Yongkang Street Route

What Yongkang Street is

Yongkang Street names both a narrow street running south of Dongmen Station in central Taipei and the quarter around it. Once a calm residential area of Japanese colonial-era officials' houses, it still keeps old trees and low buildings, its lanes dotted with teahouses, antique shops and bookstores. Unlike the din of a night market, it is a street to walk slowly from day into evening. Din Tai Fung's flagship nearby made its name as a food street, and people now come from all over for xiaolongbao and mango ice. Yet step into the lanes and the air of local life remains.

What to eat on Yongkang

The quarter's twin signatures are xiaolongbao and mango ice. Din Tai Fung's xiaolongbao is a dumpling sealing hot soup in thin skin, eaten with black vinegar and ginger. At shaved-ice shops led by Smoothie House, milk-flavored ice heaped with ripe mango is the summer signature. Beyond them, the scallion pancake loosened on a griddle, the red spicy beef noodle, the sweet-savory braised pork rice, and a closing pearl milk tea — Taiwan's representative tastes gather in this one area. Sit-down names and one-handed stalls sit close together, so you can combine heavy and light, hot and cold, as you walk.

How to walk this route

Unlike a night market, this route runs from day into night. Leaving MRT Dongmen, you find Din Tai Fung and the mouth of Yongkang Street at once, and touring the lanes from there is the basic shape. Popular shops, especially Din Tai Fung and the ice houses, queue at the lunch and dinner peaks, so shifting your time a little shortens the wait. The famous shops are plates eaten sitting down, so a slower use of time suits better than stall-walking. Some shops take cards or electronic payment, but stalls and small places may need cash. If ice and cold drinks chill you, balance with hot beef noodle or tea. Hours and closing days differ by shop and can change, so confirm on the spot.