Trying Taipei’s Must-Do Like A Local in Da’an District
Did you know you can try all of Taipei’s most iconic foods in ONE district, with less tourists? Come with me to Da’an District 大安區 in Taipei, a foodie heaven that has all of the must try shopping and food in Taiwan in one area. Da’an district has everything from the original Din Tai Fung to one of Taiwan’s best souvenirs, nougat crackers. It’s a quieter way to eat and shop souvenirs away from the tourist crowds. If you’re coming to Taiwan soon, you cannot miss Da’an!
Da’an District: All of Taiwan’s Must Try in ONE Neighborhood
Speaking of childhood memories, I actually lived in Taipei for 1 year. During that time, I lived in Da’an District 大安, which is probably my second favorite neighborhood in Taipei. Other than being home to the famous Din Tai Fung, it’s also an area filled with so many iconic food spots and some very, very, very good coffee shops. Some notable areas in Da’an include Yongkang Street, the East District, and Chifeng Road.
If Zhongshan district is the cool, hip neighborhood, I would say Da’an District feels more like a relaxed and laid back neighborhood. A little bit quieter, a little bit slower, but filled with tons of hidden gems. You can spend the entire day wandering around and somehow always stumbling across something good to eat, a cute cafe, or little shops that you want to pop into, Please make sure to add the Da’an neighborhood into your Taiwan itinerary, especially if you’re looking for good food!
Yongkang Street 永康街
Yongkang Street 永康街 is a street in Taipei is known as the foodie street. This unassuming little alley is in a quiet, residential area, but is also home of some of the most iconic foods in Taiwan. Because it’s close to both the National Taiwan University (NTU) and National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU), many food stalls open to serve the large quantity of college students. So, the food here is not only affordable, but delicious. It’s full of preserved Japanese-era wooden buildings, so it gives a bit of a nostalgic feel while walking around. To get to Yongkang Street, you can take the MRT to Dongmen Station, and exit at Exit 5.
BEST Peanut Tofu Pudding 白水豆花
For a cooling dessert, we stopped for some Peanut Brittle Tofu Pudding at 白水豆花 Bai-shui Tofu Pudding. They started out with a stall in Yilan first that got so famous, they’ve expanded to Taipei. This viral spot has been so popular with locals, we got there right when the shop opened and there was already a line. It does move super quickly though, because we only lined up for 15 minutes!
This is one of those stops you do not want to miss in this area. Bai-shui means “white water”, which is named after their base ingredients: the super clean mountain spring water and nigari, a coagulant, made from local seawater. They have a simple menu, with a few variations of tofu pudding (which they also sell by buckets), a soy milk ice cream, and crispy peanut brittle.
At NTD 90 a bowl, we got silky, ice-cold tofu pudding that was super silky, light, and smooth. Topped with sweet syrup, chewy brown sugar boba, and that crunchy peanut topping that made everything even better. The flavor was so familiar, but super super clean. I came back here a few weeks later with Dom and we all agreed it was the best we’ve had in Taiwan. Definitely worth the line, 10000% will be back again. This place is so good! 10/10 recommend.
Nougat Crackers: L’Atelier Lotus 甜滿
If you’re looking for a souvenir for friends and families, you have to grab these handcrafted nougat sandwiches. There’s a few different brands that are famous for this treat, but L’Atelier Lotus 甜滿 went viral for being the go-to souvenirs for some K-pop stars when they visit Taiwan.
The absolute must-buy flavor is the Handcrafted Spring Onion Nougat Crackers Sandwiches (NTD $220). Creamy, rich nougat sandwiched between savory green onion crackers, it’s the perfect balance of sweet and savory. There are also a few other flavors as well, like coffee, spicy, and chocolate. There’s also their gold nugget and gold coin crackers, which are made with different types of crackers. These are amazing gifts for friends and family!
