Local's guide: The top 10 must-try street snacks in Kenting Street, Pingtung, Taiwan

I’ve been in Kenting for nearly four years now. Aside from being frequently asked where to go or which homestays are good, the question I get most from friends is, “What’s good to eat in Kenting?”

Alright, alright, I get it—no more questions. I’ll write it, I’ll write it already!

When visiting Kenting, besides enjoying the beaches during the day, you absolutely have to stroll through the lively Kenting Street at night. But with so many food stalls around and every one of them looking delicious, which are the must-try treats you just can’t miss?

This time, at the risk of raising my body fat percentage, I personally ate my way from one end of Kenting Street to the other and handpicked several snacks that I genuinely found unique and delicious, to share as recommendations. So, come on, let’s feast our way through Kenting Street together~

First up, we have the fragrant and juicy “Thai Prawns”!

Compared to regular shrimp, Thai prawns have especially firm and bouncy meat. The vendor told us that she only uses fresh, live shrimp delivered from Liugui in Pingtung—that explains why the taste is so sweet and fresh. The prawns are also quite large. Freshly steamed, hot-off-the-grill shrimp paired with various flavorful sauces is simply irresistible—you’ll find yourself eating one after another. Shrimp lovers definitely shouldn’t miss this!

I tried the garlic and pepper flavor... Oh my God, this is absolutely heavenly!It’s so good you could easily finish a whole bag on your own!

Who knew the first stop would be this delicious? We were all so absorbed in the food, almost forgetting we had a mission to complete. Yep, there’s more eating ahead!With great reluctance, we bid farewell to the tasty Thai prawns and continued our food hunt along the street.

Stop number two brought us to the “Hole-Punched Sausage.”

K8? You’re asking me, isn’t sausage everywhere? What’s so special about it? If you’re asking that, then you don’t know the half of it. This Hole-Punched Sausage is no ordinary sausage. The secret lies in the fact that during preparation, the vendor pokes holes in the sausage and injects it with kaoliang liquor, giving the meat a distinctive boozy aroma. As a result, the flavor is wonderfully layered. This is their exclusive creativity—they’re a veteran stall on Kenting Street. Not only are they popular among tourists, but even us locals love them. Anyone who comes here often knows they have to try the Hole-Punched Sausage.

Let’s be honest, whenever you walk by a grilled sausage stand, it’s almost impossible not to be drawn in by the tempting aroma. But some sausages may smell good, yet don’t taste as good—so relying on smell alone isn’t enough. The filling is the soul of the sausage!

This freshly grilled sausage has a crispy skin on the outside and a very solid, richly aromatic filling inside. Just look at that sheen, that color... it practically screams “I’m delicious!”

It was so good, in fact, that I immediately ordered a second one after finishing the first. Ha ha. I also highly recommend their flying fish roe sausage, which is stuffed with loads of flying fish roe—a specialty of Pingtung. To show you the filling, they even cut one open for us.

Our third stop takes us to the legendary “Kenting Big Hot Dog.” Yes, a big hot dog!Actually, when I was doing my research, I didn’t understand why so many people unanimously recommended the Kenting Big Hot Dog. Isn’t it just a common snack you see at night markets? What’s so special about it that makes people yearn for it—and even make a special trip to Kenting Street just to buy one?

Let’s see what the fuss is about.

I went with the classic combination of mustard and ketchup. It’s really quite a sizable hot dog, quite filling and satisfying.

Let’s take a bite~

The freshly fried hot dog casing is both crispy and fluffy, offering a great texture. But the real star is the hot dog inside—it’s not one of those skinny little ones. It’s made with 100% pure meat, which explains the rich, savory flavor. Each bite is hearty, and when you take a big mouthful, the juices burst in your mouth. Oh my God!This is way too good!I underestimated you—I was wrong!

[Mojito in Kenting]

After eating all that meat, I was starting to get a bit thirsty. Time to grab a drink!

Aside from the usual beverage stalls, another special feature of Kenting Street is the abundance of cocktail stands. In this vibrant southern vibe, it’s common to see tourists walking around with cool beers or cocktails in hand. This scene has become one of the area’s charming sights. So when strolling the street at night, don’t forget to pick an appealing cocktail stall, order a refreshing drink, and enjoy both the drink and the unique cultural vibe.

This particular cocktail stand, specializing in Mojitos, is one that I found particularly unique. The owner loves making natural homemade jams, so he combines his own jams with Mojitos to create a variety of flavored special Mojitos. The result is a fruity twist that’s really distinctive.

