Founded over 80 years ago and passed down through five generations, Guo Family’s spring rolls are a long-established eatery in Hsinchu known for this classic dish. Owing to their high reputation, it’s common to see long queues at their stall. What sets them apart is the use of Lishan cabbage, carrots, and daikon radish, stir-fried and then stewed to create uniquely flavorful pickled vegetables. These are combined with crispy egg, preserved radish, dried tofu slices, cilantro, peanut powder, bean sprouts, and other ingredients, all wrapped up in a smooth, chewy homemade wrapper. Quick to make yet incredibly delicious—that’s why they’re so beloved by the public.
The most famous local specialty of Hsinchu, Taiwan, is undoubtedly the meatball. There is a beautiful story behind the origin of the Hsinchu meatball. Legend has it that there was a local pork vendor who, in his old age, handed his business over to his son. Unable to chew hard foods but still fond of meat, the old man’s daughter-in-law racked her brains and came up with the idea of mincing the pork, pounding it into a paste with a wooden stick, and then cooking it...
Shi’s Fish Balls, a 50-year-old family-run shop without a signboard yet always bustling with customers, fills the air with the sweet aroma of its soup from afar. The owner hand-makes large fish balls using fresh shark meat, stuffed with pork and water chestnut fillings, and serves them in a rich broth made from simmering big pork bones. The flavor is delicious—savory yet not greasy. Topped with chunks of tender bone meat, this is the most popular Pork, Meatball and Fish Ball Soup.…
Locally known as "Hsinchu Meat Cake" or "Pastry Skin Cake," Zhujian Cake is a savory pastry filled with ingredients such as fatty pork, shallots, and winter melon candy. Hsinchu was formerly called "Zhujian," and naming the cake after this old name carries a deep significance in preserving the flavors of the ancient capital. Once baked, the cake features a crispy outer crust and a soft filling, bursting with the aroma of scallions—naturally making one’s mouth water. Among all, the most renowned is the time-honored New Fu Jen Cake Shop, established in 1898 right next to the City God Temple.
Meatballs were originally created by people from Fuzhou on the mainland of China, then passed on to people in Hsinchu. During the Japanese colonial period, they gained fame throughout the province after being unanimously praised as a delicacy in a chefs' competition. According to oral accounts from veteran cooks, meatballs were first made because an elderly man loved eating pork but, due to his advanced age and loose teeth, had difficulty chewing it. His daughter-in-law, out of filial piety...
The origin of this dish is related to Taiwan’s abundant rice production, as it is made from rice that is ground into powder. The craft was passed down from Fujian. The flavor features a steaming hot broth, with smooth noodles that glide down your throat, creating a simple, refreshing, and naturally sweet taste. The ingredients soaked in the thick, short rice noodles include pork offal and pickled vegetables.…
Black Cat Buns are actually Fuzhou-style steamed buns. They got their name because the previous owner was nicknamed “Sister Black Cat,” and the buns she sold came to be known as “Black Cat Buns.” What makes these buns special is that instead of using fresh yeast for proofing, they use old dough saved from the previous day. This generational sourdough starter gives the dough a richer aroma and chewier texture. The filling is made with fresh lean meat and de-fatted cooked pork fat, mixed with a broth simmered for 10 hours. After seasoning and blending, the mixture is chilled before being wrapped into the buns. The result is juicy, aromatic buns bursting with flavor.
Chengjia Zongzi belongs to the northern style of zongzi, where glutinous rice is stir-fried before being wrapped with fillings and steamed. Its fillings are rich and diverse, including shiitake mushrooms, egg yolks, lean meat, chestnuts, and more. The Hakka-style kē zongzi is made by first grinding glutinous rice into a paste to form the outer layer, which is then filled and steamed. The result is a soft outer layer with a fragrant filling inside. The over 80-year-old Chengjia Zongzi Shop is well known for its generous fillings and distinctive flavors...
Also known as Hakka sausage, it is referred to as rice sausage, water-smoked sausage, or white smoked sausage. Though similar in appearance to regular sausage, its texture is entirely different—soft, fragrant, and slightly chewy. Served with a dipping sauce made from rice paste, sugar, salt, and chili, which is sweet with a spicy kick, the combination brings out the unique flavor of the smoked sausage...
