Zhongxiao Dunhua Shopping Area

While neighboring Zhongxiao Fuxing (忠孝復興) may be all about lights and grand shopping malls, Zhongxiao Dunhua Shopping Area (忠孝敦化商圈) stands apart for its quieter boutique fashion culture. Skip the main thoroughfare of Zhongxiao East Rd. and slip into the side streets that snake their way around both the north and south sides of this area. Whether your interests revolve around chic clothing design, rustic cafe escapes, or stylish side streets, there's something for everyone to discover.

Name brands are not well represented here, but that's the point. Dunhua shopping is all about local, independent shops that delight just as much in presenting fashion trends as setting them. It's no wonder that Taiwanese are so well respected in East Asia for our sense of fashion. Strolling through these alleys is the perfect introduction to the diverse styles and influences of Taiwan's unquenchable thirst for clothing. In a sense, Zhongxiao Dunhua is kind of like an international fashion show for the public. Here you'll find classy continental European, street-smart urban American, mix-and-match Japanese cool, suave and sexy K-pop Korean, and cute and conservative Taiwanese.

But it’s not all about fashion here. Stores specializing in arts and coffee table books are elegant and classy. Afternoon tea shops and cafes are a brilliant pit-stop for the tired shopper, of which we especially recommend C25 Café, Oma’s Berlin Bistro and Belle Époque for those needing sustenance. On the Renai Dunhua Roundabout, the world’s first 24 hour bookstore, Eslite (誠品書店), captures the imaginations of all who visit here. And down below, a shopping and walking corridor follows the path of the subway between Zhongxiao Fuxing and Dunhua stations, providing a subterranean escape from the elements.