In cities with vibrant nightlife, staying up late naturally makes you hungry! When it comes to Taiwan supper and irresistible night food, there’s simply no better place to indulge. While there might be a bit of guilt involved, enjoying a delicious late-night snack in Taiwan is absolutely satisfying. Even though everyone knows that eating late at night can lead to weight gain, Taiwan offers so many tempting options that they’re hard to resist.
A few years ago, there was even news about university students braving freezing temperatures and wrapping themselves in thick blankets just to buy salt and pepper chicken during a cold snap—proving that nothing can stop true foodies from getting their fix. Hungry travelers should definitely embrace local customs and dive into Taiwan’s amazing late-night food scene.
That’s right! Beyond the Taiwan night market foods and stir-fry restaurants we’ve covered before, today we’re diving into Taiwan’s best late-night snack options! Whether you’re a student pulling an all-nighter or an office worker unwinding after work, a warm and satisfying late-night meal always brings comfort and fulfillment. Taiwan’s late-night food culture is incredibly diverse, featuring everything from traditional snacks and hot braised dishes to modern fast food and desserts – and some cities even offer 24-hour service or late-night delivery! So how can tourists experience the most authentic Taiwanese late-night cuisine?
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Where to Find Late-Night Food in Taiwan
While delicious late-night food can be found throughout Taiwan, it’s not always easy to locate. Generally, you’ll find the best options in urban areas, particularly in bustling districts with multiple choices. Less busy areas might only have three or four shops or convenience stores to choose from. From the perspective of variety and convenience, these cities are definitely worth mentioning:
- Taipei offers the most diverse selection – not only are late-night eateries densely packed with comprehensive variety, but many restaurants and convenience stores operate 24/7. Plus, with major delivery platforms like Uber Eats and Foodpanda providing support, it’s the place with the most options.
- Taichung is famous for its night markets and street food, with places like Fengjia and Zhongming night markets maintaining crowds well into the night, making them popular spots for students’ late-night gatherings.
- Kaohsiung in the south has a thriving night market culture – places like Ruifeng Night Market and Liuhe Night Market have many food stalls operating until dawn, perfect for continued eating and drinking after dinner.
- Tainan preserves the traditional flavors of Taiwanese late-night food, with heartwarming classics like beef soup and savory porridge providing comfort to Tainan locals during the wee hours.
This is just a general overview – simply put, the busier the area, the more late-night food options you’ll find. If your travel itinerary includes remote areas, you naturally won’t find much in terms of late-night snacks.
What Time Do Taiwan Night Markets Usually Close?
Most night markets start operating around 5:00 PM and typically continue until about 11:00 PM, though some vendors stay open until 1:00 AM or even later.
| Night Market Name | Location | Average Operating Hours |
| Raohe Night Market | Taipei | 5:00 PM – 12:00 AM |
| Tonghua Street Night Market | Taipei | 5:00 PM – 1:00 AM |
| Fengjia Night Market | Taichung | 4:00 PM – 12:00 AM |
| Liuhe Night Market | Kaohsiung | 5:00 PM – 2:00 AM |
| Garden Night Market (Weekends) | Tainan | 5:00 PM – 12:00 AM (Fri-Sun) |
Top 7 Must-Try Taiwan Supper
1. Braised Food: The Versatile Late-Night King
Taiwanese people’s love for braised food spans all three meals, but nighttime is especially the golden hour for enjoying a bowl of braised goodies with cold drinks or beer. Braised food uses soy sauce as the base – some lean toward herbal medicine flavors, others toward sweetness, and there are shops specializing in spicy braised food. Common ingredients are first cooked, then soaked in braising sauce to absorb flavors, and finally reheated or stir-fried with spice for aroma.
Recommended Items: Braised dried tofu, rice blood cake, pig ears, chicken gizzards, tofu skin, mixed vegetable platter
Flavor Variations: Light soy sauce braising / Rich herbal aroma type / Spicy braised food
2. Hot Soups: Soul Food for Those Who Need Sobering Up
After drinking, a bowl of piping hot soup doesn’t just warm the stomach – it also helps with sobering up and relieving fatigue. Taiwan offers a wide variety of hot soups, with a particular preference for warming ingredients like Chinese herbs, pepper, and sesame oil. Most are prepared fresh or slow-cooked for long periods, resulting in rich broths and tender meat that warms the heart. Besides wanting hot soup after drinking, it’s also great for warming the stomach in winter!
Recommended Soups:
- Beef soup (Tainan specialty, freshly sliced and served with clear, sweet broth)
- Pork liver soup (thinly sliced pork liver quickly cooked with refreshing broth)
- Four Spirit Soup (herbal soup with lotus seeds, Chinese yam, fox nuts, and Job’s tears with pork intestine)
- Sesame oil chicken soup (sesame oil stir-fried with old ginger, then rice wine and chicken added – perfect for warming the body)
3. Yonghe Soy Milk: The Most Classic Taiwanese Late-Night Representative
Yonghe Soy Milk is a breakfast shop that many Taiwanese have eaten at since childhood – and it’s also a top choice for late-night snacks. Yonghe Soy Milk is a chain store, and many locations operate 24 hours (though some don’t). Whether you’re hungry at dawn or want something salty and familiar after staying up late, sesame flatbread with fried dough sticks paired with soy milk hits the spot perfectly. Most ingredients are made fresh and pan-fried, crispy and fragrant.