Also known as fermented rice pork, it is made by fermenting glutinous rice, red yeast, sugar, and salt into a fermented rice base (糟母), which is then used to marinate meats such as chicken or duck. The dish combines the aroma of wine and meat, and has nourishing properties. Red yeast pork was once a cherished festive dish for the Hakka people during Chinese New Year, but it has now become commonplace and can be enjoyed on ordinary days. …
Rice noodles are a representative Hakka dish, also known as “ho fun” in Cantonese or “kuey tzai” in Taiwanese. They can be stir-fried dry or served in soup, each style offering a unique flavor, though the soup version generally brings out the original taste better. Made with simple ingredients, the key to delicious rice noodles lies in their chewiness (Q度) and the aroma of the sautéed onions. Xinpu rice noodles are made with well water...
is a common Hakka dish made by boiling pork intestines with scallions, ginger, and other ingredients until tender, then stir-frying them in hot oil. The preparation of Pork Intestines with Shredded Ginger is simple, but its deliciousness depends largely on the quality of the ingredients. Fatty pork intestines paired with premium young ginger, which is in season during June and July, result in a tender, slightly tangy, and pleasantly chewy texture that offers the best flavor.…
Hengshan (Guanshan) is one of the island’s main producers of grass jelly, known for its sweet flavor and pure quality. The Hakka people in the region incorporate grass jelly into their cooking, using it to flavor and simmer chicken, thus creating the famous Guanshan dish — Grass Jelly Chicken. The sweet aroma of the grass jelly blends perfectly with the tender and even texture of the chicken meat, resulting in a fragrant and refreshing taste that differs from the typically heavier flavors of Hakka cuisine. This distinctive dish can be enjoyed at Hakka restaurants across Guanshan and nearby towns.
Hsinchu peanut butter is famous for its emphasis on high-quality ingredients and traditional preparation methods. It has a rich, authentic flavor with plenty of small peanut bits. The peanut butter from Fuyuan on Dadao East Road is the most representative — its sweet taste is not cloying and is balanced with a hint of saltiness that enhances its deliciousness. Specialty Culture: Initially, most peanut butter factories in Hsinchu were...
Plum essence is the concentrated extract of fresh plums, also known as plum flesh essence or green plum essence. It contains a large amount of natural organic acids such as citric acid, malic acid, and catechin, along with water-soluble vitamins, various trace elements, and minerals. As a powerful alkaline food, it boasts truly miraculous health benefits. Specialty Culture: Plums have long been...
How to make Taiwanese nougat: 1 Marshmallows and roasted peanuts in appropriate amounts (I used the microwave to roast them on medium-high heat for 1 minute — watch closely as they can burn easily). Appropriate amount of powdered milk (my experience is that a bit more makes it tastier). 2 Then quickly stir everything together using chopsticks — you must be quick, as it hardens easily…
With a history of ten years, 'Bu Zhi Lin' is well-known on the streets of Macau. The sweet and delicious monkfish claypot rice and the fresh, healthy and flavorful Buddha's Delight claypot rice are highly recommended. After dinner, you can also enjoy a dessert. Their fresh lily and soursop stewed snow fungus, pure almond tea, and kidney-nourishing walnut paste are all fresh and delicious…
With a history of 150 years, Yee Shun uses only fresh milk from cows raised on its own farm, guaranteeing absolute freshness. (Macau)…
The Portuguese egg tart craze that once swept through Hong Kong, Taiwan, and mainland China mostly originated from a bakery in Macau called Margaret’s. Margaret’s Egg Tarts is the original creator of the Portuguese egg tart. In addition to the egg tarts, they also offer a variety of other foods, and their sandwiches are quite excellent. (Macau)…
"Nougat" is the transliteration of 纽结糖. It is a traditional confection from Russia. On Shiduxianzheng Street near Xia Guanye Street, you can buy nougat candy from Koi Kei as a souvenir. It is made with whole milk, peanuts, egg whites, and other ingredients, offering a sweet taste with a rich milky flavor and a chewy texture. Unwrapping the wrapper reveals large...