18 Best Things To Do In Dihua Street, Taipei (迪化街）

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If you’re visiting Taipei and want to explore an area with rich history, great food, and interesting shops all in one place, Dihua Street in the Dadaocheng neighborhood is a great choice.

This is one of the earliest developed areas in Taipei. Over the years, it has grown from a traditional dried-goods market into a lively neighborhood with renovated shops, cafés, and cultural spots, while still preserving its historic charm.

In this article, you’ll learn a brief history of Dadaocheng, how to get there, as well as 21 of the best things to do in this area, from exploring century-old shops to trying local snacks and enjoying the riverside views at sunset.

Hi, I’m Grace. I was born and raised in Taiwan and now live in the United States. I return to Taipei every year to visit my family, and I love discovering new things whenever I’m back. I hope my experiences and tips will be helpful for you when planning your visit to Taipei.

Location & How To Get To Dihua Street

Google Maps: Dadaocheng Visitor Center （on the southern part of the street)

Dihua Street runs about one kilometer from north to south, with shops along the main street and into the surrounding alleys. Depending on where you start, the closest MRT stations are:

  • Beimen Station (北門站G13) – Take the Green Line. From Exit 3, walk 10 minutes to the Dadaocheng Visitor Center.
  • Shuanglian Station (雙連站R12) – Take the Red Line. From Exit 2, walk along Minsheng West Road (民生西路) for about 12 minutes.
  • Daqiaotou Station (大橋頭站O12) – Take the Orange Line. From Exit 1, walk along Yanping North Road (延平北路), it’s a 3-minute walk to the northern end of Dihua Street.

From Tea Trade to Lunar New Year Traditions

As one of the oldest neighborhoods in Taipei, Dadaocheng (大稻埕) got its name from ‘large open spaces for drying harvested rice’. The area has a history of more than 150 years, going back to the Qing Dynasty.

In the mid-19th century, Dadaocheng grew into an important center for trade, especially for tea. Foreign merchants came to Taipei to purchase Taiwan’s high-quality oolong tea, which was then shipped around the world.

Located in the heart of Dadaocheng, Dihua Street (迪化街）became a busy marketplace for tea, dried goods, Chinese medicine, and textiles. It served both locals and merchants from across Taiwan and was one of the city’s most important commercial streets.

One of my fondest childhood memories was going to Dihua Street with my parents before the Lunar New Year.

We shopped for dried goods such as mushrooms, abalone, jellyfish, and scallops. These were the ingredients for our Lunar New Year’s Eve dinner, which we celebrated at my grandparents’ house in central Taiwan. We also picked out traditional treats such as candied plums and red dates to enjoy during the holidays.

Dadaocheng Wharf, which lies along the Tamsui River, was once a bustling shipping dock. In addition to textiles and tea, the wharf was also an important port for shipping rice, charcoal, and construction materials along the Tamsui River.

As Taipei modernized, the area’s importance as a shipping center diminished, but the wharf has been revitalized in recent years. It now serves as a scenic riverside promenade, perfect for leisurely walks and sunset views.

Best Things To Do In Dihua Street

1. Dadaocheng Visitor Center

This visitor center is more than just maps and information.

Upstairs, you will find several retro-style photo spots, including an old coffee shop, an old pharmacy, and a typical Taiwanese classroom setting. These are fun backdrops for photos and are a nice way to start your walk through Dadaocheng.

2. Retro Costume Dress-Up Experience

If you’re able to get a reservation, the visitor center offers a free qipao and traditional clothing experience. Here is their official reservation system.

This unique activity allows you to wear traditional Taiwanese attire, such as the elegant qipao （旗袍） for women and the classic changshan (長衫）for men. After dressing up, you can take photos in the studios in the building.

Since the experience is free (with a refundable deposit of NT$1,000), reservations can be hard to come by. I recommend checking the availability frequently and acting quickly when a spot opens up.

My good friend Carrie was able to get us a reservation and we had a wonderful time on a hot summer afternoon in 2023!

But if you aren’t able to get a reservation, don’t worry. There are other private qipao shops in the area that offer costume dress-up experience. Click here for more details.

3. Lin He Fa Oil Rice (林合發油飯)

Across the street from the Visitor Center is the well-known Yongle Market (永樂市場). On the first floor, you will find several food stalls worth trying, and Lin He Fa (林合發油飯) is among the most popular ones.

