Some popular Taiwanese treats and candy include nougats and pineapple cakes. Keep reading to find more snacks to bring home.
Planning a trip to Taiwan and wondering which Taiwanese snacks to bring home as souvenirs or pasalubong for your loved ones? Having lived here for over 5 years, I’ve explored a wide array of snacks and candies that make perfect gifts.
Important Information
| How Much Cash to Carry | NT$3,000 |
| How Long Do They Typically Last? | Shelf life varies depending on the type of food. |
| Can I Sample Before Buying? | Many shops offer free samples. |
Many vendors will typically shove samples of their snacks in front of your face in an attempt to get you to try them. Giving you an opportunity to taste before you buy. If they don’t do this, and you want to try something, ask if they speak English.
If they don’t, use Google Translate to ask if there are samples for “X” snack. Don’t do this at convenience stores. They won’t offer samples. Trust me.
Keeping NT$3k on hand ensures you’ll have enough money for the majority of snacks, public transportation, and whatever else. Many chain stores (e.g., 7-Eleven) accept digital wallets, and from my experience, foreign debit cards. But your experience will vary. As cash is king in Taiwan.
And don’t forget to pay attention to expiration dates and whether something needs refrigeration. If it’s perishable, don’t buy it as a souvenir.
How to do Taiwan Tourist Tax Refund
On purchases of more than NT$2,000 you will get a 5% refund on all goods bought from stores that are a part of Taiwan’s tourist tax refund program. Get this refund from participating stores or from VAT refund kiosks.
Read my guide on tourist tax refunds in Taiwan.
Other Recommended Guides
- Souvenirs to get from Taiwanese supermarkets
- Best Taiwan finds to bring home
- Taipei souvenirs
- Kaohsiung souvenirs
Popular Edible Souvenirs to Bring Home
Here are many of the Taiwanese snacks (or pasalubong) I recommend eating in Taiwan and/or bringing home:
- Pineapple cakes: Most famous pastry.
- Sun cakes: Second-most famous pastry.
- Taiwanese nougat candies: Better for folks who like crunchy candies.
- Instant noodles: Cheap, light, and plenty of variety.
- Other Taiwanese pastries: Options other than pineapple- and sun cakes.
- Egg rolls: Not like egg rolls you’d see at Asian restaurants.
- Tea: Taiwan has some of the best tea around.
- Pork floss: Different quality pigs used vs. areas like the US.
- Iron eggs: A delicacy.
- Dried fruits: A healthy(ish) option that’s easy to find.
- Mochi: Chewy and delicious.
- Cow tongues: Not actual tongues from a cow.
- Peanut butter: Taiwan’s peanut butter is dope.
Tai(wanese) food isn’t the same as Thai food. They have entirely different cuisines and snacks.
FYI, I saved the best food souvenir for last.
1. Pineapple Cakes
- Taste: Buttery, sweet, tart pineapple filling, crumbly pastry, fragrant with tropical notes.
- Avg. price: NT$50 – 620 per box
- Chinese name: 鳳梨酥
Taiwanese pineapple cakes are a sweet traditional pastry with butter, flour, egg, sugar, and pineapple jam or slices. They are typically square or rectangular, with a jammy pineapple filling encased in a tender short-crust pastry.
I prefer the taste of sun cakes, but pineapple cakes are smaller and cleaner to eat.
Here’s where to get it:
| Taiwan Sun Cake Museum | Pineapple Hill Culture Park |
| Chia Te | Many bakeries |
| LeeChi | Dawn Cake |
| Taiwan Handicraft Promotion Center | Kong Kee |
| Sunny Hills | Ruyi Sunny |
| Sugar & Spice | Take it Easy Bakery |
| DIY Experiences | Pan’s Cake |
Also, find affordable pineapple cakes (NT$50 a box) at supermarkets like Carrefour and PX Mart.
Chia Te pineapple cakes are the most popular cakes. And I’ve noticed a slight difference in taste compared to what I get at supermarkets. I recommend sampling the Chia Te cakes first (if possible).
