Late Night Taipei: 24-Hour Food Options in the City
Picture this: it’s past midnight, and you’re on the hunt for a late-night snack. There’s always 7-Eleven, but it’s the fifth time you’ve had it this week and you’re in the mood for a change. Where to go? Many of us have been here long enough that we’ve mapped out a few options in the city, but for those of us who are new to the game or looking to expand their arsenal of 24-hour restaurants in Taipei, it’s always nice to have a list to refer to. Check out our top picks below:
Fu Te Cold Noodles is a tiny little spot near Nanjing Fuxing that serves up killer cold noodles. Their service leaves room to be desired, as does the venue itself, but don’t let that put you off — they are totally worth it. They’re crunchy, garlicky, and quite refreshing despite being slathered with delicious sesame sauce. We tried the original noodles, pickled vegetable noodles, minced meat and tofu noodles, and their miso soup with meatballs. Everything was amazing, so you can’t go wrong whichever you order. Servings are on the smaller side, so order an extra-large if you’re hungry. Read our full review here.
World Food Confluence is a neighbourhood eatery near Dihua Street that serves an impressive selection of food: breakfast foods, stir-fried dishes, “hamburgers,” sandwiches, toast, buns, danbing, radish cake, beef noodles, traditional desserts, and a variety of rather interesting animal body parts like cow stomach or pig cheek. It’s a great place to go if you can’t decide on any one thing to order, especially if you’re in a group. The quality of the food isn’t the best you’ll find, but it’s more than fine for the wee hours of the night. Their fried rice, in particular, is fantastic. Expect an older Taiwanese crowd (high from playing mahjong) late at night rather than partygoers. Read our full review here.
One of the greatest pleasures in life is gorging on dim sum at 4AM when you can barely walk, and Citystar Dimsum is here to deliver at three locations around town (watch out: they do have a fourth location, but that closes at midnight. Be sure to double-check opening times before you go). They have all of your usual favourites, and the quality isn’t bad. Check out our full review here.
Yong He Soy Milk
Soy milk can be an acquired taste and isn’t an ideal late-night snack for everyone, but we would be remiss not to include this cult Taipei eatery on our list. They serve up a bunch of classic Taiwanese breakfast foods that can really hit the spot late at night, so you don’t have to jump on board the soy milk train right away if you aren’t in the mood (but if you are, it’s really great). Note: while there are multiple locations, only the one near Da’an Station is open 24-hours, and only between Tuesday to Saturday. On Mondays and Sundays, they close at midnight. See the map below for the exact location.
This option is definitely not going to be for everyone, but for the more adventurous readers out there, why not attempt catching your own dinner? Certain shrimp fishing venues are open all night, and you can even bring your own food and drinks (including alcohol). You can also buy it there — snacks and drinks are available at all times of the day. It’s a pretty fun place to keep the party going after the clubs have closed, although you’re likelier to encounter grandpas fishing intensely rather than fellow revellers.
The three famous shrimp fishing places are near the National Palace Museum, so keep in mind that you’ll have to taxi rather far to get there. Do be warned that shrimp fishing can be pretty grimy and gross, and you’ll definitely get dirtier than you expected. You can actually grill anything you catch there, though, which is absolutely delicious. Check out our full review here.
Check out the map below, but make sure to click on the pin to ensure that that specific spot is open 24/7, not just until late at night.
This is by no means an exhaustive list, and there are plenty of places left in Taipei that we still want to try. Check out some of the remaining places on our 24-hour wishlist down below on our map, and if you have any late-night favourites that we missed, let us know!
Chains
In addition to the restaurants above, there are several 24-hour chains where you can get your food fix in the wee hours of the night. You’ve probably heard of all of these before, so we’re not going to bore you by doing an entire writeup on each one. Click the pin on the map for the branch name and the address in Chinese. Everything was up-to-date at the time of writing, but we recommend double-checking that the branch is still open in case anything has changed since then.
Sukiya
Sukiya is a Japanese fast-food chain that specializes in curry rice and various types of rice bowls. It’s cheap, filling, and extremely quick, just the thing to absorb all the alcohol from your body after a night out. There are a bunch of locations across Taipei, so chances are you’ll find a location that’s convenient for you no matter where you are in the city. We couldn’t find their Taiwanese menu, but the menu on their Japanese website will give you an idea of what they have on offer.
Sushi Express
Sushi Express doesn’t offer anything particularly special in terms of sushi, but it still makes an amazing late-night meal. There’s currently only one location that’s open 24/7 — you can find it just off Linsen North Road, which, FYI, is a great spot for 24-hour food — and it can be packed at 4AM during the weekend. Worry not, the lines move quickly and all you need to do is take a number and wait outside. There may be limited dishes on the belt, but don’t be scared to order from the waitresses. You’ll be stuffing your face in no time. There is another location near Zhongxiao Dunhua that stays open until 5:30AM, too! Check out their menu here.
Ba Fang Yun Ji Dumplings
Ba Fang Yun Ji Dumplings have a great selection of cheap, tasty dumplings. You can choose between steamed and pan-fried: just tell them how many of each you want. We particularly like the pan-fried kimchi and curry dumplings. They have an English menu that they will usually whip out for you, but you may need some help filling out the order form. They also have soy milk, corn soup, sweet and sour soup, and lots of small dishes. There may be more 24-hour branches in the city, but we only know of two for sure, which are listed below. Check out their menu here.
Ichiran
There is currently a single location of famous Japanese ramen chain Ichiran, and it just happens to be open 24/7. We’ve never been, and have heard mixed reviews on the ramen, but beggars can’t be choosers in the middle of the night. They occasionally close for a few days, so you may want to check their website to ensure that they’ll be open when you arrive. Their menu is on there too.
MOS BURGER
Japanese burger chain MOS BURGER isn’t the worst choice for a late-night snack, and we were surprised by just how many stay open all night. They’re particularly famous for their rice burgers. Check out their menu here.
McDonald’s
It should come as no surprise that McDonald’s has multiple 24-hour locations across the city, so we’re not going to go into many details. Just take heed of two things: first, not every McDonald’s is open 24/7 (this should be a no-brainer, but we’ve actually fought people on this before), and second, they often run out of beef late at night. We’ve been to multiple locations on a single night with no beef. You’ve been warned. FYI, they also have an app that is extremely easy to use, so you can order directly to your door at all times of the day for a small fee. Check out their menu here.
Wherever you decide to go, happy eating! Comment down below if you have any suggestions for more 24-hour spots.
Good post! Thanks!