Hsinchu City God Temple Foodie Guide: Spring Rolls, Tapioca Ice, and Braised Snacks!

Text and photos by /Viviyu

This time, I had the opportunity to stay at the Fuhwa Hotel in downtown Hsinchu. Since it was still early in the evening, I headed straight to the City God Temple. The area is packed with authentic local snacks — dishes like rice vermicelli, spring rolls, and red yeast rice balls are especially famous. Most shops are open from morning till night, so if you're craving local flavors, this is definitely the place to go. No wonder so many tourists from all over Taiwan make a pilgrimage here. That day, after trying several must-eat dishes, I wanted to share them with everyone.

On weekends, the area gets very crowded with both people and vehicles. If you’re staying at a nearby hotel, you can walk there. If you’re driving, you can look for private parking lots along Beimen Street across the way. Especially during meal times, the place is packed with diners.

The food scene here has been thriving since the Qing Dynasty's Qianlong era, with numerous stalls gathering in the square in front of the temple. Dishes like stir-fried rice vermicelli, squid soup, and pork rice are all affordable and delicious street eats that always leave you wanting more.

Walking along Dongmen Street, I spotted plenty of tasty options and couldn’t resist the food temptation. I had to decide which stall to try first. Most of the food here is great for eating while walking, which adds a fun element to strolling and snacking.

There are several entrances to the temple’s street food area, all marked with prominent archways advertising the famous snacks. Many tourists stop here to take photos.

Stepping into the night market section of the temple food stalls, besides the crowds of tourists and diners, the area also feels a bit stuffy due to the steam rising from the cooking food, making everyone break into a sweat.

You’ve probably heard the saying, “Hsinchu’s City God, Beigang’s Mazu.” If you visit, be sure to stop by and pray for peace. Pilgrims from all over Taiwan come here in an endless stream, and as a result, the surrounding food stalls just keep growing in number.

On a hot day, cool off with a drink first. The “Miaoyang Winter Melon and Grass Jelly Strips” near the entrance looked great. Just at the two entrances of the City God Temple, there are branches of this shop, and the one near Guojia Spring Rolls often has a line. The sign recommends their grass jelly, peanuts, and aiyu jelly.

They sell a wide variety of bubble tea drinks, all very affordable — most are under NT$50. Naturally, I recommend going for their popular grass jelly series.

The drinks come in two sizes. The large cup is the transparent one on the left, where you can see the grass jelly moving inside. The taste isn’t too sweet or too bland — the grass jelly is smooth and tasty, with a naturally sweet aroma that makes you fall in love with bubble tea after just one sip.

On the roadside, I also spotted a stall called “Xiangxiang Braised Snacks,” which looked absolutely delicious. Through the transparent display case, you can see each layer of braised goodies. You just tell the boss what you want, and they’ll prepare it in the right portion, bag it up, and drizzle it with sauce. It’s the perfect cool treat to enjoy in the hot weather.

They offer a good variety of braised snacks, including various types of innards, meatballs, and fish cakes. Each one looks so tasty that you’ll want to try them all.

The color of the braised snacks is just right, showing a beautiful golden hue. The ingredients are well-marinated, and the sauce isn’t too salty or spicy, though it leans slightly sweet. I wasn’t entirely used to that hint of sweetness.

“Xida Fa” is one of the must-buy souvenirs for many visitors to the City God Temple. Their signature items are the City God Buns and Bursting Brown Sugar Buns — both are my favorites. The store is usually packed with a long line, and even when I went back the next day to buy frozen ones, I still waited over half an hour. You can tell how popular this place is.

Guojia Spring Rolls
This is also a century-old, super-popular shop that has been passed down to the fifth generation. They only sell one item — spring rolls — and their stall is right by the main road, often with a long queue. The spring roll wrapper is wrapped around a ton of delicious fillings, making it super convenient for eating on the go.

You can see the staff wrapping them up super quickly. The spring roll skin and filling don’t stick together, maintaining a moist texture. For the best taste, go for the spring rolls that are made to order.

The spring roll skins are made fresh daily, keeping their elasticity and moisture. The handmade texture gives an amazing chewy feel that’s simply delightful.

There are so many fillings: cabbage, white radish, carrot, plus egg crisps, cilantro, and bean sprouts. There’s also their signature marinated veggies, creating layers of flavor that make it impossible to stop at just one bite.

After eating so much, it’s time for some ice cream to cool down. I recommend “Lin Family Ice Shop,” which I always visit whenever I come here. Their stall is easy to find right next to the Heavenly God Furnace, and this small stand is always packed, making it very noticeable.

Their toppings are quite traditional — red beans, mung beans, peanuts, and other ingredients. Each bowl of ice costs less than NT$50, making it a very authentic traditional dessert.

The ingredients are displayed in a transparent case. After ordering, you can watch the boss quickly scoop everything into the bowl, and in the blink of an eye, your order is ready. No weighing or measuring needed — just shows how experienced they are.

I didn’t manage to get a photo of the ice because I waited so long for a seat and ended up taking it back to the hotel to enjoy with the air conditioning. You can really taste the effort the boss puts into cooking it fresh, with minimal seasoning to let the ingredients shine in their natural flavors.

Dessert lovers definitely shouldn’t miss “Ye Dalili Tapioca,” another spot in the City God Temple area, but located on Beimen Street. Their most famous items are the Mixed Tapioca Ice and Hot Taro Paste — two must-tries.

The big red sign reading “(Ye) Dalili Tapioca Ice” is super easy to spot from far away.

Every bowl of ice looks absolutely delicious. Who knew there could be so many different kinds of tapioca combinations? The translucent tapioca pearls look incredibly appetizing.

Their ice desserts mainly feature tapioca paired with other ingredients, all priced under NT$45 — truly affordable street food.

This is the standard amount of ice. If you want less ice, just let the owner know. The tapioca pearls come in various colors, which are very pleasing to the eye. They’re cooked just right—not too soft—and have a great texture. The hot taro paste is silky smooth and delicious, with a rich taro flavor that melts in your mouth. It’s truly rare to find something like this, and it’s definitely a taste I won’t forget.

Every time I have the chance to visit Hsinchu, I never miss the street food near the ‘City God Temple.’ Most of the stalls serve traditional dishes with years of history, and each one is a popular spot. Of course, there are also many delicacies I haven’t tried yet, and every visit leaves me with the regret of seeing too much food to eat. I recommend this to anyone traveling to Hsinchu who wants to explore the City God Temple’s culinary offerings.

Hsinchu City God Temple
Address: No. 75, Zhongshan Rd., North District, Hsinchu City

Miao Yang Winter Melon Grass Jelly Thread (Head Store)
Address: No. 62, Xi’an St., North District, Hsinchu City
Business Hours: 10:30–22:30
Phone: 0921-476-999

Xi Da Fa City God Buns
Address: No. 3, Chang’an St., North District, Hsinchu City
Phone: (03)525-9115
Business Hours: 08:30–22:00

Lin Family Ice Shop
Address: In front of the City God Temple entrance
Phone: (03)523-0343

Ye Da Li Tapioca Pearls
Address: No. 83, Beimen St., North District, Hsinchu City
Phone: (03)525-6763
Business Hours: 12:00–23:00
 

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