Yongkang Street is one of the most iconic destinations in Taipei, located in the Da’an District along Section 2 of Xinyi Road. Nestled between Jinshan South Road and Xinsheng South Road, and stretching from Xinyi Road in the north to Heping East Road in the south. This vibrant neighbourhood is part of the larger Yongkang Business District – an area known for its charming alleyways filled with specialty shops and eateries.
Thanks to its convenient location near Dongmen MRT Station (Exit 5) and close proximity to Daan Forest Park, it has become a popular weekend and evening hangout spot. Whether you’re sampling delicious dumplings, hunting for Taiwan souvenirs, or simply exploring one of the most unique places to visit in Taiwan, Yongkang Street offers a rich cultural and culinary experience you won’t want to miss.
What are the best street food spots to try on Yongkang Street in Taipei?
Try beef noodle soup, scallion pancakes, Din Tai Fung dumplings, mango shaved ice, and bubble milk tea.
Where can I buy unique Taiwan souvenirs in Taipei?
Shop for handmade goods, local snacks, and cultural souvenirs at boutique stores on and around Yongkang Street.
Is Yongkang Street worth visiting during a trip to Taiwan?
Yes – enjoy great food, Yongkang Park, and nearby Daan Forest Park, all conveniently located near Dongmen MRT Station.
Table of Contents
At Yong Kang Street, you can also find an assortment of classic Taiwan souvenirs at one of the top Taipei tourist destinations, including handcrafted goods and unique snacks to take home.
About the Yongkang Street Area
Centred around the peaceful Yongkang Park, the district includes streets like Lishui Street, Jinhua Street, Qingtian Street, and Aiguo East Road. Originally renowned for its array of Taiwan street food and local eateries, Yongkang Street has evolved to feature a mix of international cuisines, stylish cafes, and boutique stores, making it a must-visit for both locals and travelers.
What makes this area truly special is its diverse array of street food options, such as mouthwatering beef noodle soup, delicious Din Tai Fung dumplings, and crispy scallion pancakes, to sweet treats like mango shaved ice and bubble milk tea.
How to get to Yongkang Street
Moreover, the street’s central location and emphasis on one of the best Taipei tourist attractions mean you’re just a short stroll away from the serene Da’An Park – a perfect spot for a leisurely walk or a relaxing break after indulging in the vibrant street scene.
With all of this concentrated within a small, walkable area, Yongkang Street is a must-visit destination for anyone wanting to experience the essence of Taiwan’s culinary culture.
Useful Links
Navigating Taipei’s transport system is easy with this pre-loaded transport card (known here as an Easycard). Add money to it at the MRT stations and convenience stores to use on the bus, MRTs, and also payments at convenience stores.
Easycard in Taiwan (TPE Airport Pick-up)
If you’re here for a short time, you will probably benefit from having unlimited data.
sim card + Easycard combo (TPE Airport Pick-up)
If you only need unlimited data and don’t want to bother with the Easycard, then consider this unlimited data sim
Unlimited Data SIM card (TPE Airport Pick-up)
If you’re travelling with a big group and want to seamlessly share your WiFi, this portable WiFi box allows you to all hook up simultaneously.
Portable WiFi (TPE Airport Pick-up)
Things to do & Places to visit
Shopping
來好Lai Hao
One of my favourite shops in this area, 來好Lai Hao sell all sorts of Taiwanese creative gifts and souvenirs, from traditional Hakka stoneware, to pineapple cakes and sew on badges, this is your one-stop-shop for everything Taiwanese.
阿原 A YUAN
阿原 A YUAN is situated on the main thoroughfare at Yong Kang Street, and beckons you in with an imaginatively decorated entrance. Inside you’ll find all sorts of beautifully packaged soaps, handcreams, shower gels, and shampoos. They use natural ingredients, and are there for you to try before you buy. When shopping in Taipei, 阿原 A YUAN is definitely worth considering if you want to smell great while wandering the streets.
厚里 Holi
厚里 Holi is the perfect place to come for little gifts for coworkers or younger friends/family back home. They do lots of cute little handmade goods, its reasonably priced, and it mostly features iconic Taiwanese goods such as the rice cooker, Taiwan beer, and multi-coloured shopping bag pictured.
薑心比心 GIN-GER
My favourite hand cream is from 薑心比心 GIN-GER. While I don’t find myself needing hand cream all that often in the more-often-than-not humid Taiwan, it does come in handy (pun intended) from time to time. I always use the Cedarwood & Ginger hand cream from 薑心比心 GIN-GER, and I regularly use their essential oil lavender roller. Using only the best lavender, 薑心比心 GIN-GER it doubles-up as a massager, too. Ask the friendly staff to give you a demonstration – it’s glorious.
