Winter Solstice is the perfect time to enjoy tangyuan (glutinous rice balls)! A special feature on Taipei’s famous tangyuan shops

FunTime Editorial Team

When Winter Solstice comes each year, it’s the time for everyone to eat tangyuan, grow a year older, and celebrate the meaning of reunion. Enjoying a warm bowl of tangyuan in the cold winter—whether savory or sweet—is simply delicious. With such a wide variety of tangyuan, how do you choose? This issue, our editors recommend several super popular tangyuan shops in Taipei that are not only a hit during Winter Solstice but are also extremely popular year-round. Come take a look with us!

Sanliu Yuanzi Dian (Three-Six Round Son Shop) is a local seventy-year-old shop that has now been passed down to the third generation. The shop’s popular dish is traditional-style mixed sweet soup, packed with taro, lotus seeds, tangyuan, taro balls, red beans, and peanuts—generous portions that are sweet but not cloying. In addition, the traditional red and white small tangyuan, paired with the shop’s homemade red bean soup and peanut soup, offer a Q (chewy) texture that has made them a very popular item in the shop as well!

Phone: (02)2306-3765
Address: No. 92, Sanshui St., Wanhua District, Taipei City

(source by FB)

Students at National Taiwan University in Taipei must all know the popular Taiyi Dairy King, a cherished memory from university days—eating ice cream in summer and tangyuan in winter. Their signature handmade red bean tangyuan are perfectly round and plump, with a chewy skin and generous filling. Whether it's savory pork tangyuan, sesame tangyuan, or peanut tangyuan, their delicious taste brings great satisfaction even in the cold winter. No wonder every Winter Solstice, they attract huge crowds!

Phone: (02)2363-4341
Address: No. 82, Section 3, Xinsheng S. Rd., Da’an District, Taipei City

Tsai Wanxing Old Shop is a famous tangyuan spot located near Taipei’s Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall area. This district is mainly home to Mainlander communities, and many old Mainlander restaurants gather here. Specializing in Jiangsu-Zhejiang dim sum and Shanghai cuisine, Tsai Wanxing Old Shop has become a popular destination thanks to its Huzhou zongzi, vegetable and meat wontons, osmanthus-infused tangyuan, and Shanghai-style rice dishes.

Operating in Taiwan for over 60 years, it was also one

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Business hours: 11:30–14:00, 17:00–21:00 (closed on Mondays)
Phone: (02)2351-0848
Address: No. 16-6, Fuzhou Street, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City

Taipei Shuanglian Glutinous Ball Soup is a sixty-year-old shop. Not only do locals love it, but tourists also flock here for its reputation. This long-established eatery emphasizes a diet that is natural, healthful, and promotes bodily wellness. It continuously works to develop products that cater to modern tastes. With one bite of their glutinous balls, the moist and rich filling bursts out, while the chewy outer skin offers a delightfully warm and unforgettable flavor!

Business hours: 10:30–22:30
Phone: (02)2559-7595
Address: No. 136, Minsheng West Road, Datong District, Taipei City

Zhengjiang Hao is a Taipei snack spot with over thirty years of history, located near the National Chengchi University Public Enterprise Center and Tamkang University’s Urban Campus. Originally starting as an ice cream and fruit specialty store, it gradually added chicken vermicelli noodles, tempura, and glutinous balls. For over three decades, it has served up unforgettable traditional flavors. The handmade glutinous balls have a savory and aromatic filling, made with glutinous rice using traditional methods—the skin is chewy, soft, and elastic. In addition to enjoying warm glutinous balls during the Winter Solstice, summer also brings affordably priced, generous portions of icy treats. No wonder its fame spreads far and wide!

Phone: (02)2395-2109
Address: No. 109, Section 2, Jinshan South Road, Da’an District, Taipei City

Taipei Bayong Glutinous Ball Soup is a time-honored shop with over 30 years of legacy. Their signature glutinous balls in wine lees egg and sesame soup are extremely popular. The soft yet chewy outer skin pairs perfectly with the tangy-sweet soup, while the sesame filling is hearty and richly fragrant. Each bowl typically comes with about four sesame balls—satisfyingly filling and a must-try for anyone visiting during the Winter Solstice. Over 90% of the shop’s customers come specifically for these wine lees egg sesame balls—just goes to show how incredibly popular they are!

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Phone: (02)2332-9617
Address: No. 20, Lane 309, Section 2, Zhonghua Road, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City

However, although tangyuan are delicious, everyone should still be careful not to choke, and try not to eat them while watching TV or doing other things.Elderly people and children should preferably eat tangyuan with someone accompanying them to avoid any danger.We hope everyone can have a warm and wonderful Winter Solstice celebration !

[Authorized repost from FunTime Travel Recommendations. Original source: [Taipei Tangyuan Recommendations – Must-Eat Tangyuan for Winter Solstice ! Special Search for Taipei’s Super Delicious Tangyuan Shops !]]