The Chia Te’s bakery around Raohe Night Market will give you the most variety, but you’ll often have to wait in line to get these cakes. If you want to get a box of regular pineapple cakes, just walk into a 7-Eleven. They’ll usually have gift boxes, but not individual cakes.
My wife and I recommend trying Pan’s Pineapple cakes, which are a specialty of Banqiao (district in New Taipei).
I didn’t pay attention to what I was buying and accidentally bought the cakes with egg yolk in the center to sample for this guide. The pineapple portion of the filling tasted amazing.
But I didn’t care for the overwhelming egg taste. You may like it, though.
I’ve tried the regular pineapple cakes before and think they’re on par with Chia Te. You should try both.
2. Sun Cakes
- Taste: Honey mixed with maltose.
- Avg. price: NT$270 ($9.50) for a box of 10
- Chinese name: 太陽餅
Taiwanese sun cakes (taiyang bing) are a pastry originating from Taichung City. They are made with a flaky crust and a sweet filling, typically made of maltose (condensed malt sugar). The cakes are round and are about 2 inches in diameter.
Stores typically sell them in gift boxes as souvenirs. However, you’ll often find them sold individually in grocery stores or standalone bakeries.
Ingredients for these cakes involve flour, butter, sugar, maltose, eggs, milk, and salt.
Here’s where you’ll find ‘em:
- Supermarkets: Lowest prices.
- Sugar and Spice (糖村): Higher-cost, but best-tasting.
- Chia Te Bakery (佳德糕餅): 2 birds with 1 stone deal; buy pineapple & sun cakes here.
- Taipei Leechi (台北犁記): Another noteworthy bakery.
- Tai Yang Tang Lao Dian (太陽堂老店): Not familiar with this place, but it’s an option.
I haven’t noticed much of a difference in taste from what you’d buy in supermarkets versus what’s offered at bakeries. Regardless. The American in me loves the sugar overload I experience when eating one.
Taste before buying.
3. Taiwanese Nougat Candies
- Texture: Soft, chewy, sticky, with crunchy inclusions like nuts or seeds.
- Avg. price: NT$150 per box
Taiwanese nougat candies are typically chewy, dense, and grainy. The texture can vary depending on the ingredients and cooking method.
For example, chocolate nougats are more dense and chewy than fruit nougats, which are often lighter and airier.
Nougat candies are very popular in Taiwan and are frequently sold in small, individually wrapped pieces, making them a convenient snack or souvenir. They’re also popular in desserts, such as cakes and ice cream.
Find Taiwanese nougat candies at any supermarket or hypermarket. I also recommend checking out specific stores like Salico for nougats that are popular in Taiwan. My favorite is their peanut flavor — note that I’m heavily biased toward peanut-flavored foods.
I typically don’t like crunchy snacks, but their nougats weren’t too crisp.
4. Instant Noodles
- Avg. price: NT$10 – 60 per pack
Taiwanese instant noodles are a popular snack and meal in Taiwan. They are also a popular export, and found in supermarkets and convenience stores around the world.
Find Taiwanese instant noodles in any supermarket, hypermarket, or convenience store. You’ll find them cheaper at grocery stores, though. However, you will find single packs of noodles at convenience stores.
I recommend going to a 7-Eleven or Family Mart and trying all these noodles. Even at convenience stores, the prices are reasonable. Then choose one that you think the person you’re giving them to will love and buy a lot of them from PX Mart or Carrefour.
Grocery stores will mostly sell them in packages — more than 1 pack.
