Nanmen Market

Located opposite Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall (中正紀念堂), Nanmen Market first established during the Japanese Colonial Era is one of the oldest traditional markets in Taipei City, and with its diverse variety of foods on offer, the market has now become very popular among locals. It is also a hot spot to purchase Chinese New Year’s fares.

The stalls are spread over three floors: basement level, first floor and second floor. The basement level is a wet market, where you will find fresh produce, fish, meat and groceries. Here, visitors will have a chance to experience the vibe of a traditional market and local daily life in Taiwan. Take the staircase to continue your visit to the first floor. The first floor is choc-a-bloc with regional specialty goods and especially jammed packed with eager shoppers during the Chinese New Year. As soon as you step in, myriads of stalls selling prepared foods and snacks will immediately catch your attention. Some of them are particularly popular with a very long queue such as Shanghai Hexing Rice Cake Shop (上海合興糕糰店) and Yi-chang’s Imperial Workshop (億長御坊). Shanghai Hexing Rice Cake Shop prides itself on serving desserts and steamed buns originated from northern China, while Yi-chang’s Imperial Workshop is famous for its wide array of prepared foods.

Sitting right next to MRT Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall station, Nanmen Market is an ideal spot for international visitors to experience the daily life of Taiwanese people. During your visit, never miss out on the yummilicious rice dumplings (zongzi) available here. For your information, there are two ways of making rice dumplings in Taiwan: the northern style and the southern style. The ingredients are basically the same between these two, but the cooking method is what makes the difference. Whichever style you prefer, both can be found at Nanmen Market.