Taipei’s tastiest neighborhood, Yongkang Street is one of the yummiest things to do in Taiwan, packed full of cool cafes, decadent desserts and oodles of noodle shops and delicious dumplings.
This post may contain affiliate links to tours and hotels. These help us earn a small commission at no additional charge to you.
From the terrific Tian Jin Scallion Flaky Pancakes to xiao long bao and beef noodles, there is something to suit all tastes (and budgets) along Yongkang Street – and don’t forget tofu pudding for dessert!
And it isn’t just food, as there are cute gift shops, craft beer bars and gorgeous green spaces.
One of Taipei’s top food destinations, here is our ultimate guide to the things to do along Yongkang Street, Taipei.
Taiwan checklist
We love using agoda.com and booking.com for researching and booking all our hotels, and Hostelworld for booking hostels.
For booking tours, transfers and SIM cards we recommend Get Your Guide, Viator or Klook.
You might like – Guide to Simple Kaffa Sola cafe in Taipei 101 (the highest cafe in Taipei) >
How to get to Yongkang Street
The closest Taiwan Metro station to Yongkang Street is Dongmen MRT station, exit 5. This is on the red Tamsui – Xinyi line.
To get to Yongkang Street from Taipei Main Station, take the red Tamsui-Xinyi Line towards Daan from platform 2 – it is an approximate 7 minute journey.
Yongkang Street also includes Lishui Street, part of Jinhua Street as well as the Xinyi Road intersection.
Check out out guide to using an EasyCard in Taiwan here >
Things to do on Yongkang Street, Taipei
1. Tian Jin Scallion Flaky Pancakes
Hungry and looking for a hidden gem of a hawker stall on Yongkang Street? Then try Tian Jin Scallion Flaky Pancakes.
As you exit from Dongmen Station, head down Yongkang Street and you’ll see Tian Jin pancake stall on your right, usually manned by several older ladies (or Taiwan ‘aunties’).
Given its popularity and as it features on numerous Taipei food tours, there can be long queues at Tian Jin (we’ve seen as many as 40 people in line) but not always.
The queue also goes quite quickly as the staff know how to serve up flaky scallion pancakes super fast!
Pancakes start from NT$30 at Tian Ji for a plain flaky pancake through to NT$60 for ‘everything’ / the works or corn, cheese and egg.
Tian Jin hawker stall is open daily from 8am to 10pm – all times and prices are correct as of summer 2024.
Read our full guide to Tian Ji Yongkang Street pancakes here >
Find Tian Jin Scallion Flaky Pancakes on Google Maps >
Try this – The award-winning private food tour of Taipei with 10 tastings >
2. Smoothie House Yongkang Street
See that massive queue across the road from the flaky Taiwan pancake stall? That’ll be Smoothie House, known for its refreshing fruit smoothies and ice desserts – it is hard to miss as it is painted in bright yellow!
One of the top Yongkang eating spots with tourists, Smoothie House serves up Tshuah-ping / Chhoah-peng which is Taiwanese shaved ice.
There are lots of flavours including lychee and strawberry but most people go for the melon – melon shaved ice costs $NT250.
They describe themselves on a sign outside the shop as ‘world renowned mango snowflake shop’ – so modest about their marvellous mangoes!
This is a really n-ice thing to do on Yongkang Street (sorry not sorry). Smoothie House is open daily from 10.30am to 10pm – expect big queues at lunchtime and when the local schools finish.
Find Smoothie House on Google Maps >
You might like – Keelung Night Market: Northern Taiwan’s biggest night market >
3. Yongkang Park
Whilst exploring all the eateries and restaurants along Yongkang Street, you may want to grab some takeaway and eat alfresco in Yongkang Park, a gorgeous green space and a brief respite from all the hustle and bustle of the main road.
Yongkang Park has several shady spots and lots of park benches – it is a popular spot for families as there is a big playground here.
Also keep an eye out for the cute and kawaii chef cartoon characters at the main park entrance, a playful reference to all the incredible food and drink places in Yongkang Street.
Find Yongkang Park on Google Maps >
You might like – Guide to Huashan 1914 Creative Park, Taiwan’s best creative park >
4. Ciao Ciao Scone Cafe / 悄悄好食永康店舖
So what to enjoy on Yongkang Street, Taipei’s tastiest trendy neighbourhood?
On our last trip to Taipei in early 2024, we discovered Ciao Ciao, a super cute coffee shop that serves up English style scones with cream and in a variety of flavours – like a little bit of Britain in Taipei!
Cosy inside with just a couple of tables, the scones here cost between NT$65 to NT$80 and we opted for the earl grey tea scone and the milk chocolate scone, served with an American (NT$80) and white coffee ($NT100).
If we had more room in our bellies, we’d have also tried the green matcha tea scone as it looked amazing!