Oil rice (油飯) is a dish many Taiwanese people grew up eating. Beyond the savory flavor, it also has a special meaning in Taiwanese culture. When a baby is born, families traditionally share boxes of oil rice with relatives and friends to celebrate the newborn.

Lin He Fa is said to sell the best oil rice in Taipei, and it often draws a line that stretches out of Yongle Market.

The portion is generous and quite filling, so if you are visiting with your family or friends, it’s a good idea to share one box so you have room to try other foods in the area.

Please also note that there is no seating area inside the market, but you can bring your food outside and eat in the open space nearby.

4. Wanlong Raw Fish Shop (丸隆生魚行）

This is another popular stall inside Yongle Market.

If you enjoy sashimi or seafood, this is a great place to stop by.

The owner has worked in the seafood wholesale business for more than 50 years and also spent 20 years working in hotel kitchens. With that experience, he slowly shifted from selling wholesale fish to running this stall, offering generous cuts of sashimi and good-quality sushi at very reasonable prices.

When I first came here with my friend Carrie and her family, I was a little skeptical about having sashimi inside a traditional market. However, Carrie assured me that this stall offers the best value for the money. I tried it and was pleasantly surprised. The fish was fresh, and everything tasted great!

5. Taipei Xia-Hai City God Temple (台北霞海城隍廟）

Built in the 1850s, this temple is dedicated to the City God (城隍), who protects the local community and maintains peace and order.

The temple may look small from the outside, but it is almost always busy. Many visitors come to pray to Yue Lao (月老), the God of Love and Marriage, and he is the main reason this temple is so well-known.

There are many temples in Taiwan that worship Yue Lao, but this one is considered especially effective. Because of that reputation, people from all over Taiwan and even overseas come here to pray for good relationships and better luck in love.

6. Taiwan Bussan (台灣物產)

This creative gift shop carries Taiwan-inspired souvenirs, including stationery, decorations, and home items with cute local designs. It is a nice place to stop by if you want something that feels unique to Taiwan to bring home.

7. RULI Tapioca balls （鴉片粉圓)

The direct translation from Chinese is “Opium Tapioca,” a nickname that came from how addictive people say their tapioca is!

It is a nice stop if you want something refreshing while exploring the neighborhood, especially on a warm day.

8. Strawberry Daifuku (草莓大福)

Google Maps: 陳家草莓大福 & 幸福草莓大福

If you visit during strawberry season, you will find several places on Dihua Street selling strawberry daifuku. It is a soft mochi filled with red bean paste and a fresh strawberry.

During our most recent trip, our family tried strawberry daifuku from both places mentioned above (they were right next to each other), but we liked 幸福草莓大福 better. The strawberries were bigger and sweeter, and the overall flavor felt more balanced.

That said, strawberry quality can change depending on the weather and the season, so if you are curious, you can try both and see which one you prefer.

9. Browse the Dried-Goods Shops

As you walk along Dihua Street, you will pass many traditional dried-goods shops. These stores have been part of the neighborhood for generations and sell items such as dried mushrooms, scallops, shrimp, fish maw, herbal ingredients, nuts, candies, and seasonal treats for Lunar New Year.

Even if you are not planning to buy anything, it is fun to look around and see the variety of ingredients on display. The products are often arranged right at the storefront, so you can get a close look.

10. Explore the Architecture Along Dihua Street

As you walk in the area, you will notice that most of the buildings have covered walkways (騎樓), commonly seen in older Taiwanese neighborhoods. These walkways protect pedestrians from the sun and rain, and they make the street comfortable to explore on foot.

The architecture here reflects different periods of Taipei’s history. You will see Southern Fujian–style buildings with sloped roofs, wooden windows, and simple brick walls. In addition, you’ll also see Baroque-style facades with decorative carvings and arched windows.

The mix of styles shows how Dihua Street evolved over time, and it is worth taking a few moments to look up and notice the details as you walk.

11. Ho Hsing 1947 (合興壹玖肆柒)

This is one of the well-known traditional pastry shops on Dihua Street. They are best known for their steamed sponge cakes (水蒸鬆糕), which are soft and lightly sweet.

If you have been to Nanmen Market (南門市場), you may recognize the name. Ho Hsing 1947 also has a location there, but the packaging at Nanmen is more basic. The Dihua Street storefront feels more elegant, and the presentation makes the pastries look more like thoughtful gifts.

