Shilin Night Market is a tourist night market in Taipei that has more than 500 stalls. Foods you should try here include cold noodles and giant sausages. Keep reading to learn whether it’s worth visiting.
I’ve visited Shilin Tourist Night Market several times and want to share recommendations. And information to help you learn more about the market.
The Oyster Omelet and Stinky Tofu are must-tries, offering a true taste of Taiwanese street food. Don’t miss the Giant Fried Chicken Steak, a crowd favorite. For dessert, indulge in the sweet potato balls and bubble milk tea.
Shilin Night Market often caters to local sizes, which may run smaller. Try clothes before buying to ensure a good fit. For unique souvenirs, explore the various stalls, but be prepared to navigate through crowded spaces. Bargaining is common practice, so don’t hesitate to negotiate prices.
The air buzzes with the chatter of eager shoppers, punctuated by the sizzling sounds of street food cooking on open grills. Aromas waft through the maze of stalls, a tantalizing mix of frying oysters, grilling sausages, and the scent of stinky tofu.
The market teems with locals and tourists alike, creating a lively, bustling atmosphere that’s as much a part of the experience as the food and shopping. It’s a sensory overload, but in the best possible way – a true taste of Taipei’s night life.
Quick Facts: Shilin Tourist Night Market
| Hours | Daily: 4 PM–12 AM |
| Number of Stalls | 539 |
| Closest Rail Station | Jiantan Station (Taipei MRT Red Line) |
| Opening Date | 2011 (current location) 1899 (original location) |
| City Located | Taipei City |
| Address | No. 101, Jihe Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, Taiwan 111 |
| Chinese Name | 士林夜市 Pinyin: Shì lín yèshì |
Best Foods To Try at Shilin Night Market
I recommend trying the following foods at Shilin Night Market; however, some of these stands may go out of business at any time:
| Food | Restaurant/Stand | Restaurant Chinese Name | Address |
|---|---|---|---|
| Giant Sausage | Nowhere specific | NA | NA |
| Oyster Omelet | Zhong Cheng Hao | 忠誠號蚵仔煎 | 111, Taipei City, Shilin District, Dadong Rd, 15-32號號 |
| Vermicelli Noodles | A Hui Vermicelli | 阿輝麵線 | No. 52號, Danan Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111 |
| Cold Noodles | Good Friend | 好朋友涼麵 | No. 31號, Danan Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111 |
| Pork Ribs | Hai Yu | 海友十全排骨 | No. 49, Dadong Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111 |
| Fried Chicken | Hometown BBQ Chicken | 家鄉碳烤香雞排 | No. 1, Jihe Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111 |
| Shanghai Fried Bun | Chung Chia | 鍾家原上海生煎包 | No. 38號, Xiaodong St, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111 |
| Bubble Tea | Nowhere specific | NA | |
| Oyster Mushrooms | Grilled King Oyster Mushroom | 燒烤杏鮑菇 | No. 98, Danan Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111 |
What are all the foods I listed?
It would take me too long to explain. I dedicated a separate guide to Taiwanese food. Check it out to understand what you’re buying.
Good Friend is a Michelin Star restaurant [1]. Many judges ranked this restaurant as the best in its food category. What are cold noodles, though? They’re noodles served in sesame sauce and have a hint of lemon.
Here’s what the A Hui Vermicelli stand looks like for reference. This is also a Michelin Star stall.
I want to talk about other foods real quick…
1. Ice Cream Burritos
Every time I visit a night market, I get an ice cream burrito. It’s rice skin wrapped over ice cream, peanut shavings, and cilantro/coriander.
This vendor’s on the main street in the night market and hard to miss. I don’t recommend the other vendors because they charge more for the same thing.
2. Hot Star Fried Chicken
The Shilin Hot Star Fried Chicken is the first of its kind and serves fried chicken that’s larger than many folks’ faces.
You’ll likely need to wait in a line to get one of these NT$90 slabs of chicken. But the line moves fast. It took a few minutes for a long line I was in to wind down.
3. Sausage
There aren’t any specific stands that I recommend for sausages. As none around here are reknown. However, there are a lot of them. And I always see people eating them.
4. Charcoal Roasted Corn on the Cob
Corn-lovers will want to try corn on the cob that’s roasted over charcoal. There’s not much else to say.
5. Mushrooms (Vegan-friendly)
The king oyster mushroom steaks found at 燒烤杏鮑菇 are huge, affordable, and an excellent dinner option for vegans and vegetarians.
There’s always a line here, but it seems to move fast.
6. Avocado Milk
If you’re vegetarian, the avocado milk here is filling enough. I paid NT$70 for mine. But prices will vary.
Shilin Night Market Map
Other Things to do in Shilin Night Market
Check out these other places to check out while browsing the night market.
Basement Level Food Court (Under Renovation)
Shilin Night Market had an underground food court with way more food stalls that was accessible in the games area. At the time of writing, this area is under renovation.
