Chiang Kai-shek Memorial hall is not just a tourist attraction. It is deeply ingrained in the locals life. Along with the bustling community, there is an equally rich food scene to support.
Growing up in Taiwan and studied at Taipei First Girls’ High School, we were lucky enough to be surrounded by the vibrant food scene of Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall and Nanmen. Our school is within walking distance of this attraction and food scene. From a young age, we were hooked on the mouthwatering smells wafting from the restaurants and food stalls.
Food around here is often our comfort after a long school day or a fun gathering between friends.. From slurping up bowls of beef noodle soup to savoring delicate xiao long bao, we’ve developed a deep appreciation for the authentic flavors and hidden gems that make Taiwanese food so special.
Let us be your guides to the best food experiences near Chiang Kai-shek memorial hall. We’ll take you on a culinary adventure, sharing stories and recommendations along the way. Your taste buds will thank you!
Source: smileTaiwan
The neighborhood surrounding the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall is a vibrant mix of historical significance, cultural attractions, and local life. This area is home to several schools and a diverse range of businesses. Additionally, the National Theater and National Concert Hall offers world-class performances and enriches the cultural scene.
In this post, we will introduce to you 12 local favorite restaurants and food stalls that you should try. Let the locals tell you what to eat after visiting Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall!
If you want to learn more about the top attractions to visit in Taipei, check out 20 Places You Must Visit in Taipei.
Before we list out individual recommendations of what to eat, we want to first let you know about our go-to place for food in general.
Nanmen Market 南門市場
Source: 天下雜誌
Near Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall is the Nanmen Market, Taipei’s most beautiful market. Nanmen Market is one of Taipei’s oldest traditional markets. It started as a small, open-air market but was recently rebuilt to meet modern safety standards. Now, the new Nanmen Market is spacious, clean, modern and even features signs of multiple languages for tourists.
Nanmen Market is a bustling market with lots of different shops and stalls selling everything from fresh produce to delicious snacks. You can find all kinds of tasty treats, like dumplings, noodles, and pastries. There are also many shops selling traditional Chinese medicine and other goods.
Source: Bio Architecture Formosana
If you need to fill your stomach before or after you visit the famous Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall, and you don’t have a specific food or destination in mind, you can head straight to Nanmen market. There are plenty of food options that can satisfy every appetite.
Maokong is also a place full of history and tasty food, we think a Day Trip to Taipei Zoo and Maokong Gondola will be unforgettable for all visitors.
Jin Feng Braised Pork Rice 金峰滷肉飯
Source: WalkerLand
If you want to try a popular local dish, you must visit the famous Jin Feng Braised Pork Rice. Their pork rice, with its rich and savory flavor, is a favorite among the locals. Whether you enjoy it over rice or dry noodles, you’ll be sure to finish your bowl in no time. The tender pork is slow-cooked in a rich, savory sauce that perfectly complements the fluffy white rice. In addition to their signature dish, Jin Feng also offers a variety of other tasty options, including flavorful soups and delicious side dishes.
Ebisu Curry & Coffee
Source: Ebisu Curry & Coffee FB Page
Ebisu Curry & Coffee is a great place to eat if you’re near the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. They have delicious Japanese-style curry dishes that are really affordable. Their most popular dish is the cheese dry curry. It’s different from regular curry because the curry sauce is thicker and it’s on top of the rice. They add cheese on top, which makes it extra yummy! It’s a cozy and comfortable place to eat, and the food is really tasty.
Liao’s Beef Noodle Soup 廖家牛肉麵
Source: Leaf Yeh
If you’re looking for a really good bowl of beef noodle soup, you have to try Liao’s Beef Noodle Soup. It’s so popular that it was even recommended by the Michelin Guide! Unlike traditional dark braised beef noodle soups, Liao’s specializes in a clear broth version, one that does’t add soy sauce. The soup is made from simmering beef bones for hours, resulting in a rich and flavorful broth that’s not too salty or greasy. The tender beef is cooked to perfection and pairs well with the chewy noodles. Many people like to add a bit of raw garlic to the soup for an extra kick. If you’re a fan of clear beef noodle soup, Liao’s is definitely worth a try.
Hangzhou Soup Dumplings (Xiao Long Bao) 杭州小籠湯包
📍 Google Maps 🌐 Website
Source: foodpanda, 自由時報
When it comes to soup dumping, most people only think of Ding Tai Fung. However, Hangzhou Xiao Long Bao is a another local’s favorite restaurant for soup dumpling lovers! It’s just a short walk from Exit 3 of the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall MRT station.
This restaurant has been around for 25 years and is even recommended in the Michelin Guide! People love it so much because the soup dumplings are really delicious and very affordable. The skin is thin and the soup inside is hot and flavorful. It’s almost like a little soup explosion in your mouth! Besides the soup dumplings, they also have other tasty dishes like crab roe soup dumplings and radish cakes.
Sheng Yuan Soup Dumplings (Xiao Long Bao) 盛園絲瓜小籠湯包
📍 Google Maps 🌐 Website
Source: shengyuan.com.tw
Right by Hangzhou Soup Dumplings is Sheng Yuan Soup Dumplings, another popular soup dumpling (xiao long bao) restaurant near Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall in Taipei. It’s famous for its delicious soup dumplings, especially the sponge gourd (or luffa) soup dumplings.
