Formosa Flavours Food Tour with 15 More Tastings

Before we get started, your tour reflects the local cuisine and the limitations of street food vendors means we unfortunately cannot cater for every dietary restriction. Here's an honest appraisal for the tour so no-one is disappointed:

Vegetarians have 2-3 less tastings due to limited alternatives at some vendors.
Gluten is used in 2-3 tastings, mild gluten intolerances won't go hungry, but we advise against celiac disease, as there are traces of gluten in 5-6 further tastings with unavoidable soy sauce.
Unsuitable for severe allergies and halal diets due to risk of traces and cross-contamination.

If you are feeling adventurous for a foodie journey, read on!

Begin in the heart of the city at vibrant Yongkang Street - recently dubbed one of the coolest streets in Asia by Time Out magazine. This isn't just a trendy thoroughfare; it is the ground zero of Taipei’s culinary discovery, and lunchtime is when the neighborhood unleashes its hungry spirit. Kicking off at a Michelin-rated institution to witness the art of the fold, tackling the holy trinity of dim sum: xiǎo lóng bāo pork soup dumplings that burst with savory broth, juicy xiā shāomài prawn siew mai, and the golden crunch of a fried mantou bun. Witness the mesmerizing rhythm of the street-side masters slapping and swirling the dough of cōng zhuā bǐng flaky scallion pancakes.

All culinary roads lead back to the south, and at storied Tainan outpost, we pay homage to the heritage from the island’s ancient food capital. We’re here for the he-á-jîn bah-uân Taiwanese glutinous meatballs, a translucent, chewy treasure. To cut through the salt, jiāng zhī fān qié tomatoes with ginger sauce, a strange Southern specialty that sounds wrong until you taste it.

Hopping onto the MRT subway system - tickets included - to bridge the gap between Taipei’s refined east and shooting over to the wilder west.

Emerging into the energy of Ximending district, we grab a refreshing dōngguā níngméng beverage to reset the palate before diving into a bag of yán sū jī Taiwanese popcorn chicken—basil-scented, addictive, and unapologetically fried.

At the 300-year-old Taipei Tianhou temple, we’ll find a dragon pillar carved from a single, seamless stone. It's a quiet moment of reflection before we head back into the fray for the city’s highlight: niú ròu miàn beef noodle soup, at a Michelin-rated shop where the noodles are hand-pulled in the back kitchen. The broth is a decades-old secret, closely guarded by the family owners. In total, there are 15+ tastings and plenty of surprises to feast upon, led by our seasoned foodie pro. Come hungry.

Hunt down street-food heroes showing a masterclass in the ô-á-tsian oyster omelet, where gooey starch and briny oysters meet the intense sear of a flat-top grill. Cool off by spoon-diving into dòuhuā jiā xiāncǎo tofu herbal pudding with grass jelly—a silky, wobbling dessert that defines the Taiwanese sweet menu. We conclude our journey at the Red House, the century-old octagonal market that has survived fires and wars to become the beating heart of Taipei’s creative scene.

From the polished hipster lanes of Yongkang to the subcultural grit of Ximending, taste the two faces of Taipei in the daytime - a sensory collision of steaming broths, ancestral recipes, and the relentless lunchtime hustle. This is the real Taipei 101: a tower of flavor over the city’s most legendary kitchens.