Best Taiwan Instant Noodles
Here are a bunch of popular instant noodle brands to try:
| Noodle Name (EN) | Name (ZH) | Avg. Price (2024) |
|---|---|---|
| Wei Lih Men | 維力炸醬麵 | NT$20 |
| Shuang Xiang Pao | 雙響泡鹽味豚骨 | NT$28 |
| Tung-I | 統一蔥燒牛肉碗 | NT$19 |
| Ke Xue Mian | 統一科學麵 | NT$30 |
| Ah Q Tong Mian | 統一阿Q | NT$30 |
| Man Han Da Can | 統一滿漢蔥燒牛 | NT$51 |
| Shui Yuan Vegetarian | 味丹隨緣素肉骨 | NT$78 |
| Hua Diao Ji Mian | 台酒花雕雞麵 | NT$48 |
| Wei Wang Prince Noodles | 味王王子麵 | NT$31 |
| Science Noodles | 科學麵 | NT$10 |
These noodles are so cheap that you could buy all of them and try each. That’s what I did before writing this post.
5. Taiwanese Pastries
Taiwanese pastries are a diverse and delicious array of sweet and savory treats. Various cultures, including Chinese, Japanese, and Dutch influence them.
Anything in this category involves baked goods throughout Taiwan. I’m not recommending anything specific here. I’m suggesting that you try some of Taiwan’s various baked goods.
Here’s a video that shows how many of them are made:
Look in bakeries or baked goods sections in grocery stores throughout Taiwan.
6. Egg Roll Snack
These are a type of Taiwanese dessert made with a thin wrapper of dough that is filled with a sweet filling. The egg rolls are then deep-fried until golden brown.
Flavors you could find include:
- Chocolate
- Custard
- Red bean paste
- Green tea
- Sesame
Egg roll snacks are not the same as the savory egg roll snacks that are made with meat and vegetables. They are a sweet dessert snack that is made with a different type of dough and filling.
Find these at supermarkets, hypermarkets, or specialty stores such as IMEI.
Order from KLOOK7. Tea Bags or Packages
Taiwanese tea is known for its unique flavor and aroma, which is often described as being smooth, delicate, and refreshing.
Some of the things that make Taiwanese tea different from tea from other countries include:
- Climate: Taiwan has a warm, humid climate that is ideal for growing tea leaves.
- The variety of climate conditions helps to produce tea leaves with a complex & nuanced flavor.
- Soil: The soil in Taiwan is rich in nutrients, which helps to produce high-quality tea leaves.
- The island is also home to a variety of minerals & trace elements that can be found in the tea leaves, giving them a unique flavor & aroma.
- Tea processing methods: Taiwanese tea makers have a long & rich tradition of tea processing.
- They use traditional methods that have been passed down for generations, which helps to preserve the unique flavor & aroma of Taiwanese tea.
Here’s a video that sort of explains why Taiwanese tea tastes so good:
Find loose-leaf tea and tea bags at many Taiwanese tea shops, some souvenir stores, supermarkets, hypermarkets, and convenience stores.
Types of Tea in Taiwan
Some types of tea you’ll find in Taiwan include:
- Oolong; wūlóng (烏龍): Has a floral, fruity, & sometimes grassy flavor.
- Black tea (紅茶): Earthy, malty, floral, with hints of sweet & bitter notes.
- Green tea (綠茶): Grassy, vegetal, floral, with sweet undertones & slight bitterness.
- White tea (白茶): Subtle, delicate, floral, with sweet undertones & light fruitiness.
8. Pork Paper
- Avg. price: NT$120+
- Chinese name: 猪肉纸
Taiwanese pork paper is a type of dried pork snack popular in Taiwan. It’s made from thinly sliced pork and then marinated in a soy sauce-based mixture. The pork is then cooked and dried until it is crispy.
It can be found in most supermarkets and convenience stores in Taiwan. It is also available online from a variety of retailers.
So long as the pork used for the paper you’re buying is made from Taiwanese pigs, you’ll have less growth hormones compared to pigs from the US. As Taiwan restricts a lot of growth hormones. And ensures they label that their pork isn’t from America.
9. Iron Eggs
- Taste: Salty
- Chinese name: 淡水阿婆鐵蛋
Tamsui iron eggs are a delicacy that originated in the Tamsui District of New Taipei City, Taiwan. They are made by boiling eggs in a mixture of soy sauce, sugar, and spices and then drying them.