These dumplings are filled with a tasty meat filling and a clear, flavorful broth. The spong groud adds a sweet and refreshing taste to the dumplings. They’re so good that many people consider Sheng Yuan to be one of the best places to eat soup dumplings in Taipei. Try it out yourself to see if you think it’s better than Ding Tai Fung.
Xiang Se 香色
📍 Google Maps 🌐 Website
Source: Xiang Se FB Page
Xiang Se is a hidden treasure near Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall tucked away in an old house. Due to its popularity, you have to make a reservation to eat there! As soon as you open the door, it feels like you’ve traveled back in time to a beautiful European castle.
The restaurant is well decorated and lots of people have their weddings there. Everything is so beautiful and elegant, from the furniture to the plates. The food is of course really special too – each dish looks like a piece of art. They serve a variety of dishes ranging from pancakes to steak. It’s a great place to go for a special occasion if you are willing to pay a slightly higher price.
Looking for something more spicy? Here we have 7 Best Gay Bars in Taipei, it will be a great guide for you rainbow night life in Taipei!
Nanmen Fuzhou Fool’s Noodle 南門福州傻瓜乾麵
Source: Nanmen Fuzhou Fool’s Noodle FB Page
Nanmen Fuzhou Fool’s Noodle is a popular restaurant near Nanmen Market. They’re famous for their noodles and fried pork chops. If you go there, you have to try the red fermented pork chop! It’s so crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. It goes really well with their rice and pickled vegetables.
They also have a noodle dish called “Shagua Mian”, meaning fool’s noodle. You can choose how spicy you want it. It’s a great place to try if you’re looking for some delicious Taiwanese food near Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall.
Hehuan Knife-Cut Noodle Restaurant 合歡刀削麵館
Source: Hehuan Knife-Cut Noodle Restaurant FB Page
Hidden in Nanmen Market is a gem called Hehuan Knife-Cut Noodle Restaurant. Only the locals and food experts know about this place! They’re famous for their delicious and affordable knife cut noodles. Knife cut noodles are made by cutting dough into thin strips with a knife. These noodles have a unique chewy texture and are perfect for soaking up the flavorful broth. Their tomato beef noodle soup and large mixed noodle soup are especially popular. If you’re looking for a simple but tasty Chinese noodle dish, you should definitely check out Hehuan!
Dou Wei Hang 豆味行
Source: Ning’s Life
Dou Wei Hang is famous for their tempura and tofu pudding desserts. It’s really close to the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall MRT station. One of the special things about Dou Wei Hang is their fried wontons. They fry the wontons and then cook them in the soup, which makes them really flavorful. They also have a lot of other delicious things like fish balls, fried tofu, and vegetables. And the best part? You can add as much soup as you want! It’s a great place to try if you’re looking for a tasty and affordable meal.
Zhenwei Pepper Bun 臻味胡椒餅
Source: TVBS
Zhenwei Pepper Bun is a local favorite located across from Nanmen Market near Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. People love their pepper buns so much that they often sell out quickly. The dough is carefully shaped and then baked in a special oven. They’re the perfect snack to enjoy while exploring the area. Each bun is only $40 NT, and they’re filled with lots of yummy meat and spices. The outside is crispy and the inside is soft and juicy.
(Closed) KSS Grilled Sandwich 高三孝碳烤吐司
Source: 聯合報
Update: Unfortunately, since April 2024 the store has permanently closed.
KSS Grilled Sandwich is a fun little shop that makes the locals feel like they’re back in school! The store name KSS “Kai San Siao” actually means high school senior class “Siao” 孝. The restaurant has a cute classroom theme and they’re famous for their grilled sandwiches. Their pineapple buns are especially delicious and they go great with a glass of milk tea. It’s like having breakfast at school again!
The pineapple buns are crispy and flavorful. However, keep in mind that if you get them to go, you should eat them right away because they taste the best fresh. If you’re looking for a tasty treat and experience the Taiwanese high school food culture, you should definitely try Gao San Xiao.
Note: there are no pineapples in pineapple buns. They are just sweet buttery buns that looks like pineapples.
Xiluo Zu Chuan Mochi King 西螺祖傳麻糬大王
Source: food panda
Xiluo Zu Chuan Mochi King is a famous shop from Yunlin, Taiwan that now has a location in Taipei! They make delicious mochi that comes in flavors like peanut, sesame, and red bean. You can even make your own mochi there!
They give you a big bag of peanut powder, and you can either roll the mochi in the powder or wrap the powder inside the mochi. The mochi is made with special rice from the Zhuoshui River, and it’s super soft and chewy. The peanut powder is really fragrant and has little bits of sesame seeds in it. It’s not too sweet, so you can really taste the flavor of the mochi.
If you have the luxury to travel south, do not miss the famous Sun Moon Lake, Alishan, Kenting Beach and Kaohsiung Cijin Island!
The area surrounding Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall is a delightful blend of history, culture, and culinary delights. We hope you find something you want to try from our list of local favorite food near Chiang Kai-shek Memorial hall. Follow our guide and eat like a local!
If you like this post, we think you might also find inspiration in our other What to Eat posts featuring amazing food in Tamsui, Yangminghshan, Longshan Temple, Ximending, Maokong, Beitou, Taipei 101 and more!
