This guide will cover different aspects of visiting Yongkang Shopping District in Taipei City. Keep reading to learn more.
I was working on a Taipei itinerary, and recently went to Yongkang Street with my wife, then I figured “I should write a guide about this.”
And here we are.
Use the below table of contents to help you navigate:
Otherwise, let’s get this show on the road.
Important Information for Visitors
| Is It Worth Visiting? | Yes |
| Average Time Spent | 1 – 2 hours |
| Entry Fee | Free |
| Hours | 10:30 AM – 9:30 PM; varies by store hours |
| Best Time to Visit | Before 12 PM on a weekday |
| Address | Yongkang St., Da’an Dist., Taipei City, Taiwan |
| City Located | Taipei City |
| Free Wi-Fi | iTaiwan or Taipei Free |
| Chinese Name | 永康街區; Yǒngkāng jiēqū |
| Luggage Storage | Lalalocker, your hotel |
| Wheelchair Accessible? | Yes |
Is Yongkang Street Worth Visiting?
Yongkang Street is worth visiting for food lovers in Taipei. It offers: famous restaurants like Din Tai Fung, delicious street food options, unique shops for exploring, and mango shaved ice, a local specialty. Perfect for foodies seeking authentic Taiwanese cuisine and culture.
It’s also near other popular spots like Rongjin Old Street and Daan Forest Park.
The street itself isn’t that big. Most of the time spent here will come from browsing the stores, waiting in line for food, and eating.
My wife and I recently went there and probably spent less than an hour. We went to Tian Jin Scallion Pancakes, the P.Seven store, and NET.
It was raining, so we couldn’t go to the park.
Thus, you’ll need to prepare yourself.
Tips for Travelers
Follow these tips when visiting Yongkang Street:
- Always carry an umbrella: You never know when it’ll rain.
- Bring a reusable cup: You could save NT$5 on a drink at drink shops.
- Wear sunscreen: Protect your skin.
- Keep your head on a swivel: Watch out for motorbikes and bicycles.
This isn’t a tip, if you buy street food, the only place you’ll have to sit and eat is in the park. Otherwise, you’ll need to walk and eat.
This is unfortunate if it’s raining… This scenario happened with my wife and I. We had to huddle in a tiny alley area beside one of the shops for cover.
We didn’t feel like walking and eating.
Trash cans are typically hard to find in this area. The nearest trash can I could find was at a bus station on an island at the end of the street. Thus, I had to cross the road to reach it.
You probably want to know how to get here.
How to Go to Yongkang Street
1. MRT: Take the Taipei Metro (Red or Orange line) to Dongmen Station.
Once you get off, leave the station from exit 5.
Reaching the sidewalk area, walk along Xinyi Road toward Taipei 101 (the massive skyscraper in the distance).
Yongkang Street will be the first right turn you’ll encounter.
2. By Car: There are at least 3 nearby parking lots that all have terrible reviews (less than 3 stars). But if you’re driving, you gotta park.
If you’re considering renting a car in Taipei, don’t.
You’re better off taking an Uber or taxi.
Speaking of taxis, downloading the FindTaxi or 55688 apps will make hailing a taxi easier. That way, you don’t need to wave them down.
Uber is a better app for predictable pricing, though.
If you’re adamant about renting a vehicle, here’s a guide that’ll show you how.
3. YouBike: There’s a YouBike station at the end of Yongkang Street. If those docks are full, there are 3 other nearby stations.
Use this map to know what YouBike stations are nearby:
4. Bus: Take any bus to Dongmen Station (Xinyi Yongkang St. Intersection).
Depending on where you are, this may be the cheapest way to get to Yongkang Street.
Download and check the Bus+ app to track buses to get there. Because you could have to wait a long time for a bus to arrive.
The Sightseeing Bus (AKA double-decker bus) on the Red Line will also stop at the Xinyi Yongkang St. Intersection.
If it’s a nice day, I highly recommend taking the bus.
You could get a day pass that’ll allow you to visit major tourist attractions along the Red Line like:
- Taipei 101
- Daan Forest Park
- Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall
- Ximending
The tours are available in English and can give you a look into Taipei’s history.