I tried the passion fruit and cranberry jam-flavored Mojito. The fruit-flavored Mojito is sweet, fragrant, and really delicious—very suitable for women. Did you think we’d finish eating and drinking here? No way!This is just the intermission—the second half is about to begin~

[Dad’s Garlic Chicken]

Next, we head to “Dad’s Garlic Chicken” to challenge our stomachs once again.

This place’s garlic chicken is made using boneless chicken thighs, which is perfect for someone like me who hates chewing bones. The chicken is fried to order, and it’s crispiest and most delicious when hot. There are five seasoning options to choose from, and I personally think the Thai spicy and sour sauce pairs perfectly.

The portion size is just right for one bite, and you can even walk and eat without getting your hands dirty. One of the best parts of night market snacking is definitely the fun of eating as you stroll. Ha ha.

[Burger Ice Cream]

After all that savory food, it was time for something sweet, so we came to this uniquely creative dessert exclusive to Kenting Night Market: “Burger Ice Cream.”

What is burger ice cream? It’s freshly baked burger buns stuffed with a generous amount of fresh fruit, ice cream, crispy bits, chocolate… and more. There are many flavor combinations to choose from. The just-baked bread is warm and soft, and when you take a big bite along with the ice cream and fruit, the combination is surprisingly delightful. If burgers and ice cream were the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl, then the owner must be the Magpie Bridge—truly building a connection between this perfect match. Incredible!

There’s a really generous portion of fruit, and the ice cream scoops are huge. Sweet tooth lovers will definitely enjoy this.

[Tipsy Popsicles]

Speaking of frozen treats, if you’re a fan of ice pops, then you absolutely can’t miss this unique “Tipsy Popsicles” stand on Kenting Night Market.

Seeing the name, have you guessed yet? That’s right—tipsy popsicles are made with various fruits and cocktails, then drizzled with chocolate sauce, marshmallows, and a splash of vodka, creating a uniquely flavored dessert. Wow, it sounds so intriguing, you simply have to try it.

Even the gummy bears on top are made with alcohol too!

Alright, let me take you on.

I initially thought the popsicles would taste weak with such ingredients, but they actually turned out to be rich and intense. You can taste the complex flavors of the fruits, and the addition of a little alcohol gives it an even more special aroma. It’s surprisingly delicious and exceeded our expectations. It’s truly a creative and tasty dessert—we highly recommend it!

[Sweet Potato Balls]

Next up is this item that you can find in almost every night market, and there are even several stalls selling it on Kenting Night Market alone... sweet potato balls~ Hmm? You’re asking what’s so special about these sweet potato balls that they deserve a mention? Because they’re honestly so huge, so dense, and so delicious~~~

Sweet potato balls are a classic night market snack, but many tend to be hollow in the middle. Even if they’re crispy on the outside, they often feel empty inside—as if they lack soul. But these sweet potato balls are not only huge, but also densely packed inside. They’re ridiculously good.

To show you just how impressive these sweet potato balls are, we even brought out a scale for comparison. Look at that size—it’s huge!

Same sweet potato balls, why the huge difference? Out of curiosity, we secretly observed for a while and realized the dough itself is very different. They’re super big—that’s why they taste so solid and fragrant. This is what you call using quality ingredients.

Not far from the sweet potato ball stall is another must-try street food gem: “Yong Bo Smoked Tea Duck.”

The boss, Yong Bo, is super enthusiastic and explains each part of the duck and how to eat it in great detail (his level of expertise made me wonder if he used to work in a shopping channel XD). He also offers samples first.

We bought his recommended combo—the “Heart’s Delight”—and the smoked tea duck was absolutely super-duper insanely delicious. It’s fragrant, full of flavor, and so addictive. Plus, when you squeeze some lemon on it, it becomes refreshingly zesty—you just can’t get tired of eating it. It’s perfect as a late-night snack.

When you buy duck meat from Yong Bo, he’ll even give you a little “duck wisdom,” telling you the benefits of eating duck meat XD

[Dongshan Duck Heads]

The last recommendation is this place that sells Dongshan Duck Heads.

The duck heads are first marinated until they’re already very flavorful, and before serving, they’re lightly fried, resulting in a wonderfully crispy yet fragrant texture. The contrast is amazing—the outside is delightfully crispy from frying, while the inside is rich and full of marinated sauce. It's more magical than a Kinder Surprise egg with three wishes in one—Jackie~

(Also, this Dongshan Duck Head stall often stays open later than others. Sometimes when other vendors on the street have already closed, they’re still up and running. They’re basically a late-night snack savior XD)

And that concludes my personal top ten recommended specialty snacks on Kenting Night Market. There are actually quite a few more delicious foods I’d love to introduce, but due to space limitations I couldn’t cover them all (honestly, I’m just too full to move XD). Next time I get the chance, I’ll share more delicious eats from Kenting Night Market with you!

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