We all know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. After a good night’s sleep, you can only hope that your stomach has space for what’s about to come next. Traditional Taiwanese breakfast will not let you down, typically consist of heavy carbs and egg with a hot soybean milk. This meal comes with turnip cake, steamed buns, green onion egg pancake, beef rolls and more. Where to eat: Yong He Soy Milk King is located at No. 102, Section 2, Fuxing South Road, Da’an District, Taipei City.

Popular in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Shanghai, Stinky tofu is often served deep fried, cubed and sometimes, with pickles on top. Stinky tofu gets its stench after having been fermented in fermented milk and mix of either vegetable, fish or meat based brine. In Taiwan, smelly tofu is served as a snack and the worse it smells, the better it tastes. Where to eat: You can often find people lining up at Yong He’s stall at the Lehua Night Market along Zhongshan Road. While you may opt to go for the classic way stinky tofu is served, locals take things a notch higher and order it to go with the stall’s famous spicy duck blood sauce.

Originally from Japan, this soft dessert have made their way into the hearts of the Taiwanese. Made with glutinous rice paste, it is shaped into a small, round ball and topped with a little peanut powder, or with red beans, walnuts, coconut powder and more. Find out more about mochi and try making them at the Royal Mochi Museum. Where to eat: Head over to IJYSHENG for some of the city’s best homemade mochi. Located at No. 2, 2nd Floor, Beiping West Road (Taipei Railway Station), Zhongzheng District, IJYSHENG serves mochi the size of one’s palm and in different flavors such as Peanut, Maple Walnut, Matcha, Black Sesame and more.

If you’re feeling adventurous, then step out of your comfort zone and give pig’s blood cake a try! Made with pig’s blood, sticky rice and soy broth, this can either be served fried or steamed before being coated in peanut flour. Where to eat: Like most outlandish delicacies, the best pig’s blood cake isn’t served in a fancy restaurant but at a quaint, corner stall called Chen’s Pig Blood Cake. It is located at No. 187, Section 3, Tingzhou Road in the Zhongzheng District.

These thin-skinned dumplings full of pork and broth are nothing short of a delight with every bite - which explains why this is a favorite with locals and tourists alike. Other variations include being stuffed with minced crab meat, seafood, or vegetarian fillings. They are often served in bamboo baskets where they’re steamed atop a lining of dried leaves or thin paper mats. Where to eat: The best place to eat Xiao Long Bao is at Din Tai Fung, which pretty much put the snack on the map in the first place. Despite the fairly long lines and narrow setting, step into their first ever branch which continues to stand tall at No 194, Sec 2, Xinyi Road in Taipei City.

Although there are several variations, beef noodle soup is classically made with braised beef, beef broth, vegetables and Chinese noodles. They can also be served with braised dried tofu, pork intestine or seaweed on the side. Where to eat: Head over to Niu Kung Kuan located at No. 78, Xining South Road, Wanhua District. Like most restaurants, this joint is minimalist pushing people to focus on their many noodle soup bowls which you can choose from their picture-filled menu. With tender slices of beef and a soup oozing with flavor and rich texture, it’s no wonder customers keep coming back for more.

Talk about fancy! We start off with pan-fried risotto, which is then stuffed into a squid that is then deep fried and topped with Dijon mustard and mayonnaise. Sounds heavy right? This a meal in itself and is good for sharing with friends. Where to eat: Head over to the Fengjia Night Market right beside the Feng Chia University. This is located along Wenhua Road, Xitun District, Taichung City.

When at the Raohe Night Market, one thing you have to try is the Pork Pepper Buns! Popularly known as “Hu Jiao Bing”, fresh dough is stuffed with pork and black pepper mixture before being closed up, having sesame seeds sprinkled on top and then being placed at the side of drum-like brick ovens. Once done, you have a delicious bun that has tender pork inside and that is light and flaky on the outside. Where to eat: Fuzhou Black Pepper Bun stall in Raohe Night Market always sees long lines, and the men and women behind this try to churn out the buns as quickly as people are devouring them. The night market is a stone’s throw away from the Songshan train station.

One of the highlights of Taiwanese street food are these melt-in-your-mouth blow torched beef cubes that are completely addicting! While slabs of beef on a grill aren’t particularly appetizing, what happens to them in the next five minutes results to pure magic. Cubed and tender, the beef is generously seasoned with rose salt (which you can tell to hold back on) and is served in a paper box with stick for easy picking. Where to eat: Ximending is a shopping district in the heart of Taipei. Apart from gadgets, fashion and entertainment - it is best known for its street side food with stalls serving anything from grilled squid to fried chicken. For melt-in-your-mouth beef cubes, head over to “Blow Torched Beef Cubes”.

Marinated with 10 spices and fried on the spot, some might say that Taiwanese fried chicken is at par (if not better) than a certain fast food chain’s fried chicken. But hey, don’t take their word for it - try it out yourself! The bite size chicken popcorn is a certified crowd pleaser, being crunch outside but hot and juicy in the inside. Where to eat: Head over to Ji Guang Xiang Xiang Ji which is right outside of Ximen station. With its huge red signboard, you’re sure to find it easily. Apart from chicken popcorn, you can also order deep fried squid, mushrooms and a variety of drink. Got recommendations with regards to what to eat in Taiwan? Let us know! Don't forget to book your next Taiwan flight and hotel withTraveloka! ]]>