"Osmanthus and Lychee Ice" with Mint Water Wins Title of Taiwan's Best Ice Dessert

▲ "Tamsui Lychee Osmanthus Ice"—sweet lychees paired with refreshing mint water—won the title of netizens' favorite local ice dessert. (Photo provided by yam.com)

Travel Center / Taipei Report

When it comes to "ice," it means summer has arrived. On scorching summer days, ice is an indispensable treat to beat the heat, but are you tired of the usual traditional shaved ice or store-bought popsicles? A domestic portal site held the "Taiwan’s Top 10 Local Ice Desserts PK," running from May 10 to May 23 over a two-week period. It gathered and screened 27 specialty ice desserts across Taiwan, and through online voting, selected the top ten local ice desserts,among which"Tamsui Lychee Osmanthus Ice"was deeply loved by netizens, earning the first-place title with 21,123 votes.

Lai Shu-wei, PR representative of yam.com, said: "For this voting campaign, we initially identified over 60 shops that were trending online, then narrowed it down to a list recommended by food bloggers in the second phase. Finally, we selected 27 shops for the public to vote on, choosing the most popular local ice snacks."

The top-ranked local ice dessert is theOsmanthus and Lychee Icefrom Tamsui Old Street.Though it may look simple, the Osmanthus and Lychee Ice is extremely refreshing. The owner specially uses imported osmanthus syrup, which is sweet without being cloying. The frozen lychees retain their natural juiciness and sweetness, offering a tender and succulent texture. In addition to the fragrant osmanthus, the owner also adds mint water, whose cool and refreshing taste enriches the overall flavor without overpowering the original taste. It’s also an ice dessert that Jay Chou has enjoyed since his school days.


▲ Traditional preparation methods combined with imported osmanthus syrup give this flower-scented treat a nostalgic flavor—it’s an ice Jay Chou has loved since childhood. (Photo provided by yam.com)

Second Place: "Hami Melon Ice" from Tainan’s Tai Cheng Fruit StoreHami Melon Ice.Tai Cheng Fruit Store, which has a 70-year history, not only sells seasonal fresh fruits but also offers fruit ice, fruit platters, and freshly blended juices. Among these, the Hami Melon Ice is the most popular. A halved Hami melon serves as the serving vessel, with crushed ice and other ingredients layered at the bottom, topped with sweet Hami melon balls and cantaloupe balls, all drizzled with rich condensed milk. Its cool, refreshing taste temporarily banishes the summer heat.

Third Place: The signaturePlum Iceat the original Fong Ren Ice store in Taichung is a customer favorite.The creamy plum ice is paired with melt-in-your-mouth red beans, chewy tapioca pearls, and sweet potato balls, along with a scoop of sweet, rich vanilla ice cream, adding more layers of flavor. In addition to plum ice, the refreshing pineapple ice and the strong tea-flavored black tea ice are also great choices.

Fourth Place: TheMango Icefrom You Jian Ice Shop in Tainan.Unlike typical mango ice, You Jian Ice Shop shaves mango ice bricks first, then piles them high with locally grown Yu-Tian mangoes and passion fruits. Homemade ice cream is added on top, followed by a drizzle of mango sauce—it’s truly mouthwatering. Additionally, the condensed milk at the shop can be added unlimitedly, allowing customers to adjust to their personal preferences.

Fifth Place: "Snow King Ice Cream" in TaipeiSnow King Ice Cream.Offering 73 flavors for customers to choose from, every flavor is made with quality ingredients. Aside from common fruit and nut flavors, the owner has also developed unique ones—highly recommended options include dried meat floss, basil, and fried peanuts. These innovative flavors give the ice cream a distinctive appearance and taste.

6th Place: Pingtung Chaozhou’sHot-and-Cold Ice.Created by happy accident, their unique “burned cold ice” features a base of peanut kernels, red beans, taro, and glutinous rice balls—all meticulously simmered by the owner to a smooth, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Topped with refreshing shaved ice and drizzled with sweet glutinous rice porridge, the contrasting hot-and-cold sensation in every bite is truly special.

7th Place: Hualien’sFengchun Fruit Ice Shop.Preserving pre-1960s traditional ice-making methods, they use the original ammonia-based ice production technique, boiling sugarcane juice to make sugarcane ice—even without toppings, it’s delicious. All ice dessert ingredients are cooked over a wood fire, offering a rich, traditional flavor. The shop’s antique machines are a major highlight, with only three such machines left in Taiwan today.

8th Place: Pingtung Checheng’sMom Lin’s Mung Bean Sweet Soup.All ingredients and mung bean kernels are freshly cooked by the owner daily. The shop’s signature malt caramel is particularly unique—each bite of the perfectly soft mung beans pairs with a non-cloying caramel that adds a fragrant touch. The dish offers different textures whether served hot or cold.

9th Place: Penghu’s Yi FamilyCactus Ice.Yi Family’s cactus ice is a must-try in Penghu, the result of years of research by the owner. The intricate, entirely handmade process highlights the natural aroma of cactus fruit, which melts smoothly in your mouth. Its creamy, silky texture and sweet-sour taste are truly unforgettable.

10th Place: Keelung’sShrimp Ice & Crab Sauce.Taiwan’s first to combine seafood with ice desserts, the owner has developed innovative flavors that defy tradition—turning squid, tuna, and shrimp into ice cream, and using dried small fish, fish roe, and sakura shrimp as toppings. The ice has no seafood fishiness and boldly challenges diners’ taste buds.