Taipei Morning Food Tour: Soy Milk Breakfast, Beef Noodles & Old Town Markets
Day tour
Food tour
Standard
Departure point
→
Destination
Taipei, Taiwan
Taipei
1N (Participation Duration)
Walking (Transportation)
English (Language)
Number of participants 0/10
0 booked
Tour description
Taipei eats breakfast out. Soy milk shops open at half past five and the queues form immediately, because a Taiwanese breakfast is not toast - it is a bowl of hot, thick, slightly sweet or savoury soy milk, a sesame flatbread with a fried dough stick folded into it, a turnip cake fried hard on a griddle, and a rice roll packed with pickled vegetables and pork floss.
This tour starts at half past six, which is early, and is the only way to do it properly. We queue at one of the city's famous soy milk houses - a walk-up on the second floor of an old market building, where you can watch the dough being pulled and the flatbreads slapped into a drum oven - and eat the full spread.
Then we walk the old town: a traditional market where your guide translates the produce and the dried goods, a stop for fan tuan rice rolls, and a bowl of Taiwanese beef noodle soup, which Taipei considers its own invention and holds an annual competition for.
We finish with hand-pulled tea and a pineapple cake from a bakery that makes them properly, with real winter-melon-free filling.
Small group, maximum 10 guests.
This tour starts at half past six, which is early, and is the only way to do it properly. We queue at one of the city's famous soy milk houses - a walk-up on the second floor of an old market building, where you can watch the dough being pulled and the flatbreads slapped into a drum oven - and eat the full spread.
Then we walk the old town: a traditional market where your guide translates the produce and the dried goods, a stop for fan tuan rice rolls, and a bowl of Taiwanese beef noodle soup, which Taipei considers its own invention and holds an annual competition for.
We finish with hand-pulled tea and a pineapple cake from a bakery that makes them properly, with real winter-melon-free filling.
Small group, maximum 10 guests.
Meeting point:
View on map
Shandao Temple station exit 5, Zhongzheng, Taipei
We meet outside exit 5 of Shandao Temple station on the blue line, beside the Huashan Market building. Your guide will have a small sign with your name.
Detailed itinerary
Stop 1 - Soy milk house: The queue is part of it. Thick hot soy milk, sweet or savoury with dried shrimp and vinegar, plus shaobing youtiao - sesame flatbread folded around a fried dough stick, straight out of the drum oven.
Stop 2 - Dan bing and radish cake: Thin egg crepes rolled with cheese or pork floss, and turnip cake fried hard on a griddle with soy paste.
Stop 3 - Fan tuan: A sticky rice roll packed with pickled mustard, pork floss and a fried dough stick, squeezed into a cylinder and eaten on the walk.
Stop 4 - Traditional market: A walk through a neighbourhood market with your guide on Taiwanese produce, dried goods, bamboo shoots and the island's fruit.
Stop 5 - Taiwanese beef noodle soup: Either the clear-broth or the red-braised style, with hand-pulled noodles and pickled mustard greens. Taipei holds an annual championship for this dish.
Stop 6 - Tea: Hand-brewed Taiwanese oolong or a hot tea latte, with your guide on the island's tea mountains.
Stop 7 - Pineapple cake: From a bakery that uses real pineapple rather than winter melon, with the difference explained and tasted.
Stop 2 - Dan bing and radish cake: Thin egg crepes rolled with cheese or pork floss, and turnip cake fried hard on a griddle with soy paste.
Stop 3 - Fan tuan: A sticky rice roll packed with pickled mustard, pork floss and a fried dough stick, squeezed into a cylinder and eaten on the walk.
Stop 4 - Traditional market: A walk through a neighbourhood market with your guide on Taiwanese produce, dried goods, bamboo shoots and the island's fruit.
Stop 5 - Taiwanese beef noodle soup: Either the clear-broth or the red-braised style, with hand-pulled noodles and pickled mustard greens. Taipei holds an annual championship for this dish.
Stop 6 - Tea: Hand-brewed Taiwanese oolong or a hot tea latte, with your guide on the island's tea mountains.
Stop 7 - Pineapple cake: From a bakery that uses real pineapple rather than winter melon, with the difference explained and tasted.
Tour price includes
• Small-group English-speaking local food guide
• All food and drink tastings listed in the itinerary
• One local drink at the final stop
• Bottled water and wet wipes throughout the walk
• All taxes and service fees
• All food and drink tastings listed in the itinerary
• One local drink at the final stop
• Bottled water and wet wipes throughout the walk
• All taxes and service fees
Tour price excludes
• Hotel pick-up and drop-off unless stated
• Additional drinks beyond those included
• Personal travel insurance
• Tips for your guide (appreciated but never expected)
• Meals and purchases outside the programme
• Additional drinks beyond those included
• Personal travel insurance
• Tips for your guide (appreciated but never expected)
• Meals and purchases outside the programme
Cancellation policy
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the tour start time for a full refund. Cancellations within 24 hours are non-refundable. Tours run rain or shine; most of this route is indoors or covered.
Other notes
Runs Sunday and Tuesday to Saturday at 06:30. We do not run on Mondays, when the soy milk house that anchors this tour is closed.
The 06:30 start is not negotiable. The famous soy milk shops close at lunchtime and the queue after eight can be over an hour. Note that the Taipei metro does not start running until about 06:00, so plan your journey accordingly - or ask us about a taxi.
Queues: expect 15 to 45 minutes at the first stop. That waiting time is built into the schedule and is where your guide does most of the explaining.
Cash only at most stops.
Typhoon season runs roughly July to October.
Dietary needs: tell us at least 48 hours ahead. Taiwan has an excellent Buddhist vegetarian tradition and a fully vegetarian version of this tour is straightforward.
Entirely on foot, about 2 km on flat streets.
The 06:30 start is not negotiable. The famous soy milk shops close at lunchtime and the queue after eight can be over an hour. Note that the Taipei metro does not start running until about 06:00, so plan your journey accordingly - or ask us about a taxi.
Queues: expect 15 to 45 minutes at the first stop. That waiting time is built into the schedule and is where your guide does most of the explaining.
Cash only at most stops.
Typhoon season runs roughly July to October.
Dietary needs: tell us at least 48 hours ahead. Taiwan has an excellent Buddhist vegetarian tradition and a fully vegetarian version of this tour is straightforward.
Entirely on foot, about 2 km on flat streets.
Detailed price list
| Guest type | Price |
|---|---|
| 大人 | $55 |
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