10 Authentic Taiwanese Foods Every Singaporean Should Try

Taiwan is one of Asia's most exciting destinations for food lovers. For Singaporeans, the island feels both familiar and surprisingly different—there is street food, rich food culture, and a deep love for sharing meals with family and friends.

But Taiwanese food has its own unique personality.

From busy night markets to small breakfast shops and old neighborhood stalls, here are 10 Taiwanese foods Singaporeans should not miss when visiting Taiwan.

1. Gi Rou Fan

You can find braised pork rice or chicken rice everywhere in Taiwan, but when these two are combined, it's called Chicken and Braised Pork Rice. On the same bowl of rice, you can drizzle savory braised pork sauce (or minced pork) and top it with shredded chicken (or chicken slices), allowing diners to enjoy the refreshing taste of chicken and the rich collagen of braised pork at the same time, achieving a perfect balance of flavors.

2. Oyster and Pork Intestine Vermicelli

Oyster and pig intestine vermicelli is one of Taiwan's most representative traditional national snacks. It features handmade red vermicelli as a base, topped with a rich bonito flake sauce, accompanied by soft and chewy braised pig intestines and fresh, plump oysters. Served with black vinegar, minced garlic, and chili sauce, it's definitely worth trying.

3. Pepper Bun

Pepper cakes are a representative Taiwanese street food, originating from the traditional "scallion and pork cakes" of Fuzhou, Fujian. They consist of a crispy outer crust made from fermented dough, filled with chunks of black pepper-marinated pork and fresh, sweet scallions, and then grilled on the walls of a high-temperature oven. Each bite is bursting with smoky, juicy goodness.

4. Train Bento

Taiwanese people's love for Taiwan Railway Bento has reached a fever pitch. In 2025 alone, over 9.3 million bento boxes were sold, generating over NT$876 million in revenue, setting a new record.

The most popular signature dish is the "Nostalgic Pork Ribs Bento," featuring specially braised pork ribs, a braised egg, pickled vegetables, and seasonal vegetables, priced at approximately NT$100. Customers can pre-order at sales points in major stations or purchase it on select trains.

5. Gua Bao

Gua bao is a highly representative traditional local snack in Taiwan. It consists of a semi-circular, smooth steamed bun dough, cut open in the middle and filled with braised pork belly that has been marinated for a long time. Customers can usually choose between fatty, lean, or a mix of both. Sprinkled with peanut powder and topped with pickled cabbage and cilantro, it becomes a Taiwanese-style hamburger.

6. Taiwanese Sausage with Sticky Rice

Taiwanese sausage wrapped in sticky rice sausage is a representative traditional night market snack in Taiwan. It looks similar to an American hot dog burger, so it is often called a "Taiwanese hot dog burger". It consists of a cut sticky rice sausage (large intestine) wrapped around a Taiwanese pork sausage (small intestine). After being grilled over charcoal, it emits a rich aroma. It must be served with garlic. It is a classic delicacy loved by locals and tourists alike.

7. Pig's blood cake

Pig's blood cake is one of Taiwan's most representative traditional street snacks, made by steaming a mixture of fresh pig's blood and glutinous rice, resulting in a chewy and flavorful texture. While it was once ranked number one on a foreign travel website's list of "World's Ten Weirdest Foods," it remains an indispensable part of Taiwanese daily life, found in night markets, hot pot, braised dishes, and fried chicken stalls.

The street vendor method involves steaming rectangular pieces of pig's blood cake until thoroughly cooked, giving it a chewy and soft texture. The key step after steaming is to evenly spread a mixture of sweet and savory soy sauce paste and sweet chili sauce, then sprinkle with fragrant peanut powder and fresh cilantro.

8. Taiwanese Fried Chicken

Taiwanese Fried Chicken is one of the world's most celebrated night market street foods, famous for its distinct crunch, aromatic five-spice marinade, and the addition of crispy fried Thai basil.

There are two major styles of this iconic dish: Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken (鹽酥雞, Yán Sū Jī), which features bite-sized, ultra-crispy nuggets, and the Giant Fried Chicken Cutlet (大雞排, Dà Jī Pái), a flattened, bone-in breast that is often larger than a person's face.

9. Mango shaved ice

Mango shaved ice (or bingsu / xue hua bing) is a wildly popular Asian dessert featuring fluffy, milk-infused shaved ice topped with generous heaps of fresh mango chunks, condensed milk, and often a scoop of mango sorbet or vanilla ice cream.

10. Pineapple cake

Taiwanese pineapple cakes are an internationally renowned and iconic souvenir. They are mainly divided into traditional pineapple cakes, which have a smooth and sweet taste with candied winter melon filling, and local pineapple cakes, which use pure pineapple pulp and have natural fiber and a slightly acidic texture.