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.
Taiwanese Street Food List: 15 Must-Try Taiwanese Snacks and Their English Names, from Popcorn Chicken and Oyster Omelette to Sweet Potato Balls
Key answer
Which Taiwanese street foods do foreigners mention most? Taiwanese popcorn chicken, oyster omelette, sausage in sticky rice, stinky tofu, braised pork rice, gua bao, sweet potato balls and pepper buns, plus desserts like douhua and aiyu, and bubble tea. You can try most of them in one go at a night market. Tang Sugar supplies popcorn chicken seasoning, sweet potato ball mix and bubble tea ingredients so Taiwanese street food can be enjoyed overseas too.
Taiwanese street food: small portions, big know-how
Taiwanese street food comes in small portions at friendly prices, made to order — perfect for trying lots of dishes at once. Many snacks come from roadside stalls and night markets; some shops have been passed down for generations, and quite a few are listed in the Michelin Bib Gourmand (further reading: a guide to Taiwanese food).
15 Taiwanese street foods foreigners must try
Dish
Chinese name
In one line
Taiwanese popcorn chicken
鹹酥雞
Fried with basil and dusted with pepper salt
Oyster omelette
蚵仔煎
Oysters, egg and sweet potato starch batter with sweet chili sauce
Sausage in sticky rice
大腸包小腸
Taiwanese sausage tucked in a sticky rice sausage
Stinky tofu
臭豆腐
Fried with pickled cabbage, or in spicy broth
Braised pork rice
滷肉飯
Soy-braised pork over rice
Gua bao
刈包
Braised pork belly, pickled mustard greens and peanut powder in a bun
Pepper bun
胡椒餅
Peppery pork bun baked in a charcoal oven
Scallion pancake
蔥油餅
Flaky, crispy pancake with scallions
Sweet potato balls
地瓜球
Hollow balls, crisp outside and chewy inside
Taiwanese egg cake
雞蛋糕
Little cakes baked in shaped molds
Ba-wan
肉圓
Chewy translucent skin wrapped around pork filling
Douhua
豆花
Silky tofu pudding with syrup and toppings
Aiyu jelly
愛玉
Clear jelly from a plant found only in Taiwan
Mango shaved ice
芒果冰
Taiwan’s summer-only ice dessert
Bubble tea
珍珠奶茶
The hand-shaken drink Taiwan invented
Where to eat Taiwanese street food
Night markets are the easiest: Taipei’s Shilin and Ningxia, Keelung Miaokou, Taichung’s Fengjia, Tainan’s Garden, Kaohsiung’s Liuhe, Yilan’s Luodong and Hualien’s Dongdamen each have signature snacks (further reading: Taiwan night market guide, the origin and history of night markets). Tainan is known as Taiwan’s street food capital, with 30 places in the 2025 Michelin Bib Gourmand.
Tang Sugar: helping Taiwanese street food open shops overseas
Many Taiwanese snack shops overseas started with a cup of bubble tea and a bag of popcorn chicken. Caitang International Co., Ltd. (brand name Tang Sugar) is proud of Taiwanese street food and supplies the mixes and ingredients overseas shops need most:
This article belongs to Stop 3, Night Markets & Street Food, of the Taiwan Stories series. Series opener: Tang Sugar brand philosophy.
FAQ
What is 台灣小吃 in English?
台灣小吃 is usually Taiwanese street food or Taiwanese snacks; 夜市小吃 is night market food.
What is Taiwan’s number one street food?
There’s no official ranking; foreign travelers most often mention bubble tea, popcorn chicken, xiaolongbao, beef noodle soup and oyster omelette.
Any tips for trying stinky tofu for the first time?
Stinky tofu smells strong but tastes crisp and savory; start with fried stinky tofu and Taiwanese pickled cabbage.
Where is Taiwanese street food most concentrated?
Night markets; among cities, Tainan is the most famous for street food, with 30 places in the 2025 Michelin Bib Gourmand.
Can I open a Taiwanese street food shop overseas?
Yes. Importing pre-blended snack mixes and drink ingredients from Taiwan brings the taste closer to Taiwan; exports must meet the destination’s food regulations.