Souvenir Snacks
佳賓餅家 Jia Vin Bakery
Extremely popular with Korean tourists, 佳賓餅家 Jia Vin Bakery has been a hit every time I’ve come to Yongkang Taipei and taken it for friends and family back home. They do flavoured chewy nougat sandwiched between two mildly sweet crackers, and they’re all individually wrapped. 佳賓餅家 Jia Vin Bakery do flavours like brown sugar, matcha, coffee, Thai milk tea, and they ocassionally do other specials such as pistachio, too.
They also occassionally offer other bigger specials such as these blueberry nougat crackers. These were awesome. If you see them – get them. There’s plenty of blueberry flavour sandwiched between this slightly savoury cracker. It’s perfectly balanced between sweet and savoury, and I’m here for it.
甜滿 L’Atelier Lotus
Similar to the style of snacks from above, L’Atelier Lotus is popular for that savoury meets sweet hit that many know and love. Savoury spring onion crackers are sandwiched around a mildly sweet and chewy nougat to create one of those can’t-put-down snacks that becomes a popular weekend mid-morning coffee break.
淡果香 From Nature
From Nature do a wide selection of dried fruit and fruit tea bags that serve as great gifts for tourists and expats, alike. Their dried pineapple is great by itself, but even nicer when dropped into a tea to serve as a natural sweetner. From nature steer clear of adding sugar to their dried fruit, allowing true Taiwanese fruit to do the sweet singing all by itself.
Food to eat
Restaurants
鼎泰豐 Din Tai Fung
Those out there who say 鼎泰豐 Din Tai Fung don’t do the best dumplings and that everything is overrated are simply wrong. Perfectly pleated dumpling skins give way to delicious fillings such as pork, crab, or shrimp, and continue to impress time after time. I can quite frankly say that 鼎泰豐 Din Tai Fung‘s attention to detail make it one of the best restaurants in the city, and a Taiwanese institution.
Because we are so wonderful, we have prepared this amazing deal just for you. This entitles you to book online through Klook and pre-order a tasting set of of ten different xiaolongbaos—ranging from pork and seafood to vegetarian and dessert options—along with pork chop fried rice, stir-fried vegetables, and hot and sour soup. Get it using the following link:
Tasting xiao long bao and DTF favourite set here
The following link also entitles you to buy a delicious meal set that includes all the signature dishes such as xiao long bao, steamed dumplings, fried rice, and hot and sour soup, too:
Din Tai Fung: Xiao Long Bao Voucher here
豐盛食堂 Fong Sheng
When friends or family come to town, I tend to bring them to 豐盛食堂 Fong Sheng for a taste of real Taiwan. Generously portioned dishes that are full of flavour pair with a relaxed atmosphere to make 豐盛食堂 Fong Sheng a great experience. I can’t quite get over how good the sesame pumpkin dish is here, and I encourage you to go and try it for yourself.
大隱酒食 James Kitchen
Similar to 豐盛食堂 Fong Sheng, 大隱酒食 James Kitchen serves up quintessential Taiwanese food right at the top of Yongkang Street. Anthony Bourdain came here during his trip to Taipei for a reason – it’s really good!
東門餃子館 Dongmen Dumplings
If I am ever in the area and in the mood for dumplings, I’m only coming here. Popular for a reason, Dongmen Dumpling house serves up classic Taiwanese dumps for the masses. If you’re familiar with Xiao Long Bao having been to Ding Tai Fung, then you should also check out these incredible dumplings, too. The primary difference is the fact that Xiao Long Bao has aspic inside, which melts into a soup that will explode in your mouth when you bite down on the paper-thin skin. Another important difference is that dumplings are mostly boiled, whereas XLB is only ever steamed. T
無一物 Wuyiwu Seafood
A seafood restaurant in Taipei is not difficult to stumble across, with many boasting an impressive array of cooked fish and sushi littered across the city. But what 無一物 Wuyiwu Seafood in Taipei does is way more modest and humble with its fish. Old-school little back room restaurants often pump out some of the best Taiwanese food, and this space is just as good as the rest, especially for seafood! Small plates of deliciously prepared dishes are what is on the menu here.
韓記老虎麵 Tiger Noodles
Tiger Noodles is known for its reasonably priced, delicious, spicy noodle dishes. The menu, though simple, offers a flavourful noodle soup dishes that include beef, lamb, or pork. You can personalise spice level, noodle type, and even some of the toppings. While the noodle soup is the winner, the accompanying small plates such as aubergine, tofu skin, and seaweed are also quality at Tiger Noodles, too.
