Penghu sits surrounded by deep blue water on every side, which means the seafood here is a cut above anything else you'll find in Taiwan. Neritic squid rice noodles in clear broth, garlic stir-fried sea crab, and sun-dried shrimp with a sweet-salty depth are the true tastes of this sea. Penghu also has a one-of-a-kind dessert: cactus ice cream in vivid pink-purple, a flavor you simply cannot find anywhere else on the planet.
#1 Neritic Squid Rice Noodles (Xiao Juan Mi Fen)
This is the dish Penghu is built on — thick rice noodles in a naturally sweet-savory seafood broth, served with <em>xiao juan</em> (small neritic squid) caught fresh from Penghu waters that same day. The squid is tender and subtly sweet; the stock is rounded out from fish bones. Locals have eaten this for breakfast across generations. It's filling, affordable, and the ideal first meal before a day of sightseeing.
- Order the clear-broth version — it lets the squid flavor come through more cleanly than the dry version.
- The most popular stalls at Magong Night Market tend to sell out before 9 p.m., so arrive early.
- Pair it with fried shrimp or garlic crab for a complete meal.
#2 Moon Shrimp Cake (Yue Xia Bing)
Moon shrimp cake is a round fried patty made from fresh shrimp, garlic, and finely minced pork fat, wrapped in a spring-roll skin that crisps up golden in the pan — the circular shape gives it its moon-like name. The outside is crackling and golden; the inside stays moist and fragrant with real sea shrimp. Served hot with sweet chili sauce or mayo. It's the dish travelers keep reordering at every meal, because it's genuinely hard to stop at one.
- Ask for it straight from the pan — the difference in texture versus one that's been sitting is noticeable.
- Some stalls offer versions filled with squid or crab; worth asking before you order.
- Frozen packs are sold at souvenir shops around Magong if you want to bring some home.
#3 Stir-Fried Fresh Crab with Garlic
Penghu crab is pulled from the water daily, and that freshness shows — the meat is firmer and sweeter than anything you'll find on the mainland. It's stir-fried with chopped garlic, chili, sesame oil, and a light hand with soy sauce, so the sauce soaks into the crab without drowning the natural sea flavor. A good restaurant serves it alongside freshly steamed rice and fish soup for what amounts to the most satisfying dinner on the island. Price varies by size and season.
- Always ask the price before ordering — fresh crab rates shift significantly with season and size.
- Ask to see the live crab before you choose; strong-moving legs mean a good specimen.
- Eat it with Japanese-style rice or dip crusty bread into the garlic sauce — both work.
#4 Pumpkin Rice Vermicelli (Nan Gua Mi Fen)
Pumpkin rice vermicelli is Penghu's culinary heritage in a bowl. In winters past, when food was scarce, islanders stewed pumpkin with rice noodles and vegetables — a dish that was born of necessity and became a tradition. The broth is golden and naturally thick-sweet from the pumpkin; the noodles absorb it completely. It's listed as one of the <em>Four Great Things of Penghu</em> that locals take genuine pride in.
- Eat it in the morning as a local-style breakfast — warm and energizing for a full day out.
- Some restaurants add mussels or squid to the pot, which lifts it further.
- Instant pumpkin noodle packs are sold as souvenirs if you want to recreate it at home.
#5 Penghu Cactus Ice Cream
Penghu cactus ice cream is made from the fruit of the Elephant Ear Prickly Pear (<em>Opuntia</em>) cactus that grows wild across the islands. The deep red-purple fruit has a distinctive sweet-tart flavor that translates into vivid pink-purple ice cream with a light, refreshing sourness. It's one of the best things on a hot afternoon, and it genuinely doesn't exist anywhere else on earth. Everyone stops for a photo before the first lick.
- Try the ice cream, the popsicle stick version, and the jam — each has its own character.
- Cactus ice cream shops cluster in the pedestrian street area at the heart of Magong.
- Cactus jam travels well and keeps a long time — a solid souvenir choice.
#6 Fried Spanish Mackerel Fish Cake (Tu Tou Yu)
Spanish mackerel (<em>Tu Tou Yu</em>, 土魠魚) is Penghu's signature winter fish, running from December through February. The flesh is white, tender, and naturally high in fat — perfect for slicing thick, coating in batter, and frying until the outside is crackling and the inside stays juicy. Eat it with ginger soy sauce, or find a restaurant that serves it in warm corn fish soup on a rainy evening. Japanese and Korean travelers in particular love this dish.
- Buy fresh from the morning fish market and have the vendor fry it on the spot — that's peak flavor.
- Genuine Spanish mackerel flesh should be white and odor-free; any fishiness means it isn't fresh.
- Peak season is winter (December to February), when the fish is freshest and prices are best.
Where to stay in Penghu for this trip
A well-located hotel means less commuting and more sightseeing. Here are real, top-rated stays in Penghu — compare Agoda · Booking · Trip.com in one click.
Nice Hostel
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Discovery Hotel
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Four Points by Sheraton Penghu
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Rainbow Hotel
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Tours, tickets & activities in Penghu
Day tours, attraction tickets and travel essentials for Penghu — book ahead on Klook with mobile e-tickets.
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Before You Pack
The best food in Penghu is in the small harborside spots where the owner fished that morning. Magong Night Market is the single best starting point for serious eaters — arrive in the early evening and you can work through several dishes in one sitting.