Tian Jin Onion Pancake 天津蔥抓餅
Just around the corner from L’Atelier Lotus , you also have the famous Tian Jin Onion Pancake 天津蔥抓餅. This might be the most famous place in Taiwan for green onion pancakes. The menu offers the simple green onion pancake with a variety of toppings to choose from, like egg, basil, cheese, and ham, all under 60 NTD.
Once you take the first bite, you’ll understand why this place is such a classic. The pancake is so fluffy and crispy and soft. It is crispy on the outside while staying slightly chewy and layered on the inside. Even though it’s crispy, it’s not oily at all. Make sure to add my go-to combos: egg and Thai basil. The basil makes a huge difference. I know that some people say that this place is not worth the hype. But even after all these years, I cannot resist grabbing one whenever I walk by. The line is almost always super long, but it does move really quickly!
Din Tai Fung Main Branch 鼎泰豐
If you’re in Da’an, another spot that never disappoints is the original Xinyi and Xinsheng Branch of Din Tai Feng 鼎泰豐. This is the birthplace of the world famous Din Tai Fung soup dumplings. Since we’re in the Da’an area, we decided to stop in for some of their perfectly shaped soup dumplings and yummy side dishes like Spicy Cucumber and Stir Fried Cabbage. Definitely a must-try in Taiwan!
Compared to the other branches, these two branches are still busy, but much less likely to have a long wait. The Xinyi location is the original building for the restaurant, now transitioned into a take-out only spot. For those looking to dine-in, you can actually go across the street to the Xinsheng Branch right across the street. This branch is still super popular, but has multiple floors for seating.
Cows Rock Ice Cream 搖滾牛冰淇淋
Despite starting as a stall in Shida Night Market 師大夜市, Cows Rock Ice Cream 搖滾牛冰淇淋 has won the International Taste Institute 3-Star Superior Taste Award for three years in a row, from 2023 to 2025! They’re actually the official ice cream chosen for the 2025 National Day Reception, a presidential event.
Known for their seasonal fresh ingredients, their daily flavors are displayed on the board in bright posters. There are fun flavors inspired by traditional Taiwanese ingredients, and they’re all delicious. My mom and I tried a scoop each of the pistachio and fresh Taiwan Strawberry, and both were super delicious!
East District 東區
The East District 東區 is a super popular area for young professionals and those who love shopping. It has a cluster of large department stores like SOGO and Shin Kong Mitsukoshi. Because this area is particularly loved by young professionals, this area is packed full of izakayas, unique cafes, and artisan boutiques. At night, it becomes the perfect area for an after work drink!
Soda By Coffeeflair
My mom and I made a coffee stop at Soda By Coffeeflair. This trip to Taiwan, I’m determined to showcase all the different cafes you can find in Taipei. This minimalist cafe with all the wooden furniture makes it such a quiet band cozy vibe. They’re famous for their hand-poured coffee and signature Tiramisu.
We got their single-origin hand brewed coffee, which comes in a little flask with ice, and a little card explaining the origins and flavors of the bean. My mom ordered a Taiwan Tea Coffee Latte (NTD $250), which combines Taiwanese tea with coffee for a mixed flavor. This was super creamy! Of course, we also shared one of their signature Matcha Tiramisu. I really like the atmosphere here, and their high quality coffee. It was a great spot to stop and chill for a little after a long day of shopping. There’s a one drink per person policy, but otherwise, amazing coffee with lots of bean selection. It’s quiet, relaxing, and has tons of seating if you’d like to work at a cafe.
High Quality Knives at Kinzan Blue
While shopping around, we randomly stumbled across Kinzan Blue, a tiny hole-in-the-wall knife shop. Honestly, I’m obsessed! They do everything knives. Here you can find beautiful and good quality knives straight from Japan that I absolutely loved. Besides selling quality knives, they also offer sharpening and customizations for knife handle and engraving, with super reasonable prices. There’s also tons of other accessories like cutting boards. Highly recommend this shop if you’re looking for good knives!