老鄧擔擔麵 Lao Deng1949
When you’re on Yongkang Street, you have to try 老鄧擔擔麵 Lao Deng1949, a fifth-generation spot with over 70 years of history. Their Dan Dan noodles are a must-have, featuring a rich, complex sauce with peanut, sesame, and a building chili kick. Don’t skip the excellent small plates like braised bamboo and chili soy aubergine. It’s all about authentic, no-frills, incredibly flavorful food here.
豆豆里 Dodoli Korean
I am invariably in the mood for Korean food, and when I am I will often think about Dodoli’s seafood pancake or cold noodles. Everything is clean, fresh, and tasty here at Dodoli, and it’s all served up with the host of side dishes that we all know and love from Korean restaurants.
鑫華茶餐廳 XinHua Cantonese
Sometimes I want some heavy-flavoured Cantonese food, and when I do, I come to XinHua at the top of Yongkang Street. Excellent stir fried noodles and pork, fantastic fried rice, and delicious side dishes. You can even get some great dim sum at XinHua.
吳留手 Japanese BBQ
Quite simply one of the best Japanese BBQ spots in the area, 吳留手 combines excellent, fresh ingredients with fantastic skill in cooking, to result in a Japanese BBQ experience that you will not be disappointed with. They also do a great drinks selection here, so pair it with a delicious flavoured beer or sake, and enjoy your evening as if you were actually in Japan.
游壽司 Yo Sushi
Yo Sushi is a special place just off of Yongkang Street that I have been to again and again for their amazing value lunch set. Fresh ingredients, plenty of options, and highly skilled chefs are what to expect here. Furthermore, you can expect excellent value for money.
Toasteria
Popular for Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food, Toasteria at Dongmen is a beautiful space with some great food. But it’s more than just the food, Toasteria is a relaxed experience with friends and some afternoon/evening drinks that you can enjoy again and again.
Street Food
天津蔥抓餅 Tian Jin Onion Pancake
You’ll probably see a long line and you’re likely first thought is to avoid it. Don’t. I have never heard a bad word against this place. The only mildly annoying thing is the staff taking your order, but you’ll get past that when you crunch down on layers of savoury green onion pancakes that encase ham, basil, egg, cheese, and some spicy sauce. Honestly, one of the best things in the area, and the most expensive one (the everything order) is only around $60 – around $ 2 USD. Incredible value, delicious, and worthwhile lining up for.
白水豆花 Bai-Shui Tofu Pudding
Half dessert, half savoury snack, half shaved ice. It’s difficult to categorize this, not least of all because it contains sweet boba, savoury tofu pudding topped with cilantro/corriander, and is served with shaved ice. Topped with some crushed peanuts, this is a personal favourite of mine, so I don’t really care if it’s an afternoon snack or a dessert after something more savoury in the area surrounding it. I have tried most flavour combinations, and I love them all. While the green addition on top looks like it’s just for show, I implore you to combine it with the other ingredients for a remarkably balanced snack.
Drinks & Cafes
東海萊姆園 Lime Organic
Easily my go-to drink in the area, Lime organic (see my full article here) serve lime-based drinks with various seasonal fruit combinations. You could get strawberry and lime, mango and lime, pineapple and lime, mulberry and lime, and even yakult and lime. They’re customizable, delicious, and reasonably priced.
Coffee Yongkang Street
翌日咖啡店 Yokujitsu Cafe
I love nothing more than to relax into a delicious cup of coffee. Thankfully, Taipei is full of artisan coffee creators, meaning that you no longer have to go to Starbucks and pay for watered down charcoal.
From 13:00-01:00, Yokujitsu café is definitely a place to settle in to for the long haul. Sip on a delicious coffee all day long if the mood so strikes. They keep it simple here, with lots of variations of coffee, tea, and non-caffeinated drinks. There’s only a couple of smaller desserts on the menu, too, so don’t go expecting an afternoon snack to fill you up.
Come for the coffee, and enjoy it right into the depths of the night. It definitely goes down as one of the best cafés in Taipei for the night owls out there.
YABOO Cafe
YABOO is secluded just off a side street from the main area around Yongkang Street. Therefore, it’s one of the less known cafe’s in the area – you can use that to your advantage! Great coffee, quiet surroundings, but you’re still in stirking distance of all that amazing food introduced above.
燈秤樹LIGHT TREE
A thoughtfully planned out, beautiful space. Light Tree serves amazing coffee in beautifully handcrafted cups, and then pairs it with delicious desserts like basque cheesecake or crunchy (yet deliciously fragrant) canale. What’s not to love about that combo?
