Shida Night Market

Named after the nearby university of the same name, Shida (師大) is actually an abbreviated form of the Chinese words for a teachers college. Almost every night market in Taiwan originally sprang up around either a temple or university to fulfill the needs of the large crowds that tend to gather in those areas. Thus, this night market and accompanying street, Shida Road, have become the primary eating and shopping area for the students of Shida.

While other night markets in Taiwan may cater to whole families, Shida is definitely geared more to the young adult crowd. You won't find any games or rides here, rather, the highlight of the experience is the plethora of trendy, inexpensive shopping choices. For those with an affinity for fashion, a visit to Shida Night Market (師大夜市) is one of the best places in the country to get a peak at the latest style trends shaping Taiwan.

But this is still a night market. And true to form, it provides some great food among the swathes of clothes stores. On offer here are some of the most famous luwei stalls in Taipei. Luwei is a mixture of vegetables and noodles chosen by the customer which is quickly stewed in a fragrant boiling soup, then shared among friends. You will also find pan-fried buns and an assortment of cold beverage vendors set up here. Admittedly, food choices used to be even more numerous before a government crackdown forcefully closed any operations located on a street less than six meters wide, and some say that Shida has lost some of its charm since the crackdown. But we don’t mind the relatively limited choice of food, especially because wonderful nearby restaurants such as Out of India (印渡風情) and KGB Kiwi Gourmet Burgers (紐西蘭風味漢堡) can easily satisfy any post-shopping munchies.