The pork belly at Dongmen City Soy-Braised Pork Rice is on the fattier side, and as the hot grease melts over each grain of rice, it creates a rich yet not greasy flavor, bursting with savory taste in the mouth. No wonder the rice sells out in less than two hours every day.

▲ Even the selection of rice grains is never taken lightly.

Typically, freshly squeezed orange juice you see on the market is made by simply halving an orange and squeezing it directly. But at Dongmen Market, there's a “Peeled Orange Juice” stall where every orange is carefully peeled to ensure customer safety. “Once I passed by a hospital and saw an orange juice vendor squeezing oranges without even washing them—it felt unhygienic and unsafe,” said the owner, Chen Xiuhui. Because of this, even though her stall was initially set up in the market’s garbage collection area, she insisted on peeling every orange, eventually becoming the rare “Peeled Orange Juice” stand.

▲ The owner handles every orange herself.

▲ Every orange is carefully peeled.

Chen Xiuhui developed her own blend using sweet Valencia oranges mixed with tart oranges, creating a balanced flavor. With the added step of peeling, the orange juice has no bitter or oily aftertaste, and the sweet-tart taste is especially smooth. This once overlooked, old-fashioned stall has been completely revitalized under her management. Its simple yet stylish bar counter adds a fresh, modern vibe to Dongmen Market.

▲ A glass of orange juice is especially refreshing in the hot summer.

Dongmen Market
No. 81, Section 2, Xinyi Road, Zhongzheng District, Taipei
Dongmen City Soy-Braised Pork Rice (Stall 12, New Hall) Business Hours: 09:00–13:30
Freshly Peeled Orange Juice (Stall 4, New Hall) Business Hours: 07:00–14:00