[Taipei 台北] Da Dao Cheng / Dihua Street 大稻埕 / 迪化街 (1/5) @ Lynda's Taiwan-logue

< Visited in Jul 2015 & Jun 2012 >

Dihua Street 迪化街, part of the Da Dao Cheng 大稻埕 precinct, was established in the 1850s. In its heyday, it was a key trading port in Taipei, home to businesses dealing in tea leaves, Chinese medicine, fabric and more. While that has gone into history, Dihua Street 迪化街 is now a popular destination for dried goods, Chinese medicine and once a year, Chinese New Year goodies. Much of its Baroque architecture and elaborate facades have been preserved or reconstructed, and new local brands have set up shop alongside long time retailers and eateries.

My first few visits here were solely for two old generation shops - - Jiang Ji Hua Long 江记华隆 for its crispy pork sheet and Lee Cake 李亭香 for its local pastries and addictive bite-size cream puffs. It didn't dawn on me initially to explore the rest of this precinct, as my early impression of it was a Chinese New Year goodie street... until I found out about its interesting past and watched a Taiwanese movie called《Da Dao Cheng 大稻埕》, starring Sonia Sui Tang 隋棠, You Sheng 宥勝 and 豬哥亮.

Walking these streets can be rather daunting in summer (if you can, include this in your spring, autumn or winter itinerary) but the up side of it is, you can always take shelter and chill out in the many cafes here. If you are not so bothered by hot weather, you will enjoy weaving in and out of the rows of shophouses, admiring ornate shops and building facades (some preserved, some rebuilt, some very old, some new), and eating at local food stalls. The iconic Yong Le Market 永乐市场 has also been refurbished and stalls reorganised for a more comfortable shopping experience (though some have argued that the traditional and nostalgic flavour of this market place and fabric shopping centre has been lost). Nonetheless, it still gives me pleasure to shop at the ground floor of this market for food and fruits.

< Dihua Street 迪化街 is accessible via Da Qiao Tou MRT Station 大桥头站, exit 1. The station features mosaic walls with icons of Da Dao Cheng. >

< Yan San Night Market 延三观光夜市 in the vicinity is a small but locally-favoured night market, that appeals to me over larger tourist-infested ones nowadays. >

< My curiosity took the better of me though and I steered off course to explore a street market. For this little adventure, I ended up getting lost and asked for directions to get me back on the main Dihua Street 迪化街. >

< Yong Le Market 永乐市场 >

< Watson Building 屈臣氏大药房, housing Small Arts Courtyard 小艺埕 and Luguo Cafe 炉锅咖啡.
2F now houses Watson Bar 沃森茶酒馆, opened in 2019, which operates in the night. >

< Luguo Cafe 炉锅咖啡 specialises in ground coffee beans and has a few outlets in Taipei. Approach the staff for a recommendation on coffee beans. >

< One of the four Artyard 民艺埕 buildings housing innovative brands. >

< Chilled grass jelly almond milk NT$60 / S$2.70 at Summer Tree Sweet 夏树甜品 >

< Frog Cafe has since ceased operations >

< Old gen must-try foodstalls. I bought the battered fish in thick soup 土魠鱼羹 back to my hotel for afternoon tea. >

And in 2012 (before I bought a better camera)...

< The famous Xiahai Chenghuang Temple 霞海城隍廟 >

< Some of the shop units are leased out for periodic private or school exhibitions, many of them opened to the public at no admission fee. >

< At the other side of Dihua Street is Da Dao Cheng Wharf 大稻埕码头, where trading boats used to deliver and send away goods.
It is now a public park, making a good spin-off from the colourful streets. >