Supermarkets and fruit and veg markets in Tianmu

FOOD SHOPPING in Tianmu 

If you want to find food that reminds you of home, it can be a bit frustrating eating out, at the other side of the planet. The chocolate just isn't so chocolatey. Bacon, eggs, beans and toast? You'll be lucky! You might do better to buy the ingredients, and just learn to fix your fix at home. 

1. SUPERMARKETS
1. If you are missing muesli, chocolate spread and other western comfort foods:

Expat-friendly Mia C'bon. No. 3號, Tianmu W Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111. Despite the ridiculous name (previously Jasons), nice food. Sogo and Takashimaya department stores both have supermarkets in the basement, which include many foreign imports.

Carrefour, has many imports, expat friendly, two locations in Tianmu, see Googlemaps.

Hummus: Hagar's Kitchen Mediterranean Food is the only shop I found selling hummus. Tiny shop very close to Shidong market. No. 59號, Shidong Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111

PX Mart (photo) is the most popular supermarket chain, and has a branch near you. Very good quality fresh fruit and veg. Jars, tins, packets of produce are written in Mandarin only, usually.

Excellent fresh fruit/veg at PX Mart

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. MARKETS At the famous Shidong market, in Tianmu, fresh food quality control is generally great, the price may be eye-watering. For a cheaper experience of buying fresh fruit and veg in the street markets, perhaps it needs a small amount of cunning. As a foreigner who doesn't speak good Mandarin, there is a small risk of being overcharged. I had good results at the market around Lane 8 Tianmu E Road. 

If you want to support the smaller sellers, and to enjoy possibly fresher produce, free from wasteful packaging, this  strategy worked for me.

My strategy for market shoppping

 

1. Try any stall that catches your eye, do a modest 'test' order (say 4 oranges, 4 tomatoes), see if the price/quality/friendliness seems reasonable. If not, try another. 

 

2. Meanwhile also visit a supermarket like PX Mart supermarket, so you can check / compare price and quality. If you still prefer the market... 

 

3. Once you have established a connection at the market (they remember your face), increase the size of your order. Go at the same time of day, because some stalls have different staff on shifts. 

 

4. Advanced: find two different market stalls you like. One day one will be closed, or sold out of the thing you want.

Where to buy practical items in Tianmu / Shilin

 

Red Apple 紅蘋果生活百貨

 

I call this "The Everything Shop", because they have everything. 

No. 63, Tianmu W Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111

 

Kitchenware, shampoo, stationery, cosmetics, Japanese candy, 

electric adaptors, umbrellas, you name it, they have it. 

 

Red Apple

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Muji is a great Japanese chain with household items and clothing staples. In Tianmu, head upstairs in Mitsukoshi department store. 

 

An alternative would be to go upstairs in Carrefour hypermarket 

No. 47, Dexing W Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111

White goods / electrical things like fridges / blenders / aircon etc. 

It is quite a confusing experience walking round.

 

For larger items, furniture such as shelving, visit Hola in Shilin (like B&Q)

No. 258, Jihe Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111 

Tasteful household goods in the basement. 

 

Hola

Hola

 

 

 

 

For larger items, head to IKEA for the meatballs, and then take a look in NITORI, the Japanese furniture store just beside it 宜得利家居 台北敦北店, which is arguably preferable to IKEA. Similar prices, good product quality, more enthusiastic service, less exhausting to walk around.Not much English spoken though.