Eat Often, Eat Well: 15 Must-Try Xiaochi When in Taiwan According to the Locals

Eat Often, Eat Well: 15 Must-Try Xiaochi When in Taiwan According to the Locals

Snacking in the land of xiao long bao.
by Andy Flores | October 11, 2017

The heart of Asia is also the heart of snacking. This is something you’ll realize when you visit Taiwan, a land where “eat often and eat well” is not just a culinary philosophy but a way of life. Here, everyone is always up for some small bites or “xiaochi” as they’re locally known. And with such a vibrant food scene, the Taiwanese most definitely don’t shy away from sharing their xiaochi’s mouthwatering goodness with the rest of the world.

So if you’re planning your own food excursion for your Taiwan trip, make sure these yummy eats, as recommended by our Taiwanese friends, are on your must-try list:

1. Xiao Long Bao

A post shared by TW (찬턱위) (@calvinctw) on Jul 10, 2017 at 10:28pm PDT

These steamed soup dumplings are among Taiwan’s signature dishes. They are traditionally filled with minced pork, but could also contain shrimp, vegetables. The xiao long bao’s defining feature is its super supple dough skin that’s pleated and twisted at the top.

Where to get it: Popular across Taiwan, the xiao long bao can be easily found in eateries and night markets. But if you’re going for the exquisite soup dumpling experience, then there’s no better place to get it than the renowned Din Tai Fung, which has seven branches in Taipei (the original can be found on Xinyi Road), and one branch each in Hsinchu, Taichung, and Kaohsiung.