Why Yizhong Street is My New Favorite Night Market in Taichung (Sorry, Fengjia!)

So, I was recently in Taiwan for the National Palace Museum’s special exhibition and decided to make a pit stop in Taichung while traveling between Taipei and Chiayi. My original plan was to hit up the famous Fengjia Night Market, but my taxi driver (who was a total legend) told me it’s gotten a bit too commercialized. His advice? Head straight to Yizhong Street Night Market.

Challenge accepted. I went solo and managed to hit five different spots, spending a grand total of $395 TWD (about $12 USD). I gave it my absolute best effort, but I was physically unable to eat another bite by the end. The best part? Not a single disappointment. Here’s the breakdown of my food crawl:

1. Handmade Stinky Tofu (Photos 2-3)

The west entrance of Yizhong Street is basically “Stinky Tofu Central” with four or five shops right next to each other. I just picked one at random. $60 TWD gets you five pieces. It looked like a decent portion, but it was so light and crispy that I was still 80% hungry afterward. A solid starter!

2. Crispy Milk Donuts (Photos 5-6)

These things are a vibe. They sell out the second they come out of the fryer. At $45 TWD a pop, they have that perfect crunch on the outside and a fluffy, milky center. 10/10 would wait in line again.

3. Kao Bei Milk King (Photos 7-8)

I grabbed the Papaya Milk for $70 TWD. It tasted super fresh and natural—way better than the sugar bombs you find in convenience stores. It was the perfect palate cleanser between all the fried goodness.

4. Golden Deep-Fried Squid (Photos 11-12)

Is it even a trip to Taiwan if you don’t eat squid? Last year in Taipei, a vendor practically shoved a piece of dried squid in my mouth and it changed my life. This time, I went for the Salt & Pepper Fried Squid ($120 TWD). It’s massive. After finishing this, I was officially hitting the wall.

5. Angel Fried Chicken (Photos 13-14)

This is the final boss of night market food. The line was insanely long, and I almost walked away. But once that smell hit me, I knew I had to stay. Even though I was 100% full, I still managed to crush half a piece on the spot. It’s widely considered the #1 chicken fillet in Taiwan, and honestly? It might be the best fried chicken I’ve ever had in my life. Don’t skip this!

📷 Shot on Sony A7M3 | sel55f18z | iPhone 17 Pro