Handmade Pizza on Taiwan’s Easternmost Isle: Less Variety, More Heart from the Owner

Text/Photos byXiao Sheng

Orchid Island, Taiwan’s last earthly paradise. This was my second visit, not entirely for travel, but stepping beyond the bounds of tourism always allows you to enjoy the most genuine things. Although Orchid Island has changed quite a bit, the most pure and simple-hearted Orchid Islanders have remained completely unchanged.

During this trip to Orchid Island, I stayed at the homestay "Tears of the Sky" in Dongqing. The owner told me that a delicious pizza shop had recently opened quietly in a corner of Dongqing. Having visited Orchid Island for a few days before, I had already tried the famous (Dongqing Mei Ya Mei), the tasty (Mermaid and Cat), and the famously "ultra" unique (No X No Seat), so I decided to head to this pizza shop—Yama’s Sweet Potato Garden Handmade Pizza—for a feast.

Yama’s Sweet Potato Garden is located in the back hills of Dongqing Tribe on Orchid Island. On the way from Dongqing to Yeyin, make a right turn just before the bridge. After about 200 meters, you’ll arrive. There are clear signs along the circumferential highway and near Yama’s Sweet Potato Garden to help you identify the location.

Following the signs and turning in, a solitary building stands before you—that’s Yama’s Sweet Potato Garden. There are no other buildings in the vicinity, giving a sense of floating in the mountains. The building resembles a blue-and-white castle. Although the blue-and-white color scheme might make you think of Mediterranean style, I feel that blue and white best capture the imagery of Orchid Island’s blue skies, white clouds, and vibrant spirit.

The house is full of thoughtful design details. The railing on the second floor is particularly interesting, and the most striking is the painting in front of the door—depicting the Orchid Island scops owl perched on a treetop, reminding me of the nights I spent watching scops owls and catching sea snakes.

The origin of Yama’s Sweet Potato Garden’s name: "Yama" means "father" in the Tao language. The homestay was renovated from the father’s sweet potato garden. In addition to handmade pizza, Yama’s Sweet Potato Garden also offers homestay accommodations and handmade accessories for purchase.

The view behind the building is magnificent, with lush green trees covering the back hills of Dongqing. Next to the building is the father’s sweet potato garden. Although the owner hasn’t had time to maintain it, leaving it overgrown with weeds, there are still sweet potatoes in the garden. But having rarely seen sweet potatoes in the wild, I didn’t think this plant looked like sweet potatoes. It was only after a friend reminded me that I remembered—sweet potato leaves are usually what you see on the plate, which naturally looks quite different.

Yama’s Sweet Potato Garden Homestay hosts traveling workers every year. This year, a young girl came to work here. The handmade pizzas in the homestay are managed by her. Since they’re made by hand, it takes more time, with only 20 available per day. It’s recommended to call ahead to reserve one to avoid waiting in vain.

Margherita Pizza (NT$200): Yama’s Handmade Sweet Potato Garden offers only three types of pizza: Margherita, Kimchi Pork, and Hawaiian. Though the variety is limited, having pizza on Orchid Island, where supplies depend on cargo ships, is already impressive. Pizza prices range between NT$200–240, which is very affordable for Orchid Island.

The Margherita is primarily tomato-based, paired with rich cheese. The crust is my preferred thin-crust style. A friend jokingly asked why there wasn’t any cheese inside the crust, but I shot back that we’re lucky to even have pizza on Orchid Island, let alone complain about the cheese. The thin crust is soft and chewy, pairing well with the tomato, while the rich aroma of the cheese adds extra flavor to the pizza.

Kimchi Pork Pizza (NT$240): The kimchi pork pizza is pricier but also the most generously topped. In addition to the main kimchi and pork, the pizza includes onions and green peppers, making it the most colorful of the three.

The kimchi has a spicy kick, and when combined with onions, green peppers, and cheese, it enhances the star ingredient—pork. The multiple bold flavors make this kimchi pork pizza the strongest-tasting of the three and our personal favorite.

Hawaiian Pizza (NT$200): The Hawaiian pizza is the most basic style, featuring only pineapple and ham. But it’s one of my go-to orders whenever I visit a pizza shop, and it’s one of my favorites. Though it only has pineapple and ham, the portions are generous, making the toppings look plentiful visually.

Unlike the others, this Hawaiian pizza balances the sweetness of the pineapple, the saltiness of the ham, and the richness of the cheese. The sweet-salty combination, paired with the creamy cheese, creates a multi-layered flavor that’s simply delightful.

Although Yama’s Sweet Potato Garden Handmade Pizza is located in remote Orchid Island and may not offer the same variety and diversity as pizzas on Taiwan’s main island, the heartfelt effort put into making these pizzas holds its own. Later, I learned that just a few days before my visit, Yama’s Sweet Potato Garden had been featured in an Apple Daily report. Visitors to Orchid Island must try this pizza.

[Yama’s Sweet Potato Garden]
Address: No. 137, Dongqing Village, Orchid Township, Taitung County
Phone: 0933-300195 (Yang Wenbin)
Pizza Shop Hours: 11:00–14:00, 17:00–20:00 (Closed Tuesdays)

Xiao Sheng’s Wandering Journey
Every journey, every trip is a pursuit. Though I’m not entirely sure what I’m chasing, what I ultimately gain is always more than I imagined. So my wandering journey will continue unabated.