The cakes are mainly meant to be purchased to-go because they need to be reheated before eating. If you want to eat one on the spot, the staff will steam it for you so you can enjoy it right away.

12. Gao Jian Barrel Shop (高建桶店)

You may have already heard about Taiwan’s own version of “LV bag,” the classic woven gaji (茄芷) bag. It is lightweight, practical, and very affordable, and it has been part of everyday life for many Taiwanese families.

In recent years, the designs have improved and the bags have become popular again. Many people now carry them as fashionable pieces, especially the newer styles that come in different colors and sizes.

At Gao Jian, you will see many tourists, especially visitors from Japan and Korea, picking out these colorful bags to bring home as souvenirs.

13. Lin’s Wagashi Confectionery （滋養和果子)

This is one of my favorite places in the area because I really enjoy their yokan (羊羹). Yokan is a traditional Japanese sweet made from red bean paste, sugar, and agar. It has a smooth, firm texture and a gentle sweetness. The flavor is smooth and balanced, and it is a nice treat to take home or enjoy later in the day.

This shop has been around since 1953 and is known for its Japanese-style sweets made with simple, traditional methods. If you like wagashi or want to try a classic Japanese-influenced dessert in Taipei, this is a lovely place to stop.

14. Lee Cake (李亭香)

  • Google Maps:李亭香
  • Hours: 10 AM to 7PM Daily

This Taiwanese-style pastry shop has a history dating back to 1895. You will find classic Taiwanese treats such as pineapple cakes, mung bean pastries (綠豆糕), and shaqima (沙琪瑪).

If you visit, do not forget to pick up their mung bean pastries wrapped in the traditional boxes. They make great gifts and are easy to bring home.

15. the Dihua Street Ten-Unit Row Houses (迪化街十連棟)

Google Maps: 迪化街十連棟

If you love to admire traditional architecture like me, you will enjoy looking at these houses.

Historically, this block was home to several business families. Among them: five rice-milling (碾米) factories and one sewing-thread workshop.

Built during the Japanese colonial period, these buildings were designed as connected shophouses, each one sharing walls with the next. Together, they form a long and impressive row that shows how commercial buildings looked when Dadaocheng was at its busiest.

You will notice decorative arches, carved reliefs, and tall narrow windows, all arranged in a perfectly aligned row. The effect is beautiful when you see it in person, and it gives you a good sense of how prosperous the area once was.

16. Full Mountain (富自山中)

Google Maps: 富自山中
Hours: 9AM to 6:30 PM, Closed on Sundays

This long-standing shop is known for its Taiwanese dried fruits (水果乾). They use local ingredients and keep the flavors simple and natural. On my most recent visit, I picked up a pack of AiYu jelly (愛玉子) here.

17. Sin Hong Choon Tea Museum (新芳春茶行)

  • Google Maps: 新芳春茶行
  • Hours: 10 AM to 6 PM, Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays

This place is not on Dihua Street itself, but if you come from MRT Red Line’s Shuanglian Station (雙連站), you can easily stop by. Admission is free.

Established in 1934, this historic tea factory has been transformed into a small museum dedicated to tea culture. It is a quiet place to learn about Taiwan’s tea history and see how tea was processed in the past.

The building itself is also worth a look, especially its traditional “three-connected sections” (三進式) layout, which has been carefully preserved and is very beautiful.

I have a stand-alone post about Sin Hong Choon Tea Museum with detailed info if you are interested.

18.Sunset At Dadaocheng Wharf (大稻埕碼頭）

When the sun is about to set, you can head toward Dadaocheng Wharf for a relaxing evening. Find a spot by the river and watch the sky change colors as the day ends.

Grab some snacks or drinks at the Dadaocheng Wharf Container Market (大稻埕碼頭貨櫃市集）, this market is made up of colorful shipping containers converted into trendy shops, food stalls, and cafés.

If you visit Dadaocheng Wharf on a summer evening, there’s a chance you’ll catch a spectacular fireworks display. During the annual Dadaocheng Summer Festival, typically held from mid-July to early August, several themed fireworks shows light up the sky.

Final Thoughts

In researching for this blog post, I’ve gained a deeper appreciation for the historical significance and architectural beauty of this area.

Dadaocheng truly offers a unique mix of old and new, where tradition meets modern charm. I hope the information I’ve shared helps you plan your visit to Taipei and inspires you to explore this area.

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