Taichung Second Market dates back to the Japanese Colonial Era, where it was once a gathering place for trading commodities. The marketplace was designed so the buildings surround a hexagonal courtyard where goods were distributed.
Today, the Second Market is one of the top tourist attractions in Taichung as the market has many things to do, buy and eat. Go early and start with a hearty breakfast. Then stroll around the narrow corridors to check out some of the local stores. And don’t miss the old temple and the hexagon tower.
If this is your first time to Taichung, follow my guide and learn about everything you can experience at Taichung Second Market.
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Before you visit Taichung Second Market
Before you visit the Second Market Taichung, take a look at my post on learning all my best tips for travelling to Taiwan. I included a lot of information, including getting a Taiwan prepaid SIM card, transportation around the country and more.
And check out more tips on my solo travel guide to Taichung and learn about other attractions in Taichung.
And here are additional tips for visiting Taichung Second Market:
- Bring cash because all the vendors only take cash only.
- Check the hours of operation for food vendors and restaurants before you go. They open different times of the day and also close when everything is sold.
- Some food vendors have English menus. But even if they don’t, they might have a photo menu so you can point and order your food.
- Purchase a rechargeable smartcard called EasyCard or iPass. Either card is good for taking public transportation around Taichung.
- Note: Some of these restaurants do not have English names. I translated and described them as much as possible and included the Chinese name of the restaurant for easy reference.
How to get to Taichung Second Market
Taichung Second Market is located in the Central District of Taichung. The market takes up an entire city block between Sanmin Road, Section 1, Taiwan Boulevard, Xingzhong Street and Zhongshan Road.
Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA)
If you are taking the TRA train, go to Taichung Station, and walk 11 minutes north on Section 1, Taiwan Boulevard.
Taichung City Bus
Taichung City Buses run along Section 1, Taiwan Boulevard and Section 2, Sanmin Road. Take one of the many buses (5, 6, 8, 45, 48, 300, 301, 302, 303, 304, 305, 306, 307, 308, 309, 310, 326) to the Second Market. It costs NT$15 with EasyCard or iPass or NT$20 cash.
Address: No. 87, Section 2, Sanmin Road, Central District, Taichung City | Hours: 7am-8pm Tuesday to Sunday
Taichung Second Market Map: Attractions, Shops & Places to Eat
I pinned all the places mentioned in this guide on the interactive map. Orange pins are things to do, green pins are all the shops, and red pins are all the places to eat.
Click on each individual pin to get more information, and look for the description below.
What to Do at Taichung Second Market
The Second Market is a place where locals pray, hang out and eat. Even though the market is known for delicious traditional Taiwanese food, there are two highlights at the Second Market that you shouldn’t miss.
1. Wude Temple 武德宮
Wude Temple was built as a simple temple in 1946. Dedicated to Guanshengdi and Mazu deities, worshippers pray at this temple for protection, justice and courage in daily life.
The temple has been renovated in conjunction with the market reconstruction which is why the temple looks like it is part of the market. But you won’t miss it – just look the row of red lanterns outside of the temple.
2. Hexagon Tower 六角樓
Hexagon Tower is a heritage building at the center of the Second Market in Taichung. It used to be a watchtower and the marketplace was gathered around this hexagon layout. Today, it is a museum displaying information about the history of the market.
Walk up the small stairway and a volunteer will welcome you. Even though I couldn’t read any of the display because they are all in Chinese, I took photos and use Google Translate to learn more about the market.
It opens from 9am-12pm and closed Mondays, Saturdays & Sundays.
What to Buy at Taichung Second Market
There are many things to buy at the Second Market. Shops are lined around the perimeter of the market, between the narrow interior corridors and around the market at the Hexagon Tower.
Basically there are two groups of things you can buy: food and other items like crafts, clothing, vintage items, toys, etc.
