Big mouthful burgers at Hsinchu Kiln Burger Joint — only 10 shoulder tender steak & egg toast sets available daily!

Text & photos by /Viviyu

Earlier, I saw some tempting food photos of kiln-cured ham dishes from a Taichung friend and had it on my to-visit list. Later, I noticed that the Hsinchu branch has a more spacious interior, so I quickly made plans with a friend in Hsinchu to visit right when it opened. With fewer customers around opening time, we were able to try their limited daily items. To avoid waiting in line, you can do as we did and arrive early!

There are public parking spaces in front of Kiln Ham Workshop, and private parking lots nearby, so parking is quite convenient.

As soon as you walk into the store, you’ll see the iconic photo of the wood-fired kiln — this shouldn’t be unfamiliar if you’re part of the tea enthusiasts’ group, as everyone loves taking photos here for social media!

The owner of Kiln Ham Workshop has traveled to various countries to learn — from Puglia on Italy’s Adriatic coast to Shizuoka in Japan. After exploring the world and studying all kinds of literature, they’ve created these satisfying meat products.

You order first, then take a seat, and all meals are made to order, so there’s a wait time. Once your food arrives, you have up to one hour to finish it. Since the seating is limited, it’s better to eat quickly or take your meal to go.

The restaurant has an open kitchen, so you can see the entire cooking process — the ingredients and clean kitchen are all visible, which makes eating here feel more reassuring.

There aren’t many items on the menu — quality over quantity. Most dishes are made to order and take about 15–20 minutes, just enough time to chat with friends before your meal is ready!

One particularly special item is the shoulder tender steak & egg toast,which is limited to just 10 servings a day!There are also premium combo options you can add, such asthe Adult Plan,which comes with beer — a pretty fun and creative combo. We, however, all went for theOil-Cutting Combo for $120,which felt like it helped ease the guilt of devouring a huge burger.

I really like the first-floor design of Kiln Ham Workshop Hsinchu — having an open kitchen at home would be amazing. Friends who are interested can also sit in the first-floor dining area to watch the burger-making process, though it can get a bit smokier.

Arriving right when they open lets you catch the rare sight of an empty space. The second floor has only about 20 seats and is usually packed by lunchtime.

The third floor is like a private lounge with a large lawn outside, but it’s generally not open to the public.

After ordering, you’ll receive a vibrating pager. When it buzzes, you can pick up your food. We waited about 20 minutes before getting our meals.

Honey Black Tea & Biluochun

The Oil-Cutting Combo comes with two types of cold-brewed tea: Biluochun from Sandie and Honey Black Tea from Beibu. I preferred the Biluochun — unsweetened and ice cold, it really cuts through the grease, with fragrant tea notes and a sweet aftertaste, not bitter at all.

There are two types of fries: Mexican garlic fries and rosemary fries. The rosemary ones taste more like regular fries.

I went with the Mexican garlic fries, which come with a small cup of garlic dipping sauce. Dipping them makes them even tastier — great for those who love bold flavors.

Can’t wait to unwrap the burger!

Each burger bun is unique — it’s clear they pay attention to ingredients and details, and the portion size is generous too.

New Orleans Chicken Leg Burger $250

Homemade New Orleans chicken leg patty / tomato / arugula / kiln-special sauce / homemade bread

My friend doesn’t eat pork, so they opted for the New Orleans Chicken Leg Burger. When it arrived, the burger was surprisingly huge — truly impressive!! Packed with juices and sauce, every big bite was super satisfying, perfect for those with a big appetite.

My friend, who eats like a bird, had more than half of it and kept saying how delicious it was.

Mexican Beef Burger $250

Prime-grade dry-aged beef burger / tomato / arugula / jalapeño / cheddar cheese / homemade bread

Made 100% with wet-aged Prime-grade beef, you can tell it’s intentionally cooked medium-rare—around medium doneness—to bring out the tenderness and juiciness of the beef.

Shoulder steak egg toast $250 (10 servings daily limit)

Prime-grade shoulder steak / tomato / arugula / sunny-side up egg / homemade bread

The Prime-grade shoulder steak is sous-vide cooked then pan-seared, paired with a thick, almost-burger-bun-style homemade bread, fresh arugula, and a runny sunny-side up egg—the yolk oozing out makes it even tastier.

The shoulder steak is incredibly tender, with a juicy bite to it—it’s the most delicious burger I’ve had recently!! No wonder the place is packed during weekday lunch hours, with people lining up outside. It’s also great for takeout.

Chaiyao Ham Workshop
Address: No. 141, Guanxin 2nd St., East District, Hsinchu City
Phone: 03-577 0009
Hours: 10:30–14:30, 17:00–21:30 (closed every Monday)

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