Recommended Combinations:
- Sesame flatbread with fried dough sticks + soy milk (sweet or savory options)
- Egg pancake (traditional pancake skin freshly fried, with scallions, cheese, pork floss, etc.)
- Turnip cake (crispy outside, tender inside)
- Rice ball (glutinous rice wrapping fried dough sticks, pork floss, pickled radish, etc.)
4. Salt and Pepper Chicken / Fried Food Platter: Night Market’s #1 Hit
The most popular late-night snack has to be salt and pepper chicken! Freshly fried crispy items with basil leaves create an irresistible aroma. The common method involves marinating, coating with flour, and deep-frying, with some shops sprinkling plum powder, pepper, or chili powder for various seasoning options. Generally, salt and pepper chicken shops also sell other fried items like mushrooms, king oyster mushrooms, and sweet and spicy fish cake. If you want something special, try “silver thread rolls” – a type of steamed bun with white bread wrapping yellow strip-shaped dough. Simply put, it’s a steamed bun, but sweeter and more aromatic than regular ones.
Common Fried Items: Chicken cutlet, salt and pepper chicken, sweet and spicy fish cake, green beans, hundred-page tofu, fried tofu, chicken skin, king oyster mushrooms, onion rings
Flavor Variations: Original, salt and pepper, spicy, plum powder
5. Fast Food: 24-Hour Late-Night Fortress
When it comes to convenient and quick late-night options, McDonald’s, KFC, and MOS Burger are definitely lifesavers for many Taiwanese during the late hours. Most of these chains have 24-hour locations, so even at 3 AM you can get hot fries, chicken nuggets, burgers, and corn soup. Besides common fried fast food, some brands also launch seasonal late-night limited menus like fried chicken buckets, egg burgers, and savory porridge sets to satisfy different night owls’ taste preferences. For something more unique, we recommend MOS Burger’s rice burgers!
Recommended Brands:
- McDonald’s: Many branches operate 24 hours with complete late-night menus
- KFC: Some locations stay open until 2 AM or later, with fried chicken and egg tarts being super popular
- MOS Burger: Offers rice burgers, steamed egg custard, and other lighter late-night options, with some locations open until 1 AM
These fast food restaurants are usually conveniently located near train stations, hospitals, and universities, with bright environments and air conditioning – perfect spots for late-night studying, chatting, or quick meals.
6. Congee with Side Dishes: Warm Comfort Food That’s Not Greasy
Congee with side dishes represents traditional Taiwanese home-style flavors. Unlike heavy fast food and fried items, this type of late-night food is refreshing and easy to digest, perfect for those who don’t want anything too oily. Sweet potato congee is usually thick rice porridge cooked for a long time, paired with various hot and cold side dishes in diverse combinations with flexible eating styles.
Unfortunately, compared to other options, there are fewer congee shops, and some can be quite expensive. Friends wanting to try this should check Google Maps beforehand to see if there are any near their accommodation, and pay attention to Google reviews for mentions of unreasonable pricing.
Recommended Items: Sweet potato congee, pickled vegetables, fermented tofu, braised eggs, preserved radish omelet, dried fish, pork floss, peanuts, kelp strips
Flavor Characteristics: Tends to be salty and refreshing
7. Night Market Desserts: Perfect Ending!
After finishing your late-night main meal, having some dessert is definitely the perfect ending. Taiwan’s night market desserts combine tradition with creativity, offering both hot and cold options. Whether it’s hot taro ball soup or brown sugar shaved ice, they all have loyal fan bases.
Popular Desserts:
- Grass jelly (with red beans, peanuts, tapioca pearls, taro balls)
- Taro and sweet potato balls (originated in Jiufen, chewy and refreshing)
- Brown sugar shaved ice (customizable toppings, cool and refreshing)
- Ice-Fire Pineapple Bun (Hong Kong style, crispy outside with ice inside)
- Peanut wrap ice cream (with cilantro, classic from Taitung night market)
You Can Also Order Late-Night Delivery!
Taiwan’s delivery platforms are incredibly convenient, with many merchants still online during late-night hours. Popular delivery apps like Uber Eats and Foodpanda that Taiwanese commonly use have dedicated “late-night” or “midnight food” sections for quick searching. In Taipei, delivery service is available almost around the clock, while in Taichung and Kaohsiung, delivery hours can extend until 1-2 AM. Basically, urban areas still have delivery service at night, so if you’re on a city tour you can give it a try – though remote areas naturally won’t have this option.
Late-Night Snack Tips
While eating late-night snacks is truly enjoyable, honestly, eating too much greasy food late at night can make my stomach uncomfortable the next day. Since late-night food is mostly heavy-flavored fried items and braised food, friends who share my concern about digestive burden can choose lighter options like warm soy milk or hot soups – they warm the stomach and provide peace of mind.
Also, when going out for late-night snacks, make sure to check the schedule for late-night buses or the last subway trains beforehand, otherwise you might not be able to get back to your hotel after eating! So I recommend downloading Uber or 55688 taxi apps just in case. One final tip: if you’re heading to popular late-night spots, remember to use Google Maps to check real-time crowd levels, since some famous late-night eateries can have really long lines during nighttime hours.
READ MORE: 10 Must-Have Apps for Traveling in Taiwan: Your Ultimate Guide
