Zhongli Beef Noodle Soup, Taoyuan

Zhongli beef noodle soup is a cluster of Sichuan-style red-braised beef noodle shops around Xinming Market in Zhongli District, Taoyuan, with broth built on beef bones and slow-simmered with doubanjiang, chilies, and star anise into a deep reddish-brown; the beef is cut into large, tendon-laced chunks that turn tender and gelatinous. Its two flagship shops, Xinming Beef Noodles and Yongchuan Beef Noodles, share the same origins but split apart decades ago and have each run for more than 60 years; Zhongli locals split into 'Xinming' and 'Yongchuan' camps by preference, making this one of the essential veteran-community strongholds on Taiwan's red-braised beef noodle map.

The beef noodle street around Xinming Market in Zhongli grew out of Sichuan-native veterans and their families, who came to Taiwan with the government, bringing their hometown red-braising methods here to open shops for a living. Xinming Beef Noodles and Yongchuan Beef Noodles share the same origins but split apart, each now independently run for more than 60 years; differences in broth depth and how the meat is prepared have split Zhongli locals into 'Xinming' and 'Yongchuan' camps, a decades-long local debate. As verified, Taoyuan City is not currently among the cities evaluated by the MICHELIN Guide Taiwan (which as of 2026 covers only Taipei, New Taipei, Hsinchu City, Hsinchu County, Taichung, Tainan, and Kaohsiung); no Zhongli beef noodle shop appears on any Bib Gourmand list, contrary to some circulating claims that Taoyuan beef noodle shops have received the award.

What is Zhongli Beef Noodle Soup

Zhongli Beef Noodle Soup refers to the cluster of Sichuan-style red-braised beef noodle shops in the Xinming Market area of Zhongli. The broth is built on a beef-bone base, then slow-simmered with doubanjiang, dried chilies, star anise, Sichuan peppercorns, and other aromatics until it turns deep reddish-brown; spice level ranges from mild to fiery. The beef is cut into large chunks with both tendon and meat, yielding a tender, gelatinous texture. The noodles are typically hand-pulled or knife-cut, excellent at absorbing the broth. Each bowl arrives with a clear contrast of red broth, hefty meat, and minced garlic greens — a textbook military-dependents' Sichuan red-braise.

Why Zhongli? The key is the military-dependents' community context of the 1950s and 1960s. Zhongli's Longgang and Zhongzhen neighborhoods gathered large numbers of Sichuan-native veterans and their families who came to Taiwan with the government. They brought their hometown red-braise recipes to the area around Xinming Market and opened shops to make a living, gradually forming a "beef noodle street." The Xinming and Yongchuan lines share the same origins but split apart, developing slightly different flavors — a lifetime loyalty-test for Zhongli locals. The Michelin Guide's Bib Gourmand has also listed beef noodle shops in the Taoyuan area.

How to Eat It the Local Way

Local Knowledge

Information compiled from Michelin Guide, Taoyuan City Government Tourism Bureau, and large-scale public reviews; sponsored content has been filtered out. Photos will be replaced with channel-exclusive material after Dio's on-site shoot.