Night market first. Then what?

A city that eats late

Taipei nights start with food. A lap of a night market, beef noodles after work, or a long table at a rechao place where the stir-fry keeps coming and the beer arrives in big bottles. From there it's cocktails in Da'an, a club in Xinyi, or KTV until somebody finally gives up the mic.

Meeting someone new is the harder part. Friend groups from school and work stay tight, people are friendly but rarely approach a stranger, and dating apps turn into weeks of small talk that never becomes a plan. YesTonite skips all that: see who is out tonight, say hi, and pick a place near an MRT station that works for both of you.

And yes, it might rain. That's what covered arcades, basement bars and late cafés are for.

Friday and Saturday are the big nights, and Xinyi stays busy well after midnight. The MRT stops around midnight, so plenty of evenings end with one last snack and a taxi home.

Where Taipei goes out

• XinyiTaipei 101 territory: rooftop bars, big clubs and the busiest weekend nights in the city.
• Da'anLeafy lanes from Yongkang Street to the East District, packed with cocktail bars, cafés and late dinners.
• ZhongshanChifeng Street and the lanes around it: indie shops, coffee and some of the city's best small bars.
• XimendingPedestrian streets, street food and a young crowd that stays out late, especially on weekends.
• GongguanStudent area by National Taiwan University with cheap eats, cafés and a night market of its own.
• Raohe StreetOne of the city's oldest night markets, by Songshan station: an easy first walk-and-eat plan.