Let’s dig in on Jinan Road — the presidential-level dumpling spot that always has a line!

Text & photos by TravelSight’s Liao Weiren
 
Situated near Taipei’s Zhongzheng and Bo’ai Special Districts, Jinan Road is packed with restaurants that feed the lives of local residents, students, and office workers. This dumpling shop, always bursting at the seams regardless of mealtime, is known as a presidential-level dumpling destination in Taipei. Today, we’re taking you and our readers along for a taste!

Qiao Zhi Wei Dumplings is located on Section 2, Jinan Road, Zhongzheng District. The moment the doors open each day, a long queue forms outside the store as foodies line up to buy their frozen dumplings. Even outside peak hours, there’s always a steady stream of customers — the sight of the line can be intimidating even before you’ve tasted the food.

Qiao Zhi Wei’s dumplings mainly feature their signature variety, leek dumplings, and scallop dumplings. The scallop dumplings are a favorite among regulars. Their green wrappers are a refreshing twist, achieved by adding green algae to the dough, giving them a deep jade-green color. The filling combines pork, cabbage, and scallops, with the sweet umami flavor perfectly balanced by the just-right thickness of the wrapper.

The leek dumplings are also excellent, with well-proportioned leeks and pork mixed just right. The highlight? Their wrappers cling tightly to the filling, making each bite firm, smooth, and satisfying.

Their mixed meatball soup includes pork meatballs, fish balls, and milkfish balls. The broth is nothing special, but the texture of the meatballs is quite good — it feels like high-quality ingredients were used. It pairs nicely with the dumplings.