Zhongshan: Must Try Taipei Local Foods Near Temples
Let’s taste test Taipei’s local hidden gem restaurants and foods near popular temples In Zhongshan District in Taipei! Zhongshan is one of the trendiest districts in Taipei, but also home to 2 big temples: Wenchang Temple 文昌宮 and Xingtian Temple 行天宮. In Taiwan, where there’s a temple, there’s tasty foods. Come with me to explore some the most unique eats we’ve found in Zhongshan District!
Traditional Foods Near Temples in Zhongshan District
There are three neighborhoods in Taipei that I absolutely adore and recommend to anyone when they’re visiting Taiwan: Zhongshan, Da’an, and Datong. My personal favorite is Zhongshan district 中山區. I love this area so much because there’s always something happening at all times. You’ll find quirky little shops, clothing stores, cozy cafe, pottery, pop-up shops, basically all the shopping you can think of.
If you’re looking for good food and don’t’ know where to eat in Taiwan, find a temple. Zhongshan District also has two of the biggest temples in Taipei: Wenchang Temple and Xintian Temple. These are popular temples that are visited often by both tourists and locals alike. But in Taiwan, where there’s a temple, there’s traditional Taiwanese treats and delicious foods. Here in Zhongshan, you can experience that combination of traditional and modern in one. So, come with me to check out some of the tasty foods I got to try near some of Taipei’s biggest temples!
Wenchang Temple 文昌宮
Wenchang Temple 文昌宮 is a temple dedicated to the god of education 文昌. Located right next to the Zhongshan Linear Park and the MRT station, this temple is in the middle of a bustling day market. It can get a little busy in the morning, but its a spectacular view with the lights on the in evening. This temple is a key spot for parents and students during any exam season in Taiwan, or anyone taking tests for certifications or higher education.
Spicy Noodles: 水云濮花椒麻辣麵
We randomly found 水云濮花椒麻辣麵, this tiny, quirky restaurant serving spicy noodles. Inside, the restaurant looks like a tea shop, with boxes of teas and tea pots everywhere. There’s a sign asking guests to speak quietly and avoid loud chats inside. On the menu is a range of spicy noodle, soups, herbal teas, and homemade dumplings, with different meal combinations. Everything was so simple, but packed with lots and lots of flavor.
We ordered a set with a side, a soup, and a noodle (NT$185), 2 other mains à la carte, and a dessert. Our main dishes were the Sichuan Pepper Oil Noodles, Hokkaido Scallop Noodles, and the Spicy Wontons. If you like spicy hotpot, I highly recommend the Sichuan Pepper Oil noodles 大紅袍花椒乾麵.
For our side, we chose a simple silken tofu with century egg and Sichuan peppercorn oil 花椒油皮蛋豆腐(NT$50, $1.50), which honestly is a great cooling starter for a hot day. But, the best part of our meal was actually that garlic chicken soup that comes with our set. It was so packed with chicken flavor and the right amount garlicky aroma. It’s a must try!
Iyoshi Craft Cola
We randomly stumble across the viral Iyoshi Cola, a Japanese craft cola brand from Tokyo known for their craft herbal blend cola. Their cola recipes were inspired by the founders’s grandpa, who was actually a herbal medicine artisan. The store sells 3 flavors: the classic dreamy flavor, the Taiwan Edition, and the Milkola, as well as the classic dreamy syrup. Each is a variation on a mix of cola nut, spices, citrus, syrups, and sparkling water to create this super refreshing one-of-a-kind drink.
We tried the classic Dreamy flavor, described as a “classic spicy craft cola”. At NTD $150, it’s a little pricey compared to drinks in Taiwan but really refreshing. This was a fun tasting experience. However, the line is really long. If you don’t see a line, it’s worth trying and sharing! It’s right beside our hotel, about a 2-minute walk.
Tofu Pudding: 榕美樹館 Ron Museum
Because it was actually so hot the first day we got there, we couldn’t help but get my all-time favorite Taiwanese dessert,tofu pudding 豆花. So, we headed to 榕美樹館 Ron Museum, a tofu pudding dessert shop in Zhongshan district. Honestly, you really can’t go wrong with tofu pudding in Taiwan. It’s one of those simple desserts that always hits the spot and I truly think it is a must try for anyone visiting. Just imagine silky smooth melt in-you mouth tofu pudding that’s so rich and delicate at the same time.
