Food in Taiwan is beyond amazing; I was sure to eat as much new food as possible. Even though the food I tried in Jiufen can be found in Taipei night markets too, the ones below are definitely the top 6 things to eat in Jiufen Old Street. Starting from having tea, to exploring the street market for snacks, eating in Jiufen is a delightful experience.

6 things to eat in Jiufen

Tea at the A Mei Tea House

The A Mei Tea House is the most famous one in Jiufen. Obviously, we had to go there and have tea, while admiring the gorgeous views and the sunset. We opted for green tea, that we would make according to their instructions, and enjoy the sweet snacks provided (mochi, sugared plums, green tea cakes, and sesame crackers).

Taro Balls

The squishy taro balls in a sweet juice are another Taiwanese food to try. The ones in Jiufen are apparently the most famous ones.  They come in various colors and flavors; they are made by mashing taro and mixing it with water and potato flour; these are the purple balls. The others ones are made from sweet potato or mung bean (yellow ones), and green mung bean (green ones).

Hot Pot

This is one meal that was at the top of my food list when we were planning the trip. I always love hot pots (had some in Thailand) and I was so thrilled when the tea house of our hotel had hot pots for two on the menu. You would get a tray with a pot with boiling water, then various veggies, sauces and meat cuts. Let’s not forget about the extra dumplings and he refreshing drinks we got. How delicious is this feast?

Mochis

Mochis are my go to sweet. They are always on my shopping list; and they are worth the 1-hour round trip to the closest Asian supermarket, to get my hands on them. The mochis I tried in Jiufen were not only super tasty, but also very pretty. That’s how I first spotted the strawberry mochis, sitting pretty in the window! Even though I was rushing to the hotel, I saw them through the crowd and told myself I will not leave Jiufen without tasting them. And I was so right for trying one! The mocha was filled with super sweet strawberry jam and topped with a fresh strawberry.

The same stand was also selling ice cream mochis. I found out they had ice cream inside because they made them for us on the spot. A scoop of matcha ice cream into glutinous rice and voilà! I loved the soft taste of matcha ice cream even though it was so cold it was hurting my teeth. Totally recommend it though!

Stinky Tofu

Stinky tofu is a must try food in Taiwan and you can definitely find this delicacy on the streets of Jiufen. You cannot miss the stinky tofu stands – the smell will guide you. I could not eat a full portion, but did have a tiny bite of it. They say that it smells worse than it tastes but in my case, the taste was matching the smell.

Peanut Ice Cream Roll

Peanut ice cream rolls are another refreshing dessert. I spotted the stand when we arrived in Jiufen, on our way from the bus stop to the hotel. The peanut ice cream roll is basically ice cream with crushed peanuts rolled in rice paper. Very refreshing and delicious!

Have you tried any of these foods in Taiwan or anywhere else? If yes, do you have any favorites? If no, which one would you try?