From a single tea leaf, a cup of bubble tea and a bowl of douhua to the lights of the night market — sail six stops along Taiwan's coast to meet its flavors and people, and see how a Taiwanese food company carries them to the world.
Along Taiwan's coastline — setting off from the tea hills and finally sailing from the harbor to the world.
Brand Philosophy
Tang Sugar Brand Philosophy: Taiwanese Food and Taiwanese Service, Bringing the Flavors of Taiwan to the World
From the Formosa Oolong that sailed to New York in 1869 to bubble tea loved around the globe, Taiwan has long been sending great flavors to the world. Tang Sugar (Caitang International) is a Taiwanese company proud of the food Taiwanese people make and the service they provide. With consistent ingredient quality, clear partnership terms and verifiable supply capability, we…
It introduces Taiwan's tea, bubble tea, night-market food, fruit and sugar, everyday life and Made in Taiwan, and shows how Tang Sugar brings these flavors and Taiwanese service to partners around the world.
How is Taiwan Stories different from the blog?
Taiwan Stories covers culture, origins and Taiwan through foreign eyes; the blog covers drink recipes, ingredient dosage and sourcing. The two link to each other, so you can go from a story to a recipe.
A Guide to Taiwanese Food: 12 Must-Try Taiwanese Dishes and Their English Names, from Bubble Tea and Beef Noodle Soup to Pineapple Cake
Key answer
Taiwanese food blends Hokkien, Hakka, Indigenous and immigrant traditions. Signature dishes include bubble tea, beef noodle soup, braised pork rice, xiaolongbao and pineapple cake, plus night-market popcorn chicken and oyster omelette and desserts like douhua and mango shaved ice. In 2025 the Michelin Guide’s Bib Gourmand listed 144 places across Taiwan, with Tainan’s 30 mostly local street food. Tang Sugar ships bubble tea ingredients, night-market snack mixes and dessert toppings worldwide so shops overseas can serve a taste of Taiwan.
Why is Taiwanese food so memorable?
Taiwan is small, yet it brings together Hokkien, Hakka and Indigenous food traditions and those of postwar immigrants from across China, plus Japanese-era influences and abundant produce in every season — producing a diverse, down-to-earth Taiwanese flavor. The Michelin Guide’s Bib Gourmand highlights good-value restaurants: in 2025, 144 places across Taiwan made the list — 37 in Taipei, 23 in Taichung, 30 in Tainan and 24 in Kaohsiung — with New Taipei and Hsinchu included for the first time, and many of them serve beef noodles, braised pork rice and traditional snacks.
Braised or clear broth — Taiwan’s national noodle dish
Braised pork rice
滷肉飯
Soy-braised pork belly over rice — everyday Taiwanese comfort food
Xiaolongbao (soup dumplings)
小籠包
Thin-skinned, juicy soup dumplings
Pineapple cake
鳳梨酥
Taiwan’s most popular souvenir
Taiwanese popcorn chicken
鹹酥雞
Night-market fried chicken with basil
Oyster omelette
蚵仔煎
Oysters and egg fried in a sweet potato starch batter
Stinky tofu
臭豆腐
Fermented tofu, fried or in spicy broth
Douhua / Tofu pudding
豆花
Silky tofu pudding with syrup and toppings
Mango shaved ice
芒果冰
Taiwan’s summer-only ice dessert
Gua bao (pork belly bun)
刈包
Filled with braised pork, pickled mustard greens and peanut powder
Taiwanese breakfast
台式早餐
Egg crepes, soy milk, rice rolls and milk tea
Drinks and desserts: the sweet side of Taiwanese food
Taiwan’s sweet side is distinctive, from hand-shaken drinks to desserts. Bubble tea was born in 1980s Taiwan (further reading: the origin and history of bubble tea), and Taiwanese drink shops let you choose your sugar and ice; desserts include douhua, aiyu, grass jelly, taro balls, and in summer mango shaved ice and snow ice.
Night-market snacks: the lively side of Taiwanese food
The best place to try lots of Taiwanese snacks at once is a night market. Shilin, Ningxia, Fengjia, Garden and Liuhe each have their signatures, and popcorn chicken, sweet potato balls and “small sausage in large sausage” are must-eats (further reading: Taiwan night market guide, Taiwanese night market culture).
Tang Sugar: shipping the ingredients of Taiwanese food to the world
Taiwanese food is one of the things Taiwanese people are proudest of. Caitang International Co., Ltd. (brand name Tang Sugar) helps shops overseas make authentic Taiwanese flavors without coming to Taiwan:
This article belongs to Stop 3, Night Markets & Street Food, of the Taiwan Stories series. Series opener: Tang Sugar brand philosophy.
FAQ
What are Taiwan’s signature foods?
Common picks are bubble tea, beef noodle soup, braised pork rice, xiaolongbao, pineapple cake, popcorn chicken, oyster omelette, stinky tofu, douhua and mango shaved ice.
What is 台灣美食 in English?
台灣美食 is Taiwanese food or Taiwanese cuisine; 台灣小吃 is usually Taiwanese street food or Taiwanese snacks.
Which Taiwanese foods do foreigners like most?
Foreign travelers most often mention bubble tea, xiaolongbao, beef noodle soup, pineapple cake and night-market snacks, though tastes vary by country.
Are there Michelin-recommended street foods in Taiwan?
Yes. The Michelin Bib Gourmand includes many Taiwanese street foods and affordable eateries — 144 places across Taiwan in 2025 — and 10 of Taipei’s first Bib Gourmand picks in 2018 came from night markets.
Can authentic Taiwanese food be made overseas?
Yes. Using drink ingredients, snack mixes and dessert toppings imported from Taiwan brings the taste closer to Taiwan; exports must meet the destination’s food regulations.