The resulting eggs are dark brown and have a chewy texture. They are said to taste sweet, salty, and slightly spicy.
They are often sold by street vendors or in small shops throughout Tamsui District in New Taipei City.
Ensure you can bring hard boiled eggs back into your home country.
10. Dried Fruits
Taiwan is home to various dried fruits like:
- Dragon fruit
- Lychee
- Mango
- Pineapple
- Goji berries
- Apricots
- Dates
These will vary by price depending on where you get them. I don’t recommend any specific brand or location from which to buy them.
Find them at most supermarkets and convenience stores, as well as at specialty shops.
11. Mochi
- Avg. price: NT$40+
Taiwanese mochi is a type of mochi that is made with glutinous rice flour, sugar, and water. It’s often filled with a variety of fillings. It’s typically steamed or boiled and then coated in a sweet glaze or dusted with powdered sugar.
You’ll find various flavors, such as:
- Peanut butter
- Red bean
- Macha
- Custard
- Fruit
- Green tea
If you are looking for a delicious and unique snack or dessert, then Taiwanese mochi is a great option. I had to forbid myself from buying these because I’ll typically destroy a box of them in less than an hour.
Here’s where to get it:
Get fresh mochi from night markets or street food vendors. These usually taste best but aren’t ideal for bringing home. If you’re in Taipei City, go to Raohe Night Market, and you’ll find a Michelin Star cart (Mochi Baby) famous for its mochi.
I’ve tasted this mochi and can confirm that there’s a huge difference in these versus what you’ll get from supermarkets.
To find mochi, you’ll bring it back to your country; get it from supermarkets. They’ll have preservatives to stay fresh during your plane ride. They don’t taste as good as fresh ones, but they still taste great.
If you’re in Yilan and are the type of person who likes DIYing, consider a do it yourself experience.
12. Cow Tongues
- Actual Name: Cow tongue crackers 牛舌餅
- Typical Price: NT$60+
- Best Place to Get Them: 老元香 / Lao Yuan Xiang
- No. 158號, Kangle Rd, Yilan City, Yilan County, 260
Cow tongue crackers, despite their name, do not contain any beef. They’re a thin, crispy, flaky traditional pastry, often with a sweet or savory filling, and are a popular snack or souvenir from Yilan.
Yilan has many shops, but the above brand, Lao Yuan Xiang, is the best-tasting one I had. It’s one of the few crispy foods that I like — because I mostly prefer soft foods. However, the brown sugar added to these particular cookies hits my taste buds differently.
For the most part, never find Lao Yuan Xiang cookies in stock despite them having items clearly visible in their shop.
I recommend going in the shop and ordering a day in advance. So long as you’re in Yilan or at least more than a day. I don’t know if the shop owners speak English because it was my wife’s cousin who pre-ordered them for us.
I recommend using ChatGPT (or another LLM) or any other translation app to first ask if they have them in stock. If not, ask if you can reserve them.
13. Taiwanese Peanut Butter
- Typical Price: NT$150 – 300
- How to Determine Whether It’s Smooth vs. Crunchy:
- Crunchy: 顆粒 (kē lì)
- Smooth: 滑順 (Huá shùn)
- How to Say Peanut Butter in Mandarin: 花生醬 (huāshēng jiàng)
If I could only choose 1 food to eat for the rest of my life, it would be peanut butter. And if I could become a certified peanut butter expert, I would. Thus, you should trust me as a peanut butter connoisseur.
I didn’t expect that when I’d leave America I could find peanut butter worthy of my tastebuds, but I did. I found Fuyuan Peanut Butter (福源花生醬), which is literally the conversation point that led to my wife and I meeting.
It has 3 ingredients: peanuts, sugar, and salt.
No preservatives you’d typically find in Jif or Skippy. However, it’s still addicting enough to where my wife has to stop me from eating it before I ate the entire container.
