Known as the "No. 1 Hawker Stall in the World" – a hidden eatery inside a Taipei market

Text and photos byXiaohu’s Dream Food Blog

Many food connoisseurs firmly believe that the most authentic Taiwanese street food culture thrives in markets, especially traditional ones—even if the dining environment can sometimes be less than ideal... BUT sometimes “delicious” really doesn’t need so many buts, howevers, or caveats; it’s simply about what wins when the food hits your mouth. Today, I’m introducing a food stall located in Zhongshan Market that has quite the reputation—it has won the Taipei City Market Food “No. 1 Hawker Stall in the World” gold award multiple times.

Alright, I admit that before becoming a judge three years ago, I had no idea there was such a historic and cultural market here, even though I often frequented the area around Zhongshan Road. That year, the “Jiqing Food Stall” ranked among the top three in the market food competition, so of course I added it to my list—but I came three or four times and still couldn’t get a bite... Either I got the closing hours wrong, or the market was under renovation, or I just showed up too late and they had already packed up...

Walk straight in through the market entrance, turn left at the end, and the third stall on the left is the most famous and busiest eatery in Zhongshan Market. By lunchtime, it’s nearly impossible to find a seat, and nearby office workers crowding in for takeout pack the place shoulder to shoulder. At this point, you’ll see regulars helping themselves to side dishes, even scooping rice, drizzling meat sauce, ladling soup, and settling the bill all on their own.

When I arrived that day around 11 a.m., many regulars were already settled in—dishes picked, soup ladled, rice served, and even a mysterious little drink in hand...

Most people here love noodles; mixed vegetable noodles are said to be the signature dish, followed by chicken noodles and pork liver noodles. Basically, any ingredient that can go into a bowl of noodles is cooked up per customer preference. But being the rebel I am, I went for the “braised pork rice.”

For side dishes, just grab whatever you like from the cabinet or shelves. If nothing catches your eye, regulars often head next door to slice up some char siu, cured meat, or smoked chicken.

By the way, this place’s smoked chicken also once won the gold award for Taipei market food’s “No. 1 Hawker Stall in the World”—don’t forget to grab a slice or two when you come for a meal at Jiqing.

Honestly, what made me remember this market food spot wasn’t its “No. 1 Hawker Stall in the World” title, but because the judges kept telling me how amazing their braised pork rice was... which is why I chose it over the signature noodles. Who can resist being a total braised pork rice fanatic? Still, when the bowl arrived, I knew it might not be my favorite—the pork seemed to be minced, and while the sauce wasn’t bad, the meat tended to be dry and crumbly, which I’m not a fan of. That said, the flavor was decent, or perhaps more home-style.

The pork rib soup had about three or four ribs—tender on the outside, soft on the inside, and the meat quality was good. The winter melon soaked up the slightly oily broth beautifully, always a favorite of mine. The broth itself was a bit greasy, but not overly rich in aroma. Overall, it was just okay.

Pig head meat is another meat side dish I often order. From my experience, there are two types: one where the meat is soft and mushy, and another with a bit of chew from the sinews. This plate leaned more toward the latter—firm texture with a sweet meatiness that was quite impressive. The highlight was the sweet soy sauce drizzle—wow, what a boost... that soy sauce was classic old-school style, absolutely fantastic!!

The same sauce paired with this plate of plain-boiled chicken earned even more points. The chicken skin was smooth and slightly chewy, not greasy, and not dry. The meat was a bit soft—not very firm—but for someone like me with not-so-great teeth, it was just right. The natural sweetness of the meat was a bit low for my taste, but luckily the sauce was so incredibly delicious... so I just kept eating, finishing the chicken before I’d even made a dent in the braised pork rice...

Next time, I’ll go for a bowl of mixed noodles with some char siu from next door (laughs)

Jiqing Food Stall
No. 3, Chang’an West Road, Zhongshan District, Taipei City
Phone: 02-26514512
Business hours: 08:00–15:00

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