1. Food – Meat, Vegetables, Fruits and Other Food
Locals visit the Second Market for all their daily grocery needs. There are many vendors selling different types of meat, fresh produces including various fruits and vegetables. And you can get many non-perishable items here.
Besides all the local grocery shops at the market, there are a few unique food shops that you should look for:
- Pork Floss 國城食品 (8am-4pm; closed Mondays) – they only sell pork floss (dried pork with a fluffy texture that goes well with rice and congee). This is an essential ingredient to many Taiwanese dishes.
- Sam Tak Candy and Biscuits Store 三德糖果餅乾批發商行 – if you grew up in Asia, you might want to check out all the candies and other treats here. They have a lot of nostalgic sweets.
- Ruicheng Candy Toy Store 瑞成糖菓玩具行 – not only do they have fun nostalgic candies, they also sell many old-school children’s toys.
2. Other Items – Craft, Clothing, Tailor Shops, Vintage Shop, Toys, Etc.
Most locals shop at the Second Market because it is (kind of) a one-stop shop where they can get all their daily grocery needs and also buy other things like clothing, etc. However, I don’t think most tourists would like their clothing selection. But it is still fun to look through.
Besides clothing, there are a few unique stores including antique store, DIY craft store and souvenir store:
- Green Life 轉彎雜貨舖 (10:30am-4:30pm) – probably one of the best stores at the Second Market. Lots of retro and antique items.
- Jade’s Women Clothing 玉女女裝社 (?) – the cutest Asian aunty works at this tailor shop. I didn’t buy anything but I really like her shop and the vintage shop sign.
- Tokushio DIY Crafts World 德昌手藝生活館 (10am-7pm) – DIY lovers can rummage through this store and find many things like ribbons, yarn, etc.
- Happy Handicraft Shop 幸福的手創館 (10am-5pm; closed Mondays) – good place to buy souvenirs and handicrafts.
What to Eat at Taichung Second Market
Food is the highlight of Taichung Second Market. Many food stalls and restaurants are scattered around the perimeter and corridors of the market. Either enter from the east or south entrance and you will immediately see all the food selection.
There is a sign inside the Second Market indicating all the food the market is known for. I took a photo of the sign (see below) and listed all the Taiwanese food that you can try while visiting Taichung Second Market. And below, I listed all the places to eat each of these food specialities.
- Braised Pork Rice 魯肉飯
- Dry Noodle with Sauce 乾意麵
- Wonton Soup 餛飩湯
- Turnip Cake 菜頭粿
- Dry Rice Noodle 米苔目
- Jute Soup 蔴薏湯
- Cooked Side Dishes 熟食小菜
- Stir-Fry 現炒
- Vegetarian 素食
- Taiwanese Meatball 肉丸
- Buns 肉包
- Meat Puff 餡餅
- Sushi and Sashimi 壽司 & 生魚片
- Ice 冰品
- Taiwanese Tea 茶
1. Braised Pork Rice 魯肉飯
Braised pork rice (or lurou fan) is braised pork in a soy sauce cooked with five spices and served over white rice. The pork is served as a piece of pork belly or diced-up pork belly. Either way, it goes really well with the radish and white rice. This is the quintessential Taiwanese food.
At Taichung Second Market, there are many food vendors making and selling this traditional dish. Here are some of my favs:
- Arashi Braised Minced Pork Shop 嵐肉燥專賣店 – they make a few signature dishes with their own Arashi sauce, a Taiwanese braised minced pork sauce. Enjoy combination soup with wonton, meat roll, fish ball and radish or a bowl of sliced pork stew on rice. You can buy their homemade sauce if you like it.
- Shanhe Lu Pork Rice 山河魯肉飯 – a cooked food stall on the immediate right at the east entrance. They also serve several braised pork dishes. They even have a photo menu.
- Smart Danzai Noodles 聰明擔仔麵 – three generations of the Lin Family have been serving food made with cooking methods and sauces from their hometown, Lukang. Try their fragrant braised pork rice, soups and other dishes.