永康階咖啡The Green Steps
Set across two floors, The Green Steps is light and airy inside, but still feels homely and comfortable. The coffee is great, the snacks are wonderful, but the atmosphere is the overriding reason for coming here.
Other Drinks
Zhang Men Brewery & Pub
There aren’t many places to get a delicious beer in the Yongkang street area, but even if there were, I think that Zhang Men would still be my go-to. With so many options on an ever-changing menu, they adapt to the season and bring only the best beer right to you. Pulled from the taps just behind the counter, you can expect nothing but delicious beer perfection here.
Chocoholic
If you want a chocolate coma, then chocoholic is where it’s at. They take chocolate serious here, and sometimes even put on chocolate tasting and information sessions. They serve great chocolate truffles here, and they make an amazingly thick hot chocolate that could rival any other in the city.
Desserts
8% Ice
Some chain ice cream/gelato’s can be disappointing, but 8% Ice is not one of those. I am thankful for their Yongkang Street location, as sometimes a smooth cup of tasty pistachio gelato is what I’m looking for after that yummy green onion pancake from above.
SOMA
Ordinarily known as a tea shop, Soma also sometimes offers up some delicious (oftentimes) tea-flavoured soft serve. Topped with some crunchy biscuits and popped rice, this was a tieguanyin tea-flavoured ice cream that hit the spot. They also do an incredibly rich matcha latte that you should give a shot. It felt like I was back on the streets of Kyoto with every sip!
OMG 菠蘿包
A recent find for me, OMG 菠蘿包 specialises in Cantonese pineapple (there’s no pineapple) buns. Known for their crunchy pineapple-skin-looking exterior that gives way to a soft bread inside, and oftentimes stuffed with an entire slab of butter, they are delicious and worth your time while exploring this awesome shopping area in Taipei.
Shaved Ice
金雞母 Jingimoo
The uniqueness of Jingimoo is the table-side prepared crème brûlée, where your server blowtorches a perfectly crunchy caramelised top. The matcha shaved ice highlights the quality of matcha tea with its vibrant green colour and creamy texture, featuring a delicate balance of bitterness and sweetness. Sweet glutinous rice balls add a chewy sweetness that complements the rich matcha jelly and sweetened red beans hidden within the icy treat.
They also do delicious seasonal options such as this berry ice, contrasting the delicious sour sweetness of berries with the sweet crème brûlée. Look out for their mango madness throughout summer, too, where they have a few different ice options to lure you in with.
Jingimoo invites you to try their exclusive creations and treat your taste buds to something unforgettable. Their signature “Burning Ice” combines fresh seasonal fruits and premium Taiwanese tea, all topped with rich caramel for a deliciously smoky aroma and uniquely local flavor in every bite.
Check out the exclusive Jingimoo package here
思慕昔 Smoothie House
The ever-popular smoothie house at Yongkang Street is largely for tourists, if I’m honest. If you’re in dire need of mango shaved ice and don’t want to head to Jingimoo above, then stop by the smoothie house. Everything mango shaved ice on the plate with lots of mango chunks and drizzled with condensed milk, it’s tasty.
There’s a reason why this place is so famous – you simply have to try it, and we have made it easy with you with the exclusive link below:
Enjoy delicious mango shaved ice at the most famous mango shaved ice shop in Taiwan here
芋頭大王 Taro King
Tucked away to the side of the mango smoothie house above, Taro King is a great ice alternative if Jingimoo or Smoothie House are either too busy or you don’t want anything fruity. Specialising in everything taro, Taro King do fantastic snowflake ice that stands on its own for fantastic flavours.
What’s more, is that we have prepared an exclusive link just for you, which contains the following package: This offer allows you to choose one shaved ice from a selection of mango, strawberry, or mixed fruit options. It includes flexible redemption during opening hours, supports dine-in and take-out, offers mobile voucher use, and has an easy cancellation and confirmation policy. Love it? Book it using the link below:
Taro King here a la carte special voucher here
Places to stay
The area around Yongkang Street isn’t particularly blessed with hotels or hostels, however, we have put together some amazing hotels for you to check out and then hop on the convenient MRT to Yongkang Street area. Check out our comprehensive post below:
A Traveller’s Guide to Taipei Hotels: 18 Luxury to Affordable Hotels in the City Centre
Foodie Tours in Taipei
Not only do we at Eating in Taipei encourage you to reach out to us about any curated food tour requirements around Taipei that you may have using the following link (eatingintaipei@gmail.com), but respect where respect is due, this walking tour also looks great:
Food Walking Tour at Yongkang Street