Here Are Things to Do in Yongkang Shopping District
Most of what you’ll do involves: eating or buying things. Hence, the term “Shopping District.”
There aren’t any fascinating sites other than a nearby church.
Let’s get into what I recommend.
Yongkang Shopping District Restaurants to Consider
Yongkang Street has a ton of restaurants, but I recommend at least trying one of the following:
- The first Din Tai Fung
- Tian Jin Scallion Pancakes
- Smoothie House
- Yongkang Beef Noodles
- Zhang Men Brewing
I don’t recommend any particular tea shops. Most of them are chains you’ll find throughout Taiwan. And most of these chains don’t have non-caffeinated options — other than winter melon drinks (gross).
Know that these restaurants could vanish at any time. Check their Google Maps listings to confirm they’re still in business.
Check out your options.
1. Din Tai Fung (Takeout Only)
Almost immediately outside the shopping district lies the original branch of Din Tai Fung Xinyi (泰豐信義店), which opened in 1958.
The restaurant specializes in soup dumplings (xiaolongbao) and has some of the best tasting food I’ve had in Taiwan.
It seems popular in some parts of the West.
This particular branch is recognized by Michelin (Bib Gourmand). However. It’s takeout-only.
If you want to dine in, you’ll have to head to the Xinsheng branch (鼎泰豐 新生店). Wait times typically take longer than 90 minutes (in my experience).
If you’re short on time and want to experience Taiwan’s Din Tai Fung, order takeout.
Regardless, I recommend pre-ordering your set online to cut down on wait times. Or to pick up your order.
2. Tian Jin Scallion Pancakes
Tian Jin Onion Pancake (天津蔥抓餅) serves various iterations of green onion pancakes for NT$30 – 60 per cake.
You’re almost always guaranteed to wait in a line, too. I went on a Sunday afternoon and waited around 15 minutes. And that was with the 2 little old ladies who ran the stand arguing with each other.
How did it taste?
It tasted like any other green onion cake.
But they had more options than other stalls I typically encounter. The price points are also similar to smaller shops. And they had an English menu.
Regardless, it’s a great way to introduce yourself to Taiwanese street food.
I got the Taiwanese Basil with egg. Because I love basil.
They technically offer vegan and vegetarian options. However. They cook everything on the flat-top grill. Thus, you’ll almost guarantee cross-contamination with the “cake” part with poultry products.
Otherwise, you should be fine when eating here. The stand doesn’t have super sanitary conditions like restaurants in the West. But I, along with most other folks visiting Taiwan, never get food poisoning.
3. Smoothie House
Smoothie House (思慕昔本館) is probably the most famous shaved ice place in Taipei City. It’s a fantastic treat to try when it’s hot.
If you don’t care for shaved ice, there’s a stall that sells ice cream spring rolls nearby. These are another popular Taiwanese dessert (and my favorite).
It also won’t have a massive line.
You could skip the line by pre-ordering what you want online, then redeeming your order in-person. This is for take out and dine in.
If you’re short on time, I’d opt for the take-out option. Because you’ll likely need to wait a while for a seat.
There’s also Taro King, which I heard good things about.
I hate taro. Thus, I never tried it.
4. Yongkang Beef Noodles
Yongkang Beef Noodles (永康牛肉麵) is a somewhat popular beef noodles restaurant that has been in business since 1963.
And they serve, you guessed it, beef noodles.
My wife (who’s a local) has eaten here a couple of times and said that it “tastes like most other beef noodle places.”
If you’re going to Ximending during your Taipei trip, I recommend going to Fuhong Beef Noodles instead. I believe she liked their noodles better.
If you have to get your hands on beef noodles, satiate your beef noodle bloodlust here.
5. Zhang Men Brewing
Zhang Men Brewing (掌門精釀啤酒) is an American-style brewery that sells craft beers.
Drinks here cost NT$200 – 400 and are great to pair with whatever street food you get.
They open at 4 PM, though.