Please note the name ‘Ciao Ciao Scone’ doesn’t show up on Google Maps so you may need to search for 悄悄好食永康店舖 – it is open from 9.30am to 8.30pm daily.
Find Ciao Ciao Scone on Google Maps >
You might like – Somebody Feed Phil Netflix Taipei food and restaurant location guide >
5. Hao Kung Tao Chin Chi Yuan
As featured in the Bib Gourmand / Taiwan Michelin Guide, Hao Kung Tao Chin Chi Yuan is an excellent xiao long bao restaurant that serves fried chicken and delicious soupy dumplings (best accompanied with an ice-cold Taiwan Classic Beer).
Your Taipei foodie adventure starts as soon as you cross the restaurant threshold as you walk through the kitchen downstairs where they are steaming dumplings and kneading fresh dough – so far, so fantastic.
Upstairs at Hao Kung Tao Chin Chi Yuan, there is a large dining room and every table has a paper notepad to place your order.
We’ve been here several times and the food here is very hearty and whilst not the best xiao long baos we’ve had in Taipei, this is definitely a nice place to sit down and eat.
Example dishes include shrimp shumai, meat and vegetable dumplings plus you can help yourself to vegetable sides from the fridge. Dumplings come in portions of 8 and usually cost around $NT200 – please note the restaurant is closed on Wednesdays.
Find Hao Kung Tao Chin Chi Yuan on Google Maps >
You might like – Our guide to Rongjin Gorgeous Time, Taipei’s historic hipster hub >
6. Zhang Men Brewing Yongkang
Taipei is never short of craft beer bars, and one of the best breweries in Taiwan is Zhangmen Brewing – ganbei to good beer!
Zhangmen Craft Brewery is a cracking craft brewery in Taiwan with over 10 brewery taprooms, including five in Taipei.
Just off Yongkang Street hidden along Lane 4, you’ll find Zhang Men Brewing Yongkang, a cute and compact brewery bar and taproom with a small outdoor terrace.
We tried their 6.4% cherry sour 6.6% American IPA but they usually have over 20 different craft beers on tap – so you won’t go thirsty!
Find Zhang Men Brewing Yongkang on Google Maps >
You might like – Taiwanderers guide to the best brewery & craft beer bars in Taipei >
7. Din Tai Fung
If you haven’t heard of Din Tai Fung before, where have you been? One of the most popular chain restaurants on the Taiwan dining scene, there are branches all over Taipei and Taiwan plus has outposts as far afield as Australia and the UK.
It all started back in 1958 with their Din Tai Fung branch at the end of YongKang Street, near to Dongmen MRT – this is their very first shop and still doing big business today.
Best known for its xiao long bao soup dumplings, Din Tai Fung is affordable and generally very good (we’ve been to several branches in and around Taiwan and always had first class fodder).
Din Tai Fung Yongkang is open from 11am to 8.30pm on weekdays, and from 10.30am on weekends.
2024 update – This Din Tai Fung Yongkang / Xinyi branch is now takeout only. So grab some xiao long bao and go eat them in Da’an Park or Yongkang Park. Alternatively, there is a sit in Din Tai Fung Restaurant just down the road, when walking towards Da’an Park.
Find Din Tai Fung on Google Maps >
BRAND NEW FOR 2024!
Join our Facebook Taiwan Travel Tips Group!
Need help with your Taiwan itinerary or have any questions? Head on over to our Facebook group and ask the experts!
Click here to join our group >
8. Yongkang Beef Noodles
Yongkang Beef Noodles is one of Taipei’s most famous beef noodle stores with melt in the mouth beef. We had to queue up for about 10 minutes before getting a table inside, right next to where they serve up the noodles – talk about a chef’s table!
Having been open over 50 years, it doesn’t feel like the seating area inside has changed much since it first opened – the tables were packed with a mixture of locals, business people, families and tourists.
We opted for the classic Yongkang beef noodles and the cold Taiwan peanut noodle dish, Liang Mian.
For us, Yongkang Beef Noodles was OK but not as delicious as Liu Shandong Beef Noodles (which for our money, are the best beef noodles in Taipei).
Yongkang Beef Noodles is open daily from 11am to 8.30pm.
Find Yongkang Beef Noodles on Google Maps >
You might like – Taiwan receipt lottery 2024 guide for travelers >
9. 8%ice CAFÉ 永康公園店
One of Yongkang’s coolest cafes and pizza places, 8%ice CAFÉ overlooks Yongkang Park and is a pleasant spot to enjoy some sweet treats and very strong coffee.
One of the main reasons that people flock to 8%ice CAFÉ and return time and time again is the live music.
We first spotted the place after we could hear the sounds of a violinist drifting across Yongkang Park. Several times a day, you can enjoy your cold brew with a clarinet or piccolo and pizza with a piano.
