You might just miss it by accident—hidden must-try delicacies in Hualien

Food is the paramount necessity of the people, and delicious eats are definitely the top search trend among Taiwanese. Today, we’re taking you to a must-try food spot in Hualien. This ice shop has topped our list of the best things we ate in Hualien—and let me tell you, Vicky was so obsessed after just one try that we ended up coming back twice in one week. What’s so special about it?

The ice shop owner adheres to the traditional spirit of ice-making, continuing the old-school methods of crafting frozen treats. Check out the traditional ice-making equipment here—it’s truly eye-opening. The shop is divided into two sections: one side houses massive ice-making machines, while the other is for dine-in seating.

But what’s most unique isn’t just the vintage equipment—the ice desserts are the real stars. The sugarcane ice comes in two layers, with the fluffy topping made using firewood-cooked ingredients. We’ve had firewood-baked pizza, bread, and dishes before, but never firewood-cooked red bean, green bean, or flower bean fillings.

The smooth texture makes you feel like a bubble of happiness surrounds you with every bite. Especially the incredible taro paste—it totally melted my heart. The red bean and green bean flavors are also super comforting.

The bottom layer isn’t ordinary ice either—it’s sugarcane ice with a delicate, fragrant taste, paired with pineapple for a combo that completely won over Vicky’s taste buds. For 50 New Taiwan Dollars, you can choose two toppings. On our second visit, we were crushed because the pineapple sold out too quickly due to high demand. The ice is served every 15 minutes and sells out instantly.

This ice shop was recommended to us by locals in Hualien, who said they often can’t even get it themselves. So if you’re going, definitely avoid weekends—otherwise, the line will have you crying for your mom. Also, it’s only open in the summer, roughly until October, because no one wants ice in the winter anyway.

Address: No. 79, Section 1, Shoufeng Road, Shoufeng Township, Hualien County
Business Hours: 8:00 AM–9:00 PM
Phone: (03) 865-1530

A huge plate of signature clams piled up like a small mountain, and sweet-and-sour fish is another one of my favorites. Every time I order sweet-and-sour fish, someone always says steamed fish is fresher (but I just want sweet-and-sour!)

I really can’t resist sweet-and-sour flavors. The clams aren’t big, but they’re super sweet (with zero earthy taste). The downside is that on the day we went, it was insanely crowded—even though it was a weekday—so the serving order seemed a bit off (maybe the kitchen was understaffed and couldn’t manage well), and we saw quite a few tour guides complaining at the counter about long waits and wanting to cancel orders or leave. Thankfully, we didn’t have that issue.

But since our group was small, we couldn’t order a full table of dishes. Next time, we’ll definitely come back. The sign outside features a giant clam.

What’s most unique about Lichuan Fish Farm is that besides the restaurant, there’s also a cultural ecology museum that introduces the history of Taiwan’s fish and sea bream. So when you’re at the restaurant, you absolutely have to order the fish dishes—they’re so good (mouth watering…).

The clam-digging pool is perfect for families. (Payment can be partially deducted from park admission.) You can take home as many clams as you dig up. This place is definitely a must-return destination for our next trip with friends.

Address: No. 45, Yuchi, Shoufeng Township, Hualien County
Business Hours: 10:00 AM–2:00 PM, 3:20 PM–7:30 PM
Phone: (03) 865-1333

This is also an incredibly traditional little eatery. If it weren’t for being brought here by a local, we would’ve walked right past it without a second glance—how rude of us.

Doesn’t it look totally unremarkable? But the most amazing foods often come from these hidden, traditional snack shops.

Once you step inside, it’s like a whole new world—completely packed, and I just wanted to belt out “Madrid Is Magical” (presidential edition).

Highly recommend the signature mixed noodles and lemonade. The fried rice is also great, but the best thing is the banquet-style dishes we saw other tables ordering (which made our mouths water). Unfortunately, our group was too small for those (sob—we’ll definitely be back for them all next time).

The ginger-sautéed pork intestines are also irresistible.

The Foodie Warriors really do cover all of Taiwan.
(Recommended reading:)

The lemonade is refreshing and thirst-quenching—one cup for 35 New Taiwan Dollars, and Vicky loves it. It’s even become so popular that office workers in Taipei are ordering it in bulk. Locals also mentioned that back in high school, it only cost 10 New Taiwan Dollars, and the owner would often give them free drinks. Now that it’s famous... well, you know how it goes. No need to elaborate.

I’m so bummed we didn’t get to try the combo dishes. I’ve already got my next order planned out (am I the only one this obsessed?), haha—I’ll let you know how the combo dishes are next time.

Address: No. 22, Bo’ai Road, Xincheng Township, Hualien County
Business Hours: 8:00 AM–5:00 PM
Phone: (03)8611-888
FB: Jiashing Ice Parlor

As a university student studying in Tainan, I absolutely love Guancaiban from the traditional old shops in Tainan’s Sakariba Market, so you could say I’m practically a Guancaiban expert, haha!