If you’re planning to come here earlier in the day, you won’t be able to grab a drink here.
And if you’re a drinker who doesn’t care much for craft beer, just get drinks from any convenience store. It’s legal to walk around Taipei and drink alcohol.
However:
Public intoxication is illegal. Be careful.
Is There Anything Else to Do?
Consume. Buy stuff.
Otherwise, there’s Yongkang Park (永康公園). It’s a great place to let your kids loose or to relax for a bit.
Sometimes they may have a bunch of stalls with locals selling stuff set up. I haven’t seen this, though.
Any Souvenirs Worth Buying? (Yes)
If you have a bit of disposable income, I HIGHLY recommend buying anything from the P.Seven store.
Note: I’m not an affiliate with P.Seven and am not sponsored. I like their products a lot.
They’re known for their award-winning Aged Tea perfume (and tea-scented perfume).
And they’re pricey — NT$2,000 or more for a bottle.
They have recently released a line of “Sleep Spray” that has scents representing the following locations in Taiwan:
- Alishan
- Yangmingshan
- Tamsui
- Sun Moon Lake
- Fuli Township
- Kenting
- Twatuitia (Dadaocheng)
The English translation for Dadaocheng was weird and possible incorrect. But you should know this for reference.
I bought the Tamsui scent.
It, along with all the other scents, cost around NT$600. And the scent lasted for at least more than 4 hours after spraying it on my pillow.
This is a much more affordable way to have a unique Taiwanese souvenir that doesn’t break the bank.
Otherwise:
I wouldn’t recommend buying anything from the other souvenir shops.
They have food items you’ll find elsewhere in Taipei (and most of Taiwan).
Refer to my food souvenir guide for recommendations on (sometimes cheap) edible must-buys.
What There is To Do Nearby
Here’s what there is to do nearby Yongkang Street:
| Destination | Why It’s Special | Average Time Spent There |
|---|---|---|
| Daan Forest Park | Giant park | 1 – 2 hrs |
| Rongjin Gorgeous Time | Historical, great coffee, fantastic architecture | 1+ hrs |
| Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall | History, pretty plants, architecture | 2 – 3 hrs |
| Dongmen Market | Traditional market | >1 hr |
Most of these spots require only 15 – 30 minutes of walking and are accessible via YouBike, MRT, and sightseeing bus.
If you want to see a wet market, Dongmen Market is the place to go. Though, there isn’t much to do there other than buy produce, grains, meat, and whatever else.
If I were a tourist in Taipei City and wanted to get the best bang for my buck, I’d do the following in a day:
- Get the hop-on, hop-off bus pass to make things easier to access.
- Or walk if it’s not too hot or to save money.
- Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall in the morning.
- Before it gets too crowded.
- Visit Rongjin Park before it gets too hot.
- You won’t spend much time here.
- If I was hungry, I’d go to Yongkang, if not, Daan Forest Park.
- Then vice versa.
- If I was younger and still a drinker, I’d head around Taipei 101 for nightlife.
My wife and I’s most recent trip to Yongkang began with a trip to Rongjin. Then, once we got to Yongkang, it started to rain. We spent most of our time inside stores.
First, we went to P.Seven and I asked the staff a million questions about what they’d recommend for tourists.
From there, we went to NET and sat in the air conditioning until the rain calmed.
If I hadn’t been to Taipei Main Station recently, I would have gone there afterward (if I was a tourist). We ended up going to the SOGO shopping center by Zhongxiao Fuxing Station on the Taipei Metro Brown Line.
They also have a P.Seven store on the second or third floor.
I mentioned a church in this guide.
You’ll encounter it when walking from Rongjin Park or when navigating the labyrinth of alleys.
It’s one of those things that looks cool, you’ll take a picture of, then leave. Because there’s nothing else you can do there.
What is Yongkang Famous For?
Yongkang Street in Taipei is famous for its exceptional food scene. It’s home to Din Tai Fung’s original branch and the birthplace of mango shaved ice. The street offers diverse culinary options, from traditional Taiwanese snacks to international cuisine.
Other Yongkang Street Photos
