A shared childhood memory for people from Anping—purely handmade sweet and savory crispy pies

Text & Photos /Xiaosheng

The taste of Mom Xu’s handmade crispy pies in Anping has wafted through the town for 50 years, and their crispy, flaky deliciousness is a cherished memory for many locals.

This time, Xiaosheng wants to introduce a delicious local breakfast spot—Mom Xu’s Breakfast. Although I’ve been eating here since childhood, I never used to come with a camera because I came so often. It wasn’t until I brought out-of-town friends here for breakfast that I took some photos and was finally able to share this local hometown delicacy with everyone.

Mom Xu’s Breakfast has stood in the Anping area for 50 years. Like Little Dumpling Stinky Tofu, it originally operated across from Anping Tianhou Temple before relocating to Anbei Road after that site was demolished. Every morning, many locals—including me—flock here without fail.

The crispy pies, stuffed pastries, and flaky pies at Mom Xu’s are all handmade on-site, and you can clearly see the staff rolling out dough in the shop. The aroma of freshly baked crispy pies wafts through the air—it’s enough to make anyone’s mouth water just from the smell.

Aside from the standard crispy pies, the shop also offers a variety of flaky pies, including sweet, peanut, taro paste, red bean, and meat-filled versions. However, the best-selling and most popular is still the classic sweet flaky pie. Especially on weekends, they sell out as soon as they come out of the oven—you have to wait for the next batch before you can enjoy them. There are also steamed buns and meat buns available, but the flaky pies are what I buy most often.

That said, the prices of flaky pies have been rising in recent years. When I returned to Taiwan after being away for two years, I was shocked by how much they’ve gone up. I remember them being just NT$15 before I left, but now they’re NT$25 (though I had taken photos showing them at NT$23, they’ve now risen to NT$25). Even drinks like soy milk and rice milk have gone up a lot. It seems that with rising raw material costs, the prices of Tainan snacks just aren’t what they used to be.

This time, when I came with a friend, we only bought the sweet flaky pies I usually get, along with the meat-filled flaky pies, which I was trying for the first time. Sometimes I’m a bit particular about food, so whenever I come to Mom Xu’s, I usually get meat buns and sweet flaky pies, occasionally peanut flaky pies—but I’d completely forgotten about the meat-filled ones. That day, I decided to try something different.

Soy milk, rice milk, almond tea (medium NT$20, large NT$25)—the drink prices at Mom Xu’s are also slightly higher than at most breakfast shops. The soy milk and rice milk are decent, but what’s more special is the old-fashioned almond tea. It has a faint traditional flavor—not overwhelmingly strong, but still quite pleasant.

Sweet flaky pies and meat-filled flaky pies. I’ve also had their youtiao (Chinese fried dough sticks) and meat buns, but the youtiao here tends to be a bit dry and hard, so I don’t like it as much. However, I do quite like the meat buns. Though the filling is small (don’t expect too much from the NT$12 version), the savory and hearty meat is delicious, making it another breakfast I often enjoy.

Sweet flaky pie (NT$25). Though these big-looking sweet flaky pies appear solid, they’re actually hollow inside. Yet, the thin, crispy crust is extremely flaky. Topped with plenty of sesame seeds, the filling is just maltose—but besides the sweetness, the fragrant sesame adds a lovely touch that makes me fall in love with these pies.

Meat-filled flaky pie (NT$30). Though I tried this for the first time, it was incredibly impressive. The crust is still crispy but a bit thicker than the sweet version, offering a layered crunch. The savory filling is fresh and juicy, bursting with flavor in every bite. In addition to the meaty taste, there’s also a hint of scallion aroma—this meat-filled flaky pie is absolutely perfect for me.

Mom Xu’s breakfast shop has been a fixture in Anping for a long time and has many loyal regulars. The quality of their flaky pies truly earns rave reviews and keeps people coming back for more. If you’re ever in Anping, definitely give Mom Xu’s delicious flaky pies a try.

Mom Xu’s Breakfast
Address: No. 93, Anbei Road, Anping District, Tainan City
Phone: (06)2204106
Business Hours: 05:30–14:00

Xiaosheng’s Wandering Journey
Every journey and every trip is a pursuit—even if I’m not entirely sure what I’m seeking, what I ultimately gain always exceeds my expectations. So, my wandering journey will continue, endlessly.