- Li-Hai Braised Pork Rice 李海魯肉飯 (4pm-3am) – if you are visiting late, you can still get a delicious bowl of braised pork rice.
2. Dry Noodle with Sauce 乾意麵
Dry noodles with sauce only requires a few simple ingredients: white or yellow noodles, oil and seasoning. Each restaurant makes a version of their own and you can add chilli sauce to spice it up if you can take the heat.
I noticed many restaurants in Taichung offer dry noodles with sauce on the menu. And in Taichung Second Market, there are a few places to try this traditional dish:
- Archie Traditional Noodles 阿棋三代福州意麵老店 – I order 福州乾意麵 + 綜合魚丸湯 which is a combo that includes Fuzhou dry noodles and mixed meatball soup (Fuzhou ball, shrimp ball and swordfish ball). Always a long queue but worth the wait.
- Yan Kee Pork Buns and Wonton Soup 顏記肉包 餛飩湯 – their version is similar to Archie and it has a similar meat sauce.
3 & 4. Wonton Noodles 餛飩湯 and Buns 肉包
Pork is often used as the main ingredient for many Taiwanese dishes. For wonton noodles, the pork dumpling is the highlight of the dish. And for the buns, minced pork is marinated and steamed to perfection inside the steamed bun.
At Taichung Second Market, you can try different pork dishes at this local restaurant:
- Yan Kee Pork Buns and Wonton Soup 顏記肉包 餛飩湯 – as mentioned already, they are known for their dry noodles with sauce. And they are also known for their wonton soup and meat bun (not pictured but happily consumed).
5. Turnip Cake 菜頭粿
Many visitors go to Taichung Second Market to try traditional breakfast food. And there are several places that offer hearty breakfast food like turnip cake, shredded Chinese radish and rice flour mixed together and pan-fried until it is golden.
When you reach the Second Market, go directly to the south entrance and you will see these two food stalls:
- Grandma A Xiangsi Noodle Shop 阿嬤A相思麵店 – I ordered the 六合一 which means “6 in 1” which has six food including turnip cake, sausage, taro cake, rice sausage, tempura and egg. Also had the 招牌白乾麵 which is the signature dry noodles.
- Wang’s Cabbage Rice Sausage 王家菜頭粿糯米腸 – the food vendor next to the previous offer similar items. They are renowned for their turnip cake with a fried egg and tangy sauce.
6. Taiwanese Desserts
Ice 冰品 is one of the most popular desserts in Taiwan. If you still have room in your stomach, there are several good places to try something sweet.
- Mei Jian Tea 小庭找茶 – it is a dessert shop selling shaved ice and other desserts. But one of the items on the menu caught my eye. It is called 凸餅冰淇淋 (name of the cookie and ice cream) which has vanilla ice cream and chewy tapioca inside a traditional cookie made with brown sugar.
- Double Best 好事成霜 – many shaved ice and ice cream on the menu.
7. Taiwanese Drinks
Taiwanese Tea is a big part of the food culture. And at Taichung Second Market, there is a famous drink stall offering different types of tea. And if you have never tried almond tea, it is very tasty.
- Lai’s Tea Shop 老賴茶棧 – the drink stall has been around for more than 30 years and they specializes in tea made with tea leaves from Nantou. Order their famous black tea. It is not too sweet and super refreshing.
- Almond Tea 丹尼杏仁茶專賣店桃酥的專門家 – they have a variety of almond tea. Try the free samples of different almond biscuits before bringing some home.
8. Other food at Taichung Second Market
Besides all the food I mentioned above, there are other traditional Taiwanese food that are worth trying. Here are other places to eat inside Taichung Second Market and what they are known for.
Taiwanese Meatball 肉丸
- Maochuan Taiwanese Meatballs 茂川餛飩.肉丸 (11am-6pm; closed Mondays & Sundays) – from its humble beginning as a street food stall, three generations of this family-owned business is now serving traditional meatballs at this current location.
