Tonghua (or Linjiang) Night Market is a street food market in Taipei City. It’s not that big, but is home to over 200 food stalls and plenty of random shops. Keep reading to learn whether it’s worth visiting.
I’ve visited Tonghua market many times and want to help you determine whether it’s worth visiting. So I put together a bunch of information.
Table of Contents
Important Information for Travelers
| Is It Worth Going to? | Yes |
| Hours (As of 2024) | 6 PM – 12 AM daily |
| Number of Stalls | 200+ |
| Cost to Enter | Free |
| Opening Date | 1979: technically |
| City Located | Taipei City |
| Address | Linjiang St, Da’an District, Taipei City, Taiwan 106 |
| Chinese Name | 通化夜市 (Tōnghuà Yèshì) or |
| 臨江夜市 (Línjiāng yèshì) | |
| Wheelchair-Accessible? | Yes |
| Free Wi-Fi | iTaiwan or Taipei Free |
Traveler Tips & Considerations
- When ordering, be sure to inform vendors of any allergies. Translation cards with your allergen information can aid in communication.
- Plan your visit around the operating hours of the specific food stalls you want to try, as these may differ.
- Keep in mind that individual stall hours may not always match the overall night market hours.
- Most food stalls primarily accept cash, but some may also offer LINE Pay as a payment option.
Important information regarding food allergies.
Since most people in Taiwan cannot read Simplified Chinese, it’s important to create any allergy cards using Traditional Chinese characters instead. Consider hiring a native Taiwanese speaker to help ensure accuracy.
While resources like FARE offer allergy card templates, these may not be effective in Taiwan due to the language barrier. Always carry an EpiPen or similar auto-injector for emergencies.
If you need an auto-injector in Taiwan, ask for an “艾筆腎上腺素注射筆” (ài bǐ shèn shàng xiàn sù zhù shè bǐ) at a pharmacy, but be prepared to obtain a prescription from a local doctor. Expect to pay around NT$4,200 – 4,500 (2021 price).
I Recommend These Foods
Linjiang Street Night Market has many top-tier food stands you should try, like:
| Food | Restaurant/Stand | Restaurant Chinese Name | Address |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yu Pin Yuan Iced & Hot Tangyuan | Yu Pin Yuan Iced & Hot Tangyuan | 御品元冰火湯圓 | No. 31, Alley 50, Lane 39, Tonghua St, Da’an District, Taipei City, 106 |
| Stinky Tofu | Tien Hsiang | 天香臭豆腐 | No. 19-1, Linjiang Street, Da’an District, Taipei City, Taiwan 106 |
| Oyster omelet | Nowhere specific | NA | NA |
| Soy milk | Nowhere specific | NA | NA |
| Braised cow stomach | Liang Chi Lu Wei | 梁記滷味 | No. 33號, Alley 50, Lane 39, Tonghua St, Da’an District, Taipei City, 106 |
| Stir-fried dishes | Lo Chi Hsiao Chao | 駱記小炒 | No. 27號, Alley 50, Lane 39, Tonghua St, Da’an District, Taipei City, 106 |
Michelin recommended the stinky tofu, tangyuan, braised cow stomach, and stir-fried dish restaurants in their Michelin Bib Gourmand guide in 2019 [1]. These restaurants are selected by judges and are judged as having good food at reasonable prices.
Tonghua isn’t that big. I was a tad bit disappointed, yet relieved, after venturing through the market. The former because there weren’t too many options. And the latter because I wasn’t overwhelmed by food stalls.
I highly recommend getting the stinky tofu tangyuan. If you can have oysters, that’s always a great thing to try. They taste the same as other night markets, but it’s a food that I recommend trying at any Taiwanese night market.
If you’re bored, you’ll find plenty of shops in the area. And massage parlors. My wife and I went to get a massage and felt super relaxed afterward. Which is when I went into the night market to snag a snack. That way, I could have a snack while being relaxed.
In case you’re curious, I went to 通化會館 or Dancing Finger Massage for short. The staff does speak English, but only accepts cash. You can also book an appointment online:
Book an appointment onlineHere’s the address: No. 19-2號, Tonghua St, Da’an District, Taipei City, 106.
How to Get There
1. MRT / Subway: Take one of the following Taipei MRT routes:
- Brown Line: get off at Liuzhangli Station
- Exit the station, turn left, & walk down the street
- Cross the road & turn right onto Keelung road
- An 8-10 minute walk will lead you to the market
- Red Line: get off at Xinyi Anhe Station & leave from Exit 3
- Walk straight until teaching Tonghua Street
- Turn right & continue walking until reaching the market
2. Bus: I recommend downloading the Bus+ app to make tracking buses easier.
Take one of the following bus numbers to San Hsing Primary School stop:
- 207
- 1
- 254
- 282
- 284
- 292
- 611
- 650
Or take one of these buses to the Xinyi Tonghua stop:
- 22
- 20
- 33
- 37
- 38
- 226
- 292
3. YouBike: There’s a YouBike station 5 minutes away (walking distance) from the night market.
4. Uber / taxi: The price for taking a taxi will vary by where you order it from.
- I honestly recommend downloading one of these apps to book a taxi:
- Find Taxi (English): Book a taxi ahead of time and know the driver’s ratings (like Uber…)
- 55688 (English): Same as Find Taxi, but with a reward point system.
Places Nearby That You’ll Love
Here’s a list of nearby attractions to Linjiang Night Market:
| Attraction | Walking Time | To Do |
|---|---|---|
| Taipei 101 | 17 min. | Observatory, shopping center, & more |
| Taipei International Convention Center | 13 min. | Check for events |
| Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall | 20 min. | A memorial for Taiwan’s “father” |
| Xinyi Shopping Center | 21 min. | High-end shopping center |
If it were me, I’d call it a night after visiting Tonghua just because of how far away it is from other places. Or, you could take a night walk afterward, which is what I’d do. You could probably walk toward Xinyi Shopping Center, walk around for a bit, then take the MRT back to your hotel.
Xinyi Breeze and Taipei 101 are a bit of a walk. But you could cut that walking time in half. Board the MRT at Xinyi Anhe Station and depart at Taipei 101 World Trade Center Station.
If you’re up for a night hike, you could ride the metro to Xiangshan Station and make your way up Xiangshan Mountain.
I Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall is nearby, but at the time of writing (2024), it’s closed until 2025 due to renovations.
Nearby Places to Sleep
Tonghua’s History
Linjiang doesn’t have the deepest history, but here’s a timeline:
- 1964: an area that was rice paddies
- 1965: the ROC military built a military dependents’ village to serve as housing for soldiers
- 1979: an asphalt road laid in the area became Tonghua Street Night Market
- 2001: name changed from “Tonghua Night Market” to “Linjiang Night Market”
There isn’t much to Linjiang Market otherwise. It’s a street food market that gave birth to various stalls that landed in Michelin’s recommended stands in Taipei. I’d say that’s exceptional given the night market’s size.
Sources
- Michelin, 2019, Michelin Guide Taipei
