What is the cancellation policy for this tour?

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

How long does this tour take?

This tour lasts approximately 4 hours.

Formosa Flavours Food Tour with 12+ Tastings

Q: Where does this tour start?

This tour starts at: Meet your guide inside Dongmen Station. Head towards Exit 5 and wait at the 'Information Center.' You will see a 'Cosmed' Shop nearby. Guests may use the bathroom facilities before the tour starts. Please do not head outside the station, the meeting point is inside at underground level B1..

★★★★★ 5.0

4 hours

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Overview

Join a lunchtime food tour of Yongkang Street and Ximending, two different districts of Taipei. Experience 15+ tastings at foodie hotspots, ranging from Michelin-rated icons to historic local gems.

We’ll uncover the flavours of Formosa Island, proving that Taiwan's "beautiful" namesake is best experienced with a pair of chopsticks and loose trousers. Come discover why the city's best views are found at the bottom of a noodle bowl.

Gallery

Formosa Flavours Food Tour with 12+ Tastings — photo 1

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What's Included

✓ Included

12+ food tastings included, more than any other Taipei food tour
Bottled water included
Led by professional foodie guides
Max 8 exclusive guests, smallest group size in Taipei (private tour or 9+ guests - contact us)
Movable feast with 6-7 stops around the streets of Yongkang and Ximen

✗ Not Included

Alcoholic drinks excluded
Pick up and drop off from hotel excluded. Easy-to-find meeting point for all guests.
Vegetarians have 3-4 less tastings due to limited alternatives
Unsuitable for severe allergies, halal & celiac disease, due to risk of traces & cross-contamination

Itinerary

Stop 1

Between the seasoned kitchens of Ximending and morning pulse of Yongkang Street lies the true, unedited flavours of Taiwan, the 'Beautiful Island'. We're here to show you why the spirit of "Formosa" is found in bottom of a noodle bowl. Our lunchtime feasting tour of 12+ tastings invites guests on a culinary experience around the backstreets of Taipei led by our team of professional foodie guides. Before we get started, your tour reflects the local cuisine and the limitations of street food vendors means we unfortunately cannot cater for every dietary restriction. Here's an honest appraisal for the tour so no-one is disappointed: ✖️ Vegetarians have 2-3 less tastings due to limited alternatives at some vendors. ✖️ Unsuitable for severe allergies, halal and celiac diets due to risk of traces and cross-contamination. If you are feeling adventurous for a foodie journey, read on!

Stop 2

Begin at vibrant Yongkang Street - recently dubbed one of the coolest streets in Asia - ground zero for deliriously good food. Kick off at a Michelin-rated institution to witness the art of the fold, tackling the holy trinity of dim sum: xiǎo lóng bāo pork soup dumplings that burst with savory broth, juicy xiā shāomài prawn siew mai, and the golden crunch of a fried mantou bun. Witness the mesmerising street-side masters slapping and swirling the dough of Taiwanese flaky scallion pancakes.

Stop 3

At a storied Tainan outpost, we pay homage to the island’s ancient food capital. We're here for glutinous meatballs, a translucent, chewy treasure. Hopping next onto the subway - tickets included - moving from the city's refined east, to the wilder west.

Stop 4

Emerging into the energetic Ximending district, grab a bag of Taiwanese popcorn chicken - basil-scented, addictive, and unapologetically fried. Past the 300-year-old Taipei Tianhou temple, we'll soon be working chopsticks over niú ròu miàn beef noodle soup, at a Michelin-rated joint where the noodles are hand-pulled in the back kitchen. The broth is a decades-old secret, closely guarded by the family owners. There are 15+ tastings in all, and plenty of surprises to feast upon. Come hungry.

Stop 5

Cool off by spoon-diving into tofu pudding with grass jelly—a silky, wobbling dessert that defines the Taiwanese sweet menu. We conclude our journey at the Red House, the century-old octagonal market that has survived fires and wars to become the beating heart of Taipei’s creative scene. Taste the two faces of Taipei in the daytime - a sensory collision of steaming broths, ancestral recipes, and lunchtime hustle. This is the real Taipei 101: a tower of flavour over the city’s most legendary kitchens.

Meeting & End Point

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Meeting Point

Meet your guide inside Dongmen Station. Head towards Exit 5 and wait at the 'Information Center.' You will see a 'Cosmed' Shop nearby. Guests may use the bathroom facilities before the tour starts. Please do not head outside the station, the meeting point is inside at underground level B1.

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End Point

The tour ends at Ximen metro station near the Red House. It is a convenient place to take a metro train, or a taxi. If you are staying in Ximen, you may with to walk back. Your guide can assist you for directions.

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Good to Know

Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
See 'What to Expect' section and 'What's Included' for info on dietary restrictions
We recommend comfortable walking shoes. Bring rain gear/umbrella, if rain looks likely. There's lot of tastings to try, come hungry!

Known For:

Street Food Tours in Taipei, Walking Tours in Taipei, Half-day Tours in Taipei, Weather Dependent - Moderate in Taipei, Food & Drink in Taipei, Small Group in Taipei

Special Instructions

*Ticket:* The guide should have your name on the manifest, please check you have booked the right date and time. We don't need to scan the tickets.

*Telephone number:* Please kindly do not call the telephone number if your enquiry is regarding date changes, cancellations, dietary requests.etc. The telephone number stated is ONLY for emergencies and meeting point arrivals with the guide team on-the-ground. They won't be able to help with any booking-related questions.Please contact directly to A Chef's Tour Customer Support team. Email: info@achefstour.com with your name, for a prompt response.

*Meeting point:* The meeting point is marked on the tour page. Please aim to arrive 10 minutes before the tour start time, so we can begin punctually with the other guests. The city is surprisingly large, and traffic is unpredictable. Please ensure you leave with plenty of time to order the taxi, and reach the meeting point.. Please ensure you leave with plenty of time to order the taxi, and reach the meeting point.

*Taxis:* We recommend downloading the ‘Uber’ app on your smartphone. You can safely input your desired location and the price is fixed. The payment can be made from your credit/debit card, or cash in the local currency.

*What to bring:*
- We recommend comfortable shoes as the tour involves walking.
- This tour operates come rain or shine. Most eating stops are sheltered, though please carry rain gear/umbrella if rain looks likely, for walking between stops and when visiting some streetside stalls.
- There's lot of tastings to try, come hungry!