Jute Soup 蔴薏湯, Cooked Side Dishes 熟食小菜 and Stir-Fry 現炒
- Ah E Cooked Food 阿娥古早味 (7:30am-2pm; closed Mondays) – choose from a variety of cooked food, stir-fry and try the jute soup (clear soup made with jute leaves)
- Lin Ji Cooked Food 林記古早味 (6am-2pm; closed Sundays) – many food offerings including jute soup.
Vegetarian 素食
- Liu Chuan Vegetarian Noodles 柳川素食麵 (5:30pm-12am Monday to Saturday) – the northwest corner of the market comes alive in late afternoon and locals enjoy a wide variety of vegetarian dishes at this local resto.
- A Hua Vegetarian Buffet 阿華素食自助餐 (5:30am-1pm; closed Saturdays) – pick and choose from a variety of pre-made vegetarian dishes.
Sushi and Sashimi 壽司 & 生魚片
- Sushi 阿月壽司 (8:30am-2pm; closed Mondays) – eat at the counter or get takeaway sushi.
- Fresh Fish Shop 丸一鮮魚行 (?) – grab a seat at the counter and eat fresh sushi.
- Japanese Izakaya 港町十三番地中正店 (5:30pm-1:30am) – Japanese resto serving sushi and cooked food that opens late into the night.
Is Taichung Second Market worth visiting?
Absolutely! I’ve been to Taichung twice and both times I went straight to the Second Market and each time I found different things to eat. And even during my last trip to Taichung, I went back to the market multiple times to try other food and still couldn’t try everything.
Besides all the food, it is fun wandering around the small alleys to see what local stores look like, what they sell, etc. I’m not much of a shopper so I didn’t find much. But I thoroughly enjoyed my experience.
I hope you found this guide useful for planning your own experience at Taichung Second Market. And if I missed anything or if you think a certain food spot should be part of this list, let me know in the comments below.
Ready to plan your trip to Taichung? Here are some of my go-to travel planning resources:
* Book your flight: find flight deals on Skyscanner
* Book accommodation: find the best Taichung accommodations on Agoda or Booking
* Buy insurance: Safetywing is my go-to provider for travel insurance, as it covers many things. I will never travel without the Nomad Insurance Package because it protects me against unforeseen events. Get a quote today.
* Order a SIM card: order a SIM card in advance, collect it upon arrival, and set up your mobile phone before arriving at your destination. Or find out how and where to get a SIM Card in Taiwan.
* Join tours: check Klook or Get Your Guide for the best tours in Taichung.
Thank you for reading my Taichung Second Market guide
I have many posts on Taiwan, and you might also like these other posts on solo travel in Taiwan:
Introduction to Taiwan
- Things to know before visiting Taiwan
- How and where to buy a Taiwan prepaid SIM card
- How to spend 3 weeks in Taiwan
- 22 must-eat food in Taiwan
- Top 10 must-try Taiwan 7-11 Food
Central Taiwan posts
- Best things to do alone in Taichung
- Taichung 1-day itinerary
- Where to stay in Taichung for solo travellers
- Miyahara Taichung: best ice cream and food souvenirs
- Top 5 Taichung Night Markets
- Norden Ruder Hostel: best minimalist hostel in Taichung
- Zhongshe Flower Market near Taichung
- Carton King Creativity Park: 1-day itinerary
- How to spend 1 day at Gaomei Wetlands
- Xinshe Sea of Flowers near Taichung: 1-day itinerary
- Xinshe Castle near Taichung
- What to do in Sun Moon Lake: 2-day itinerary
- Things to do in Changhua in One Day
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Hi, my name is Queenie, and I’ve been a solo traveller for 20+ years and currently based in Hong Kong. Follow me on my adventures through Instagram and my blog!