Keep an eye out for the sign in the picture below. Just in case it’s open.
Meanwhile, you’ll have plenty of other things to do like…
Carnival-style Games Area
Toward one of the entrances of the night market you’ll find a long strip of carnival-style games. These include:
- Mahjong
- Balloon darts
- Balloon shoot (with airsoft guns)
- Balloon archery
- Bottle toss
Prices for these games will vary. I usually pay around NT$100 per play. And if you want someone to tell you whether you’ll win one of these prizes, consult the fortune telling bird.
The stand said “no photography.” So I couldn’t get a picture of the bird or the stand. But it’ll apparently tell you whether you’ll have a successful future.
What if you feel like “winning” by buying stuff with the backpacks of cash you’re carrying?
Shopping
You’ll find many fast-fashion shops and souvenir stores spread throughout the market. I recommend the former if you’re after cheap clothing that won’t last long. And avoid the latter since items at these places tend to cost more than other shops I’ve seen.
Stick to buying food and playing games at Shilin.
For instance, Ximending has many souvenir shops with more affordable goodies. And if you’re after recommendations on souvenirs in Taipei, check out a guide written on where to find them.
I forgot to explain how to get to the night market. Let’s fix that.
How To Get To Shilin Night Market
Reach Shilin Tourist Night Market through one of the following ways:
- Rent a YouBike & drop your bike off at a nearby station
- Take Taiwan High Speed Rail or Taiwan Railways Association train to Taipei Station
- Take the Taipei Metro to Jiantan Station (Red Line)
- Ride the Taipei Metro Red Line to Jiantan Station
- Take the Taipei Sightseeing Bus (Blue Route) and depart at MRT Jiantan Station
Here’s a map to the Red and Blue routes for the Taipei Sightseeing Bus.
You’ve likely exhausted all your options inside the night market. Let’s see what else there is to do.
What’s There to Do Around Shilin Street Night Market?
Here’s what to do around Shilin Night Market:
| Attraction | Walking Time | To-Do |
|---|---|---|
| Shilin Cixian Temple | 3 min. | Admire the temple’s architecture |
| Chiang Kai Shek’s Residence | 12 min. | Admire the flowers & learn about Taiwan’s history |
| Jiantan Mountain Trail | 14 min. | 1–2-hour hike that leads to a beautiful view of Taipei City |
| Grand Hotel Taipei | 18 min. | It’s a hotel |
| Riverside Park | 34 min. | Walk along the Keelung River |
| National Palace Museum | 26 min. (by bus) | Ancient Chinese artifacts |
Jiantan Mountain is my favorite hiking trail in Taipei. Go at night, and you’ll get a mesmerizing view of Taipei City and Songshan Airport. Ensure you go on a day when the sky’s clear. Otherwise, you’ll see smog or clouds.
Here’s a livestream showcasing some of what you’ll see:
If you’re interested in temples, this area is home to one of Taipei’s oldest, Chicheng Temple.
Otherwise, to catch a glimpse of Taiwan’s history, visit Chiang Kai Shek’s residence. He was a military leader, a member of the Kuomintang (KMT), and the first official president of Taiwan.
While he has a controversial past, you’ll learn a lot about this figure by visiting his former home. Depending on the time of year you visit Taiwan, you can catch beautiful flowers that adorn the property.
You will find this property north of the night market.
To learn more about the Chinese Civil War, explore the nearby National Revolutionary Martyrs’ Shrine. It’s a place dedicated to those who died during the war.
Then there’s the Taipei Grand Hotel. Whether you want to view it or stay in it, either option will give you a look at a place that hosted various famous figures like former US presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower and Ronald Reagan.
Visit Chiang Kai Shek’s Residence
A historical site and former home of Chiang Kai-Shek, the former leader of the Republic of China. The residence, completed in 1950, showcases Western and traditional Chinese architectural styles. Explore the expansive gardens, ponds, and walking paths on the property. The site also hosts various exhibitions and seasonal flower shows.
Alongside its historical and aesthetic appeal, the residence provides a glimpse into the life and leadership of Chiang Kai-Shek.
Shilin Market History
Shilin Street Tourist Night Market was built in 1899 [2]. Making it Taiwan’s oldest tourist night market. From there, local food businesses began to accumulate customers.
For more than a century, Shilin survived the following:
- The Japanese Empire
- The KMT’s harsh era of martial law
- Taiwan blossoming into a democratic nation
As the country transitioned into the 2000s, in 2002, the Taipei City Government shut down and demolished the market due to fire hazards and safety and sanitation concerns.
To keep their income flowing, vendors moved into nearby temporary structures.
In 2006, Shilin Night Market began to transform. Five years later, the renovations finished, and the market returned to its former glory.
That’s all. Find other places to plan your trip to Taipei.
