A Comparison of 3 Famous Chinese Breakfast Spots in Tainan – Ultra-Aromatic Traditional-Style Scallion Pancakes!

Text & Photos byXiaohu’s Dream Food Blog

Tainan has an amazing local snack – have you heard of “satay scallion pancakes”? On this day, I visited three soy milk stalls within a single day and achieved the feat of eating three different scallion pancakes... So, which one did I end up recommending the most?

Let’s take a look at the map... All are within walking distance, reachable in about ten minutes or less. However, Xu Mama’s Early Breakfast opens only in the morning, Doujiang Zong serves both breakfast and late-night, while Sisters’ Soy Milk Stall operates late into the night.

The first stop is “Sisters’ Soy Milk Stall,” which is quite unique as it only opens in the evening, catering to the late-night crowd.

The stall is located at the alley entrance of Minzu Road and Pujie Street. You’ll know you’ve arrived when you see the signboard on the right. You order at the small stall inside the alley, then return to the small tables at the alley entrance where the food is served.

Soon, a steaming hot scallion pancake was served, along with the almond tea I ordered. In Tainan, having almond tea with breakfast is almost a must, but Sisters’ version is pretty average, without many standout features.

Look at the thickness... This is what they call a “traditional-style scallion pancake.” Instead of using a regular scallion pancake as the wrapper, they make a batter with high-gluten flour and sweet potato starch, then fry it. The texture is fluffy, soft, and airy. I suspect Sisters’ mixes the egg directly into the batter, so you don’t really bite into pieces of egg, but you can definitely taste the egg flavor. It’s delicious!

[Sisters’ Soy Milk Stall]
No. 48, Section 3, Minzu Road, West Central District, Tainan City (at the alley entrance of Pujie Street)
Operating Hours: 20:00–02:00 (Closed on Sundays)

Xu Mama’s Early Breakfast is located on You’ai Street, and true to its name, it only serves breakfast.

Looking at the red banners hanging both inside and outside the shop, it seems it has been featured on quite a few TV shows. I visited on a Saturday morning, and there weren’t many tourists around.

They offer a wide range of items, but I focused on the satay scallion pancake and almond tea all day. The almond tea here is slightly richer, with a bit of a gritty texture.

This pancake is also made from a batter of flour and sweet potato starch, similar in concept to Sisters’. It’s soft and tender, but compared to Sisters’, it’s a bit firmer and more like a regular scallion pancake. The satay is spread evenly throughout the pancake—not very visible to the eye, but the aroma is strong.

What I appreciated most was the way Xu Mama’s cooks their eggs... semi-cooked and sticking to the pancake. It’s a bit oily, but the egg flavor is fantastic, paired with the intense satay taste—it’s so good it makes you want to cry (into your handkerchief).

[Xu Mama’s Early Breakfast]
No. 347, You’ai Street, West Central District, Tainan City 700
06-2237271
Operating Hours: 04:30–11:30

Next up is the well-known “Doujiang Zong,” which serves both late-night and breakfast. I heard that during late-night hours, there are so many cars parked outside that even traffic police take notice of the buzz.

Here’s a look at the menu items. Prices are a bit lower compared to the previous two spots.

The shop has seating, but most people prefer sitting under the arcade outside—probably partly due to the summer heat.

I went with my usual choices: the satay scallion pancake and almond tea. The almond tea was a bit light for my taste (I prefer it stronger).

This pancake is thinner, with a lump of satay spread on top. The satay and pancake seem like two separate things—they didn’t really blend together, and the pancake itself wasn’t very distinctive, feeling a bit thin... Maybe it’s just not my thing. Later, I heard that at Doujiang Zong, you’re better off trying their buns or steamed breads. Will give those a shot next time.

[Doujiang Zong]
No. 175, Section 2, Fufront Road, West Central District, Tainan City
Operating Hours: 21:40–10:30

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