Their menu includes a range of set dessert bowls, so we ordered their Peanut Peanut 花生花生 (NT$120 ~$3.80). This peanut tofu pudding dessert bowl has toppings like boiled yunlin peanuts, crunchy peanut brittle, peanut powder, and mini brown sugar boba, and finished off with shaved ice. Literally, it’s the perfect summer dessert. This was so good, I highly recommend trying.
They also have an option for you to make your own tofu pudding bowl with various toppings. For NTD$95 or $3 USD, you can get a bowl of 3 topping tofu pudding in sweet syrup (三品榕豆花 3 Topping Douhua). The toppings you can choose from include chia seeds, taro balls, sweet potato balls, grass jelly, and more.
Chicken Ramen: 姥夥房 Grandma’s Kitchen
We actually found so many hidden gems on this trip and one of them was 姥夥房 Grandma’s Kitchen. This little Taiwanese Japanese fusion ramen spot that serves the most hearty, clean, and comforting chicken ramen. The cooking here feels like like your grandma’s cooking but with a more elevated twist.
Their menu has 3 different ramen flavors: classic chicken, herbal chicken, and mala, as well as a list of side dishes. We ordered a Mala duck blood with tofu 麻辣鴨血豆腐 (NTD$60) to start, which was spicy but super flavorful.
Of course, the star of the meal here was their classic Chicken Ramen 姥夥房麵 (NTD$220). Their signature chicken broth uses a slow simmered old hen broth that gives it such a clean, naturally sweet flavor. It’s topped with chicken chashu, runny egg, chicken meatball, and napa cabbage. It’s the kind of bowl that literally feel like it could heal your soul, especially on a rainy day like this one.
I ended up coming back here a week later with Dom again and he was just as surprised at how good it was. Plus, the portions here were really generous. The food is super tasty, but the store is really small, so make sure to come early! I highly recommend adding it to your Zhongshan district shopping day!
Xingtian Temple 行天宮
Whenever we come to Taipei, we swing by Xingtian Temple 行天宮 for a quick blessing and enjoy the bustling temple environment. Located at one of the busier big intersections in Zhongshan district, Xingtian Temple is right at the corner and impossible to miss. It’s always busy with locals here, but particularly so in during the holidays like Chinese New Year.
Dedicated to The “Five Savior 五恩主” with Lord Guan Yu 關聖帝君, the god of war, business, and loyalty, at its lead, you can pay respects to them here by following the posted worship sequence. Many people also go for a cleansing or calming ritual called “Shou Jing” 受驚 from one of their volunteers. To do so, you just follow the lines on both ends of the temple hall.
Xingtian Temple is also one of the first temples to go completely incense-free to promote better environmental practices. It’s a unique view at how Taipei has modernized traditional temple practices in a big city, while preserving this big temple in the middle of the city. If you’re into fortune telling, there’s also the entrance to the famous underground “Fortune Telling Street” right outside of the temple.
Bulao Hakka Traditional Mochi 不老麻糬
Right near Xingtian Temple is my dad’s favorite old school mochi shop, Bulao Hakka Traditional Mochi 不老麻糬. This old fashioned mochi shop started as a tiny road-side stall. If you see a long line along the road, you might be in the right place. They’re so popular, they limit each person to 2 boxes when buying. Their mochi is super bouncy and sticky, and each of them are packed with so much filling. You can choose from sesame, red bean, peanut, taro, and green bean. Or, get a box of plain mochi, cut into small pieces and dumped into peanut powder.
Buy a box of 6 mochi for 80 NTD, or 1 for 14 NTD. If you buy two boxes, they will also gift you an extra mochi! Their must-order is definitely peanut or sesame. Besides traditional sweet filled mochi, they also sell traditional treats like taro cakes and savory mochi. Occasionally they will also have seasonal flavors like strawberry daifuku. If you’re in the area looking for traditional Taiwanese treats, this mochi is definitely worth the line.
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