You can buy peanut butter in its pure form or use it in sandwich cookies, pastries, rolls, etc. Most supermarkets should have it. It’s pricey, though. But it’s a souvenir I highly recommend to peanut butter lovers.
Earlier in this post, I shown a picture of the Fuyuan Peanut Butter sun cakes. I found this at a random 7-Eleven. Keep an eye out for them around cash registers if you want one.
If you’re around Hsinchu City, you’ll find their flagship store here:
- No. 155號, Section 1, Dongda Rd, East District, Hsinchu City, 300
They also have sesame butter (in the black container). I haven’t tried this and can’t say whether it’s as amazing as their peanut butter.
14. Additional Snacks
Many countries like the US will sell bubble tea kits, which usually come from Taiwan. If you happen to encounter one here, I’d recommend getting it. So long as that specific kit isn’t available back home. I’ve never seen these kits in the wild, but I honestly don’t know where to look.
It would be one of those things you randomly encounter.
If you’ve wanted to try beef jerky from Australian cows, without going to Australia, I recommend getting any bag of beef jerky. Most jerky I’ve seen here is sourced from Australia. Thus, you can compare the taste to beef sources in your home country.
Tips for Buying Food Souvenirs
Here are some tips for buying Taiwanese food souvenirs:
- Buy from Reputable Vendors: Ensure the food is fresh and of good quality by purchasing from trusted shops or brands.
- Check the Expiration Date: Make sure the snacks will still be fresh when you get home.
- Pack the Food Carefully: Proper packaging prevents the snacks from spoiling or getting damaged during transport.
- Consider Food Allergies and Dietary Restrictions: Be mindful of any food allergies. Many Taiwanese snacks may contain common allergens like nuts, gluten, dairy, or seafood.
- From my experience vendors aren’t the most reliable when asking whether “X” contains “X” ingredients.
- Be Aware of Food Regulations: Check your local customs regulations to avoid confiscation at the border.
- Mind the Packaging Size and Weight: Choose snacks that are easy to pack and won’t add too much weight to your luggage.
If you have food restrictions (e.g., Halal or kosher), many shops will label them as so. And many food items won’t have English ingredients.
Do you have food allergies? I wouldn’t trust Google Translate for ingredient translations. I’d bring a local to translate the ingredients to prevent any mishaps.
Where to Buy Snacks
Find Taiwanese food souvenirs at the following places:
- Street food vendors (including night markets and old streets).
- Duty-free shops: Last-minute souvenirs at tax-free prices.
- Boutique stores: Higher prices, but mostly better quality.
- Supermarkets: Not as much variety, but lower prices.
- Convenience stores: Easiest way to find snacks.
- Hypermarkets: Typically the lowest prices.
- Gift shops: Often higher prices.
Hypermarkets and supermarkets offer the lowest prices among all these shops. Gift and boutique stores will often provide each food type’s highest-quality variations and brands.
What Food Was Invented in Taiwan?
While Taiwan didn’t invent instant noodles, it played a significant role in their development as the inventor, Momofuku Ando, was born in Taiwan.
Bubble tea also originated in Taichung in the 1980s. Taiwan is also known for its creations, such as Mongolian BBQ and pineapple cakes, which have a sweet pineapple filling encased in a buttery pastry.
FAQs
What is Ball Food in Taiwan?
Taiwan offers a variety of ball-shaped foods, such as chewy taro balls (芋圓) often found in desserts, crispy sweet potato balls (地瓜球) popular at night markets, and savory fish balls (魚丸) and meatballs (肉丸) enjoyed in soups and other dishes.
Can You Haggle?
Tourists who aren’t fluent in Mandarin or Taiwanese may find negotiating difficult and risk causing offense. Accepting the listed price is best unless you’re buying in bulk or the vendor initiates a negotiation.
Which Fruit is Famous in Taiwan?
Taiwan is renowned for its mangoes, especially the Irwin variety known for its sweetness and juicy flesh. Pineapples are also a popular fruit.
