Never go hungry at midnight again – enjoy sweet and light beef soup served in Tainan as early as 3 AM!

Text and photos byPingzi

Yongle Beef Soup is located at the intersection of Guohua Street and Minzu Road in Yongle Market. Pingzi recommends this food street in Tainan, famous for must-try local specialties. To enjoy a hearty breakfast in Tainan, Yongle Beef Soup is open from 3 AM to 11 AM. With its early morning beef soup, you’ll never have to worry about hunger pangs in the middle of the night. The clear beef broth is simmered to perfection, tender and sweet — a must-visit spot for beef lovers.

Yongle Beef Soup is conveniently located at the intersection of Guohua Street and Minzu Road in Yongle Market. It’s very easy to find, and the whole row of local Tainan street snacks can be enjoyed here. Fusheng Hao bowl rice noodles and other famous snacks are all available in this area.

The store address of Yongle Beef Soup is No. 175, Section 2, Guohua Street, West Central District, Tainan. It’s quite easy to find. Though it’s a small and unassuming stall, it has a bright red and white reversed-letter signboard that stands out cheerfully and is hard to miss.

In front of the Yongle Beef Soup stall, there's a display of certified information showing the hygiene and freshness of the beef, allowing customers to eat with peace of mind. Tainan is a hub for freshly slaughtered beef, and many cuts are delivered directly from the source — one of the key reasons why locals can enjoy such delicious and tender beef.

Most of the customers who come to eat at Yongle Beef Soup are locals from Tainan. This time, Pingzi discovered this insider food tip: the beef supplier offers several cuts, including pork belly (五花), beef brisket (牛腩), lean meat (瘦肉), as well as sliced beef shank.

Yongle Beef Soup lists many types of beef on the menu, with prices currently ranging from NT$100 to NT$150. For such a small bowl, the price isn’t exactly cheap.

The beef soup costs NT$100. Locals in Tainan often order an extra bowl of rice to go with it, which is the local way to eat it. But since Pingzi had other foods lined up, she skipped the rice. The beef in Yongle Beef Soup is poured over with hot broth. The whole bowl looks bright red at first glance, making you think it’s undercooked — but the beef is so fresh that it remains tender, with absolutely no gamey smell. That’s why it can be served in this clear broth and eaten directly.

Pouring the hot broth directly over the beef like this ensures the meat doesn’t get overcooked and stays tender and delicious — once you try it, you’ll be hooked.

The broth itself isn’t made from a complex stock, but rather uses the leftover soup from blanching the beef, which retains a naturally sweet flavor. Adding some shredded ginger enhances the aftertaste even more.

The beef has some tendon and is sliced thick, giving it a bouncy, chewy texture and adding layers of flavor.

Next time you’re starving in the middle of the night and craving a bowl of fresh beef soup while in downtown Tainan, Yongle Beef Soup is definitely one of your top choices. Open in the early hours, a bowl of beef soup will leave you feeling refreshed and energized, ready to take on the day.

Yongle Beef Soup
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Phone: 06-211-2464
Address: No. 175, Section 3, Guohua Street, West Central District, Tainan City
Business Hours: 3:00–11:00 AM, until sold out (Closed every Tuesday)

upssmile Pingzi (up’s smile upward smile)!
She is a designer and also a photographer for Up’s Smile Travel, Food, Design & Photography.
Passionate about travel, food, design, photography, and movies.