What sets this Guancaiban apart is that in Tainan there’s only one filling option, but here there are so many varieties you can’t even count them all, making it hard to choose—some might even worry if it’s okay to sell something with such a random mix of flavors.

In the end, we randomly ordered two: the satay lamb and the cream chicken, both of which were quite delicious. The fillings were rich, flavorful, and generously portioned, showing no signs of carelessness. Alright then—turns out the owner really does put effort into it instead of just haphazardly selling stuff.

While waiting, I became even more convinced that I’m truly the Rain God—I brought Taipei’s rain along with me. It rained non-stop the entire week we were here. How did that happen? When we came to the night market, this was the only shop that was packed, with everyone frantically buying several bags at a time. Next time I’ll definitely come back for the lobster salad—it looked amazing!

Address: Intersection of Ziqiang Road and Heping Road, Jianshan Township, Hualien County (inside Ziqiang Night Market)
Business Hours: 4:00 PM – 1:00 AM
Phone: (03)8355-045

Hualien has two Bomb Scallion Pancake shops located on the same alley. This street is known as “Scallion Pancake Alley,” because no matter whether it’s a weekday or a holiday, there’s always a long line of people queuing up. Both shops come from the same origin—we bought from the one on the right, which is the one locals frequent.

People from Hualien say: the original shop is the one on the right when facing the store front. It used to be an old man selling plain scallion pancakes, hence the name. The one on the left is run by a young apprentice who went independent, added his own creative twist, and named it “Bomb Scallion Pancake,” after which it became an internet sensation.

So you really do need to know how to keep up with the times and market yourself. We’re living in the age of the internet now—it’s all about word-of-mouth recommendations. Otherwise, even if your food is great, no one will know, right?

Eating this requires real caution. We had just gone stream trekking and bought it—we had to eat it right away while it was hot. Food is truly best when eaten fresh. My nose was almost stuffy from a cold, so I could barely smell anything, yet the moment I brought it close to my mouth, I caught the rich aroma of the crispy, fried scallion pancake crust. The locals warned us to take small bites or it would explode in your mouth—and sure enough, we nibbled very carefully and didn’t have any mishaps.

Our neighbor, Silly Black, got egg yolk all over himself and kept wiping with tissue. After eating, he said that if there were no line, he’d highly recommend it—but if you have to wait at least 30 minutes to an hour like they do at Yilan’s Bomb Scallion Pancake, then eating it becomes too much of a hassle, because we really hate waiting in line.

Address: No. 102, Fuxing Street, Hualien County
Business Hours: 1:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Phone: 0955-282-038

This hidden Vietnamese gem is tucked away in a rural path off Provincial Highway 9—even the locals guiding us almost missed the turnoff and couldn’t find the small road. It’s seriously so hidden it feels like a secret. Apparently, it’s super famous locally in Ruisui—if you don’t make a reservation in advance, you’ll never get a seat. And when we walked in, we were genuinely shocked. It was a weekday, and aside from the table we reserved, every other table, including those outdoors, was completely full. Truly unbelievable!(Recommended reading:)

No need for too much talk—let’s dig in. There were three of us, and this restaurant has a fun system where you pay per person—at $300 NTD each. Just tell the boss how many people are in your group, and they’ll prepare a set meal for you. Isn’t that neat? It’s kind of like an omakase-style meal.

We’re big fans of Thai and Vietnamese cuisine. This incredibly impressive pumpkin dish, also nicknamed “Men and Women’s Love,” had an ultra-smooth texture that instantly boosted our happiness level by 300%. The lady boss cheerfully chatted with us and said pumpkin is good for both men and women, especially for men as it apparently has aphrodisiac effects (haha, who knew?).

She said cooking this pumpkin takes a long time—several hours of simmering in milk—to prevent the pumpkin from turning watery and losing flavor. Other dishes like the Vietnamese stir-fried noodles and “Wall-Banging” dumplings are packed with sweet leeks that are so delicious you’ll want to bang your head against a wall (just kidding).

There’s also a refreshing vegetable soup. There wasn’t a single dish that wouldn’t suit parents. Haha!The flavors here are fresh and light—I personally think this place is perfect for bringing the family. I bet my parents MiMi and A’Ba would love it. We’ll bring them next time we have the chance.

We’ve always thought the name “Sabading” is really amusing. The area is known for its honey-scented black tea and coffee. This homestay is about a 1.5-hour drive from the city train station to Ruisui, which is a bit of a distance, making it ideal for friends traveling along the East Rift Valley route or those visiting Ruisui Farm. The homestay is located in Tea Fragrance Lane and must offer a very peaceful stay.

Address: No. 211-1, Wuhe Village, Ruisui Township, Hualien County
Business Hours: 11:30 AM – 2:00 PM, Dinner 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM (Reservations required for meals)
Phone: (03)8871-378, 0933-486-206