Things To Do Near Zhongshan MRT Station (捷運中山站）

This blog post highlights great things to do near Zhongshan MRT Station to help you make the most of your visit to Taipei.

The area around Zhongshan MRT Station is where Taipei’s charm truly comes to life. It offers a mix of trendy department stores, delicious food, and cute creative shops, all within walking distance.

Every summer, I return to my hometown of Taipei from the United States to visit family. Since my mother’s apartment is located in Zhongshan District, the area around Zhongshan MRT Station becomes my home base.

Over the years, I’ve explored every corner of this lively neighborhood. In this post, I’ll share some of my favorite things to do near Zhongshan MRT Station—I’m sure it will help you plan your visit to Taipei.

Things to Do Near Zhongshan MRT Station

Here are my recommendations:

1. Wander Through Zhongshan Underground Street (中山地下街)

The underground street is perfect for escaping the summer heat or a rainy day. It connects Zhongshan Station (R11) to Shuanglian Station (R12), and in the other direction, the Taipei Main Station (R10).

You will find the Elslite R79 Bookstore, small cafes, and clothes, accessories, stationery, and toys shops along the underground street.

There’s also a dedicated shop filled with gachapon machines (扭蛋機）, which my son loves. It is located between R11 and R10, if you are a fan of these capsule toy dispensers. I had to set a rule for my son to limit how much he could play —otherwise, he’d never want to leave that place!

2. Dine At Din Tai Feng (鼎泰豐）And Shop at Shin Kong Mitsukoshi (新光三越) While Waiting

View this place on Google Map: Din Tai Fung Mitsukoshi Nanxi Restaurant

This world-renowned Taiwanese restaurant has a branch on B2 of Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Department Store(新光三越南西店）.

The restaurant is known for its meticulous preparation of xiao long bao, where the dumplings are steamed to perfection and filled with a flavorful broth. The chefs are seen skillfully folding the dumplings in the open kitchen.

I love the food at Din Tai Fung so much, that I dine there multiple times every summer during my stay in Taipei. In addition to the xiao long bao, I also love its pork chop fried rice, steamed vegetable dumplings, and chicken noodle soup. The photo shown above is a desert: steamed layer cake (千層油糕）.

The restaurant is incredibly popular, and no matter when you go, be prepared to wait at least 1-2 hours. However, the waiting system is very convenient—simply scan the QR code to track your place in line. This allows you to browse around the department store (I always check out MUJI on B1) while you wait and return to the restaurant when your number is almost called.

3. Enjoy A Light Taiwanese Meal At Yonshin Breeze

View this place on Google Map: YONSHIN Breeze Shin Kong Nanxi Branch

This is one of my favorite spots to meet up with friends when I’m in Taipei. It is an elegantly decorated restaurant that combines Taiwanese tea culture with a modern dining experience.

Their personal meal sets feature a great selection of Taiwanese dishes. Don’t forget to order Taiwanese tea to accompany your meal and be sure to try the tea-flavored crepe cakes for dessert.

This is the link to the restaurant’s info.

4. Visit Eslite Spectrum Nanxi (誠品生活南西店)

View this place on Google Map: Eslite Spectrum Nanxi

Eslite Life combines books, art, design, fashion, and culture in one place. It’s a hub for all things creative and stylish, reflecting a sophisticated lifestyle.

Be prepared to spend a couple of hours at the store. As there are so many things to see, as well as cafes, restaurants, and a large food court.

5. Get Desert/Snack In The Alleys Around Zhongshan Linear Park (心中山線型公園）

Between Zhongshan MRT Station and Shuanglian MRT Station, you’ll find a modernly designed park—a great spot for a stroll, a relaxing sit on a bench, or simply enjoying some fresh air.

Surrounding the park, you’ll find plenty of cute shops and boutiques, both along the park and tucked into nearby alleys. I’ve included the links to Google Maps, as well as the Instagram accounts of some of my favorites so you can click through for more information.

Smile Froyo

This shop has frozen yogurt beautifully blended with a variety of delicious toppings. It’s definitely tasty, though a bit on the pricey side. I took my son there once and we both loved it!

View this place on Google Map: Smile Froyo 概念店

Ron Museum （榕美術館）

This is a great spot to enjoy traditional tofu dessert (豆花). The café’s exterior is beautifully designed, and every time I pass by, I see people stop to take photos outside.

View on Google Map: Ron Museum

Yuciren （魚刺人）- Egg cakes (雞蛋糕)
To view on Google Map: 魚刺人雞蛋糕 臺北店

Sa Bai Tian (灑白甜） – Milk mochi （牛奶麻糬）
To view on Google Map: Sa bai tian (灑白甜鮮奶麻糬販賣舖)

Huoshi (貨室甜品）
View on Google Map: 貨室甜品 Huoshih 赤峰店

6. Shop Clothes And Accessories At Small Boutiques

The alleys are filled with small shops, many of which cater to a younger crowd. To be honest, I’m well past the target age for these stores, but I still enjoy window shopping to see what’s trending with the younger generation.

So I’ve compiled a list of popular shops and their links to Google Maps. Check them out and see if you like their styles:

  1. UR LIVING生活美學｜南西一店
  2. Muura 簡約品味 | 給予舒適穿著 (中山店)
  3. OH!HER中山旗艦店
  4. OFFSET 中山門市
  5. Ann’S 中山門市
  6. AIR SPACE PLUS 南西店
  7. 37Beauty Accessory溫感飾品-中山門市

7. Hunt for Gachapon Machines

My son has been into gachapon machines (扭蛋機) for a couple of years now. They’re a lot of fun, offering little surprises with each turn—but it’s easy to get carried away!

You’ll often find these machines right outside shops, but I’ve discovered two standout locations. One is in the underground street between Zhongshan MRT Station (R11) and Taipei Main Station (R10), and the other one, Gacha Hunter, is located in a small alley (view this place on Google Maps: 扭蛋獵人GACHA HUNTER )

8. Catch an Indie Film at Taipei Film House (光點台北)

From the Zhongshan MRT Station, if you walk east on Nanjing East Road for about 300m, you’ll reach a major intersection at Zhongshan North Road. Turn left at the intersection, and you’ll see a beautiful Western-style mansion surrounded by tall buildings.

This historic building was once the residence of the U.S. ambassador to Taiwan and is now a venue that screens independent, international, and classic films.

There’s also a cozy café and bookstore, making it a perfect spot to relax and enjoy the atmosphere, even if you’re not planning to see a movie.

9. Ningxia Night Market (寧夏夜市)

To view this place on Google Maps: Ningxia Night Market

A 15-minute walk from Zhongshan MRT, this is one of the most popular night markets in Taipei.

It is my favorite night market not just because it is close to where I live, but also because it’s very easy to navigate with just a single main street lined with food stalls and some seating areas.

You can easily spot the most popular stalls by the long lines of people waiting!

Conclusion

To recap, here are what you can do around Zhongshan MRT Station:

  • Wander through Zhongshan Underground Street (中山地下街）
  • Dine at Din Tai Feng (鼎泰豐）
  • Yonshin Breeze (永心鳳茶）
  • Visit Eslite Spectrum (誠品生活）
  • Get desert and snack around Zhongshan Linear Park
  • Small boutiques for clothes and accessories
  • Gachapon machines
  • Taipei Film House
  • Ningxia night market

These are the 9 great things to do near Zhongshan MRT Station! I hope this article helps you plan your next trip to Taipei.

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