Yongle Market

As the culinary capital of Taiwan, Tainan boasts a cuisine entirely its own reflecting the city's rich history. Local patrons are pampered with a constant flow of extravagant ingredients that please all fussy palates. For example, rice dumplings in Tainan are always filled with a lavish amount of steamed peanuts and topped with a generous sprinkle of peanut powder and a splash of soy sauce. It is something that you can’t find elsewhere in Taiwan – very worth a try.

Never underestimate the power of these “small eats” even though everything comes in miniature portions with a very affordable price tag. Make sure you have an empty stomach before heading to the bustling Yongle Market. It is where all delicacies gather in one place. You will be so spoiled for choice as there is a wide selection of yummy goodies. The savory rice pudding (碗粿) will melt in your mouth as you bite in. Spring rolls are another must-try here. As simple as it may seem, these spring rolls are wrapped with a variety of ingredients such as deep-fried egg crisps, cabbages, carrots, garlic, spinach, shredded pork, shrimp, broad beans, peanut powder sugar. The wrap is literally a carnival of flavors and texture – it can be very filling though. The oyster omelette is ranked as the food that most represents Taiwan. Starch, egg batter, oysters and veggies are the major ingredients used to make the omelette and pork lard is used to fry it up. Finally, the omelette is topped with a splash of special sauces that increases the flavor. It might look a bit unusual, but the taste is hard to beat!

It is an indisputable fact that Tainan is the food capital of Taiwan, but other than the prestigious, century-old eateries, on the second floor of Yongle Market, you will also find the very inconspicuous Café Chamber that brings a touch of old Hong Kong to Tainan. The charming, laid-back ambience of the café happens to fit perfectly with the cozy, nostalgic feel of the neighborhood, adding youthful energy to the historic Yongle Market.