As Taiwan’s charming port city, Kaohsiung food options are most definitely loaded with fresh seafood. Many of the best things to eat in the city can be found at local markets, where traditional snacks and Taiwanese dishes are available on the fly for cheap, cheap, cheap prices! Sightseers and foodies also want to sample some Taiwanese dishes at top restaurants in Kaohsiung. The markets and restaurants in this Kaohsiung food guide will give travelers a good start to planning a foodie tour that includes the best foods to try during a trip to southern Taiwan.
Rei Feng Night Market
Some of the freshest seafood and Taiwanese food can be found most evenings at Rei Feng Night Market. Visitors should bring good walking shoes and a hearty appetite because this market stretches for several blocks, and the food choices are endless. Hungry travelers can grab snacks like huge grilled prawns or Taiwanese sausages on the go, or they can enjoy a sit-down meal at one of the many restaurants.
Hours: 4 p.m. to midnight daily (closed Monday and Wednesday)
Must-try dishes at Rei Feng Night Market
- Octopus Takoyaki – Takoyaki is traditionally a Japanese specialty, but Kaohsiung vendors put their own meaty twist on these tasty balls of piping hot goodness.
- Stir-fried noodles – just follow your nose to the steamy wok to find a freshly-tossed bowl of Taiwanese noodles with either pork or seafood.
- Chicken skewers – grilled chicken on a stick is popular in about every country, but the Taiwanese kick them up to a level that foodies across the planet rave about.
- Bubble tea toast – Taiwan takes great pride in the fact that bubble tea was invented here, so visitors will find a lot of ways to try this sweet treat, even on toast.
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Liuhe Night Market
A seafood lover’s and tourist’s delight, Liuhe Night Market sits in the center of the city and has been a local staple since the 1940s. The market features more than 130 shops and restaurants, and in recent years, the area has gained a reputation for its growing number of local steak shops. One of the first things to grab when you arrive at Liuhe Night Market is a cold and creamy papaya smoothie. That should get you by until you can decide what to eat next!
Must-try dishes at Liuhe Night Market
- Pork noodles – these tender noodles in a simple broth are a specialty in Kaohsiung.
- Stir-fried seafood – sizzling and loaded with chilis and garlic, stir-fried seafood can contain almost anything you like. Just take your pick from the fresh seafood options, and the chef will start throwing your order together.
- Seafood porridge – this rice-based soup comes loaded with a variety of fresh seafood, depending on the vendor and the catch of the day. Foodies should try it with fresh prawn, octopus and muscles for an out-of-this-world bite.
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Guanghua Night Market
Eat like the locals do – and with the thousands of locals who visit the area every night – at Guanghua Night Market. Situated down both sides of Guanghua 2nd Road, the market is a hot spot for cheap eats and traditional Taiwanese dishes like dumplings, pork noodles and Chinese meatballs.
Hours: 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. Tuesday to Sunday; 6 p.m. to midnight Monday
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Lingya Market (Ziqiang Night Market)
Very near 85 Sky-Tower visitors to Kaohsiung will find Lingya Market, sometimes known as Ziqiang Night Market for its location on Ziqiang 3rd Road. Lingya Market offers popular Taiwanese street food and snacks, and it also is loved for its fresh produce, desserts and quick access to Kaohsiung Harbor. A couple foods tourists shouldn’t miss at Lingya Market are Chinese white sugar cake and fish soup.
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Recommended restaurants in Kaohsiung
- Xing Long Ju, No. 186, Liuhe 2nd Road, Qianjin District – popular breakfast spot featuring dumplings, porridges and other Taiwanese breakfast foods
- Gang Yuan Beef Noodle Restaurant, No. 55, Dacheng Street, Yancheng District – these beef noodles come wet or dry, and locals say the firmness and flavor is just right
- Tien Shui Yueh Hotpot, No. 105, Cengzi Road, Zuoying District – this upscale hot pot restaurant is known for its modern ambience and some of the freshest seafood in town
- Zheng Xian Chang Fen, No. 322, Yucheng Road, Zuoying District – a classic dim sum restaurant popular for its signature Chang Fen dim sum
Check In to a hotel in Kaohsiung
Hotel Midtown Richardson – Kaohsiung Bo Ai
