Dive into the historical streets of Dadaocheng and get a taste of mid-19th century Taipei! From the charming restaurants and their signature dishes, to the photogenic architecture and alleyways- eat your way through Dihua street and discover why Dadaocheng is our favorite neighborhood in town.
The eating begins at a unique beer garden, established right outside the Mazu temple. There you’ll have your choice from the various street carts that have been in business for decades. After soaking up the atmosphere and traditional stalls, you’ll make your way past the first record store in Taipei and sample a noodle shop that has been open for close to a century! You’ll then walk to the historical Dihua Street, where many of the buildings have been around since the early 1900s. As you stroll down the street you will sample foods such as fish balls, oyster fritters, pork buns, and herbal drinks (the yummy kind), just to name a few.
Take a walk through historical Taiwan culture. Try foods that are not on your mainstream websites. Get to sample Taiwanese foods that have been around for multiple generations. If getting immersed in old-school culture and trying foods that your friends haven’t even heard is your thing, this is the tour for you!
- Kick off the tour at a unique beer garden in the Mazu temple
- Travel back in time and taste traditional Taiwanese pastry handcrafted from a 100 year-old pastry shop.
- Navigate the historic shopping district of Dihua Street, where vendors sell dried fruits, Chinese medicine, herbs, and other delicacies.
- Sample noodles made from scratch everyday from a century-old noodle shop, topped with a traditional Taiwanese yimian sauce.
- Quench your thirst with a unique blend of herbal tea at the herbal alley. Opt for the bitter tea if you dare!
- Taste an aromatic beef soup at a 125 year old beef specialty restaurant.
- Pray for good luck in love and marriage at Xia-Hai City God Temple, the official Temple of Love.
Old School Food Tour
Duration: 3 hours
Tour Style: Casual Walking for all fitness levels.
$85
ADULTS
(14+ yrs)
$50
CHILDREN
(7–14 yrs)
Tastings are subject to vendors’ availability. Prices do not include tax or booking fees. All sales are final and non-refundable.
- Departs 10:00AM on Tues & Fri. Experiences happen rain or shine. Availability varies by season – Please check calendar.
- Starts at Daqiaotou MRT and ends near Zhongshan or Beimen MRT
- 12+ Tastings
- Sorry fellow vegetarians, there are limited selection for vegetarians in this area. Please check out our Iconic Food Tour for a vegetarian friendly tour or email us.
- Suitable for all ages and fitness levels.
- Intimate group size: 1-6 people.
49 REVIEWS | Rated “4.9-stars” by 49 Google Reviewers
“This was my second tour with Taipei eats. This time I took the old school food tour. If you love trying new foods and discovering new places this tour is for you. Are a guide for the day was very knowledgeable about each location we visited. If you’re visiting Taipei soon, book your food tour with Taipei eats you won’t be disappointed.”
Also Awarded TripAdvisor 2019 Certificate of Excellence
What’s Included
- 10+ food and beverage tastings. Trust us – it’s enough for you to leave satisfied. Come hungry! Don’t say we didn’t warn you.
- Experienced and friendly local guide to guide you through the back alleys of Taipei.
The History of Dadaocheng
Dadaocheng(大稻埕), which means “a broad square to dry crops” in Chinese, is one of the oldest areas in Taipei. Its history could be traced back to 19th century, when the very first shop was opened by Lin Lan-tian(林藍田) in 1851.
Dadaocheng became the major business area in Northern Taiwan and was deeply influenced by international business. It was once the second largest city in Taiwan after Tainan, the original capital in the south. Foreigners and Chinese came and founded tea shops or tea factories. John Dodd, a British businessman who known as “Father of Taiwan Oolong Tea”, also established Dent & Co. (寶順洋行) at Dadaocheng.
In the area you will see Baroque, traditional Hokkien, and red-brick western houses. The baroque and modern-styles were favored by the wealthy Japanese at the time of the Japanese occupation. In front of Baroque-inspired and Modernist styles you’ll notice many buildings boast a symbol representing the product that is being sold by the owners. One of the most noticeable ones is the Ginseng ornament on Qian Yang Herbal Store’s wall. As you walk through the area, you’ll marvel at these differences and be amazed that many of the century-old business are still running along-side modern-chic cafes, boutique shops, and traditional Taiwanese foods.
Dihua Street
Dihua Street is the oldest street in Dadaocheng area, which shows in the diversity of the architectural style seen in the area. It was the major trading port of fabrics, dried goods, tea, and Chinese herbs and medicine.
This street gets flooded with Taipei-locals and Taiwan-tourists leading up to the Chinese New Year. Locals go to purchase local candies, snacks, dried foods, incense, and a variety of other things in preparation for the annual celebration.
About Our Expert Guides
Your tour will be lead by one of our expert, English-speaking guides. They’re all gifted storytellers who are smart, passionate and talented and whose excitement for this country is contagious!
Have Questions? Here are the most frequently asked.
Our tours run rain or shine. It does rain quite often in Taipei, so please prepare necessary clothing and/or equipment you might need to stay dry. Don’t worry, the food taste the same! 🙂 If the Taiwan government issues an official alert shutting down businesses or we deem conditions unsafe for our guests, tours will be cancelled. This is the only situation where guests can decide whether they would like to reschedule their tours or receive a full refund.
Gratuities are not common in Taiwanese culture, however if you really enjoyed your time and want to show your guide how much you appreciate him/ her, they’ll be extremely happy!
99{7ea748cf3cd44048e18f3d4842812133efb4af85d2e0765e711f6de31d5462ea} of our guests have been happily full at the end of the tour.
If you are bringing an infant / very young child and they will not be participating in the tastings, you do not need to purchase a ticket for them. However, please do let us know if you will be attending with an infant or young child when you purchase tickets in the notes section.
If you contact us at least 14 days prior to the start of your tour, we can help you reschedule your tour. However we do not allow cancellations as we have limited space on our tours and once a ticket is sold, it cannot be filled by others.
Still have questions? Visit our full FAQ to view more questions or Contact Us.
Check Out Our Other Tours
Iconic Food Tour
Our original Iconic food tour takes you on an authentic culinary and visual journey. We’ll sample classic Taiwanese dishes from both award winning chefs and in-the-know local’s restaurants.
4 hours | 10+ tastings | $75 USD
Taipei Night Market Tour
The local foodie’s night market. A truly off-the-beaten path experience, oblivious to tourists and guide books. Your hotel concierge will be surprised you’re going!
2 hours | 6-7 tastings | $60 USD