Night Markets in Taiwan

History of Night Markets

Taiwan’s night markets are an essential part of Taiwanese culture. Both foreign tourists and Taiwanese locals visit night markets to enjoy food and lively culture. They started as small food and snack stalls at temple fairs and county markets. In the late 1970s, transportation developed and night markets expanded to serve as crucial areas for entrepreneurial growth. For example, the famous Shillin Night Market started as an agricultural trade hub near the Keelung River during the late Qing Dynasty through the 1980s. It spread across a few streets, and it was a market for meat, fish, flowers, and vegetables. There were some small food vendors who had set up their stalls in front of the Cixian Temple, and locals would visit the market for a late-night snack. It then developed to a bigger market as more vendors set up their stalls. The Shillin night market made Shillin one of the commercial and cultural centers of Taipei. By the 1980s, night markets had become a cultural phenomenon.  

Culture of Night Markets

Many stalls line both sides of the streets in the night markets, making it very difficult to walk freely when crowded. As most of the vendors do not provide seats or tables, customers walk while eating the food that they buy. This has created a culture of eating while walking in Taiwan. It is convenient and people can enjoy a variety of food from the large variety of vendors. As many of the vendors sell small portions of food such as stinky tofu, Taiwanese fried chicken, meat skewers, and xia long bao, customers buy food from many different stalls. This keeps the line of people moving, and allows for all vendors to have an opportunity to sell their food. 

Although night markets are famous for their vast variety of food and snacks, many small stores and vendors sell different things such as clothing, accessories, pillows, toys, shoes, backpacks, and more. Customers can eat and browse through the shops.

 Famous Night Markets in Taipei

Taipei is known for its many big and famous night markets. A little over a 10 minute walk from Zhongshan MRT station, Ningxia Night Market is located in a very convenient area in Taipei. It is one of the most popular night markets. There are many vendors with popular small bites such as oyster omelettes, fried squid, and mango smoothes. There are also many restaurants with traditional Taiwanese food, and stalls with areas to sit down. 

As mentioned above, Shillin Night Market is another popular night market in Taipei, and is also one of the largest. Shillin Night Market is close to many schools, and the affordable prices of not only food but other goods including clothing and furniture, attract a large number of students. This night market is spread across a very large area, and there are more shops than people can explore in one night. 

Another popular night market is the Raohe Night Market. It is next to the Songshan MRT station and only a 4 minute walk from the Rainbow Bridge. Similar to other night markets, this one also has vendors selling accessories and other goods. Some famous snacks available here include pepper buns, oyster noodles, grilled squid, and fried dumplings. 

Visiting a night market is not only a great way to enjoy Taiwanese food, but also a chance to experience the local culture. If you visit Taiwan, be sure to spend an evening exploring one of its many night markets!

written by まりか