Taipei Cooking Class & Dadaocheng Market Tour

Cook Taiwanese Soul Food in a 200-Year-Old Market Quarter

You walk through Taipei's oldest market with a local guide, learn to cook one of five traditional Taiwanese dishes from scratch, and eat what you've made for lunch. The class runs three hours on weekday and weekend mornings, stays under six people, and includes all ingredients, an apron, and a digital recipe to take home.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Dadaocheng and cook Taiwanese food

• Walk through Dadaocheng alleys
• Visit traditional market
• Taste authentic local delicacies
• Chat with market vendors
• Attend cooking class with Alex
• Cook Taiwanese dish from scratch

The experience

Picture yourself standing in Dihua Street as vendors arrange dried mushrooms and shrimp in wooden bins, the smell of soy and sesame oil hanging in the narrow alley. That's where your Taipei cooking class begins, not in a sterile kitchen, but in the living, breathing market where Taiwanese home cooks have shopped for generations. Alex, your guide, walks you through the stalls and explains what goes into each dish you'll make that morning: the pork belly for luroufan, the beef for the nation's number-one noodle soup, the sticky rice for youfan. You're not just learning recipes. You're learning why these ingredients matter to Taipei's food story.

After the market walk, you head to the cooking school and spend the next three hours making lunch from scratch. The class runs Tuesday through Sunday (never Monday), always 9:30 to 12:30, and the menu changes daily. Wednesday is braised beef noodle soup where you make even the noodles yourself, Friday brings luroufan with braised pork belly, Thursday offers stir-fried rice with a vegetarian option. Groups stay small, capped at six people, which means you're not crowded around a demo station watching someone else cook. You're actually at the stove. Alex teaches in English and Chinese, with some basic Japanese, so the language barrier dissolves pretty fast. By the time you sit down to eat what you've cooked, you've picked up techniques that stick: the way to layer flavors, how long the braise really takes, why the rice matters as much as the topping.

Everything you need is included: the ingredients, the apron (a souvenir), coffee and tea, the e-recipe to take home in English or Chinese. Kids under 12 can tag along for free if they're just watching. If they want to cook, you book them a seat. Solo travelers are welcome, though the class needs a minimum of two people to run. If that's not met five days before, you'll be offered alternative dates or a full refund. The whole experience is wheelchair accessible, and the building has public liability insurance, so you're covered.

What’s included

• Your three-hour morning includes a guided walk through Dihua Old Street and the traditional market with Alex, who shares local stories and helps you select ingredients.
• You then cook one of five rotating Taiwanese dishes from scratch at the cooking school.
• The full meal becomes your lunch.
• Coffee, tea, and soft drinks are provided throughout.
• You'll receive a digital e-recipe in English, Chinese, or Japanese, and take home a custom BeMyGuest Taipei apron.
• Public liability insurance is included.

Before you book

Days and timesTuesday to Sunday

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Under 12: can't be booked

GroupUp to 6

Live guideEnglish, Chinese and Japanese

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Wheelchair accessibleStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Dadaocheng Cooking Class BeMyGuest Taipei｜大稻埕好客台北料理教室｜ビーマイゲスト台北

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to learn real Taiwanese cooking techniques in a small group and skip the tourist-trap cooking demo: the market walk at the start is what makes the recipes make sense, and eating what you've cooked for lunch is what makes you remember it.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Chinese and Japanese.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What dishes can I cook?

The menu rotates daily: Tuesday is Taiwanese risotto (youfan), Wednesday and Saturday are braised beef noodle soup, Thursday is stir-fried rice (vegetarian option available), and Friday and Sunday are luroufan (braised pork rice).

What time does the class start?

Classes run daily except Monday, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

How many people are in each class?

Maximum six people per class to keep it interactive and hands-on.

Is the class in English?

Yes. Alex teaches in English, Chinese, and some basic Japanese, so language is not a barrier.

Do I eat what I cook?

Yes. The dishes you prepare become your lunch, included in the class.

Can I bring my children?

Children under 12 can attend free if they're observing. If they want to cook, you'll need to book them a seat.

What if I have dietary restrictions?

Confirm allergies and dietary needs before booking. Last-minute ingredient changes cannot be made on the day.

What's included?

All ingredients, the cooking class, lunch, coffee and tea, an apron souvenir, and a digital recipe in English or Chinese.

Is there a minimum group size?

Yes, the class needs at least two participants. If the minimum is not met five days before, you'll be offered alternative dates or a full refund.

Is the venue wheelchair accessible?

Yes, the cooking school is wheelchair accessible.