Music performances are 12.30pm to 2.30pm, 3pm to 5pm and 6:30pm to 8:30pm.
8%ice CAFÉ 永康公園店 is open from 11am to 10.30pm Sunday to Thursday, and until 10pm on Friday and Saturday.
Find 8%ice CAFÉ on Google Maps >
You might like – Our guides to themed Taipei 7-Elevens including Hello Kitty, Mofusand and Peanuts
10. Bai-Shui Douhua
A delicious dessert and tofu pudding shop, Bai-Shui Douhua combines silky smooth sweet tofu, peanuts and ginger syrup into one blissful bowl.
Choose from different topping like taro or red bean or even go with the mango tofu pudding. The secret of their silky smooth tofu is apparently using spring water from Taiwan’s Xue Mountains, making this the ‘peak’ of Taiwan’s dessert scene.
Please note that if you want to sit inside, it is a minimum order of one dessert per person.
Bai-Shui Douhua is open from 12.30pm to 9pm at weekends,and 1pm to 9pm weekdays, closed Thursdays.
Find Bai-Shui Douhua on Google Maps >
You might like – Taiwanderers guide to Bugcat Capoo House and Foam Cat Cafe in Taichung >
11. Beyond Milk (Permanently closed)
2024 Update – Beyond Milk Yongkang Street has now permanently closed.
You might like – Taiwanderers guide to 44 South Military Village in Taipei >
12. James Kitchen
As visited by the late great Anthony Bourdain (RIP) as part of his Layover TV series, James Kitchen serves up delicious Taiwanese comfort food in a small place, reminiscent of a Japanese izakaya, chock full of flavour and fresh ingredients.
From General Tso’s Chicken to clam loofahs and three silk lamb tripe, James Kitchen is a joyful dining experience and one of Yongkang’s yummiest restaurants to eat at.
James Kitchen is open from 5pm to 11.30pm daily.
Find James Kitchen on Google Maps >
You might like – 30 Cute EasyCard, iPass & iCash Card Designs in Taiwan >
13. MATA Tofu Pudding
Away from the busy Yongkang main road and nestled in the quieter back-streets, MATA Tofu Pudding is another popular tofu pudding spot with a cute seating area outfront (and just four seats so get there fast).
MATA Tofu Pudding’s signature dishes are Taiwan red bean tapioca with peanuts and Japanese Tokyo spicy tofu pudding with peanut crisp – they also have other branches in Taipei and across Taiwan.
MATA Tofu Pudding is open daily from 1.30pm to 9pm.
Find Mata Tofu Pudding on Google Maps >
Try this – Top 10 food tours in Taipei >
Yongkang Street Shops
Although Yongkang Street is mainly known as a foodie destination, there are also lots of nice craft shops and gift shops. Some of the best Yongkang shops include:
14. Jumeng Creative Market
Hands down this was the cutest gift shop in Yongkang Street when we last visited in spring 2024. We could have spent an absolute fortune here – from Taiwan Bear badges to red panda matches, there are ‘sew’ many nice things here.
There are lots of Taiwan specific presents that can easily be taken home, including tote bags, bookmarks and purses – Jumeng Creative Market is one the best gift shops in Taipei.
Find Jumeng Creative Market on Google Maps >
You might like – Our guide to Hello Kitty Taiwan things to do in Taiwan >
15. Ma Ma Umbrella
A gorgeous gift shop overlooking Yongkang Park, this is a super place for souvenirs, cute stationery and colourful umbrellas.
Find Ma Ma Umbrella on Google Maps >
Chain shops on Yongkang Street
Although we’ve tried to focus on independent restaurants, cafes and shop in Yongkang, there are also several chain shops and eateries that maybe of interest including:
- 7-Eleven convenience stores
- 50 Lan – a popular bubble tea shop that is also known as Koi and FIFTYLAN in other countries
- Neals Yard Remedies – a Yongkang branch of the British based skincare supplier
- Daiso Yongkang – Daiso is a Japanese discount store that has around 6,000 locations worldwide including branches in America and Australia. This one is two storeys with most items around the NT$60.
Yongkang street food tours
Yongkang Street is easy to explore yourself but if you’d like some local experience and authentic Taiwanese food, try these Yongkang foodie tours:
- Food walking tour at Yongkang Street in Taipei with Klook >
- Taipei food tour: Yongkang Street for foodies with GetYourGuide >
- See Yongkang Street at night & Shida Night Market on this Taipei bicycle tour >
Found this Yongkang Street in Taipei article helpful?
Did you enjoy our Yongkang Street in Taipei blog post? Let us know in the comments or by sharing it on social media.
You can follow Taiwanderers on:
Instagram
Facebook
TikTok
YouTube
Pinterest