Bei Men Pineapple Ice 北門鳳李冰
We needed to cold down from the hot sun, so we stopped at 北門鳳李冰 for some frozen desserts. This unassuming shop is located at the ground floor of a residential building. Here, they serve traditional Taiwanese ice cream, an icier, dairy-free frozen dessert made with a sugary starch base. They also sell popsicles, and dessert soup in similar styles of flavors. They have Chinese, English, and Japanese menu, so there’s no language barriers to ordering too!
They offer 6 flavors for their 2-flavor combo cups (NTD$60), including peanut, salty plum, longan, mung bean, taro, and pineapple. But today, we ordered one of their 2 signatures: Perilla Plum Sorbet with Pineapples (NTD $60). The cup is first packed full of perilla plum ice, which is sour, icy, and super refreshing. Then, it’s topped with a chunky pineapple jam and pickled plum. Especially in the heat, it is the perfect balance of tart and sweet.
Best Hot Pot: Orange Shabu
For dinner, we’re getting hot pot with my aunt at Orange Shabu. This is not only one of Taiwan’s most iconic hot pots, but also one of my favorite spots. It’s actually my mom’s first time here! This meal was not sponsored at all. I’ve actually been here so many times, even off camera, because the food here is just that good.
Everything tastes so fresh, healthy, and delicious. Usually, we get 1 course per person, which includes the broth base, appetizer, assorted vegetables, main course, congee, and dessert. Since there’s 3 of us, we got 3 main dishes: Taiwanese Pork Shoulder, Kuroge Wagyu Top Blade, and assorted seafood, which includes a whole crab!
My favorite part is always the ending. After everything has cooked in the broth, they turn all that delicious flavor into a rich, cozy hot pot congee at the very end. To me, that is the best part of the whole meal. So, make sure to save your stomach for that delicious ending!.
What really makes this place so unforgettable is their service. The attention to detail here is honestly next level. They cut the corn for you, deshell all the crab, and make sure the whole meal feels so seamless and special. If you want something a little bit more special or if you’re celebrating something, I would 100% recommend Orange Shabu. It is definitely one of those places you need to book a few weeks ahead, but truly a meal that you’ll remember forever.
Chifeng Road 赤峰街
Previously the city’s center for auto parts, Chifeng Road 赤峰街 has now been transformed into a hub for artsy retro stores. With unique vintage architecture, this area has become a street photography favorite for photographers and influencers. This is the street where I get a lot of my cookware from. Here, you can find tons of boutique shops, bookstores, and hidden cafes.
My Favorite Cookware at 舊目立屋
Whenever I’m on Chifeng Road, I visit Bo Good Life House 舊目立屋 for more adorable cookware. Built in an old-fashioned Japanese style house, this lifestyle shop preserves the original structure of the building. They carry a collection of adorable curated dining ware, from plates to utensils, from Japan. This is a great spot for unique souvenirs that you’ll be using all the time like I do. I buy from here every single time I come by! Definitely spend some time choosing from all their different products!
Bog Teahouse Buubu 卜卜商店
After all the walking, we took a coffee stop at Bog Teahouse Buubu卜卜商店. This quiet little cafe is right above my favorite cookware shop, 舊目立屋, serving light meals, desserts, coffees and milk teas. They have indoor tables, as well as a beautiful outdoor balcony seating area that overlooks the street. We ordered a matcha latte and a dessert set that comes with a drink and a dessert. We chose their signature signature chiffon cakes topped with muscat grapes to go with a coffee. For the chiffon cake, you can choose between tea or matcha flavor.
This cozy little tea house was the perfect waypoint between shopping trips. It is walk-in only, so you may have to wait in a line sometimes. There’s a minimum order of 1 drink per person, and a limited time of 1 hour dine-in. But, it’s plenty of time to sit down, relax, and hang out with the cafe cats.
