No new drink has that taste yet — Kagi’s 50-year-old handmade soda | Locals: “It grew up with me”

Reported and photographed by You T-Ru / Kagi




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“I grew up drinking Soda Grandpa’s soda,” say the kids from Kagi. Whenever they talk about Soda Grandpa, everyone recalls it this way. The small stall sells seven or eight flavors of soda and sarsaparilla, all cool, sweet, and fizzy. Back then, one cup cost just NT$20. “Buying a cup as a kid could make you happy for a long time.” Various syrups are poured into the soda, turning the clear liquid into a rainbow of colors — perfect for beating the summer heat.

In mid-2015, Soda Grandpa took a three-month break due to health issues. After returning to the stall to sell soda for a month, he passed away at the end of the year despite battling illness. The “Soda Grandpa Handmade Soda” stall was then taken over by his wife and son. As Kagi has seen the opening of many new shops, a variety of novel drink flavors have also emerged. But locals still ride their scooters to visit Soda Grandpa’s old stall.


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▲The soda and sarsaparilla filling station.
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First, ice cubes are placed in the cup, then carbon dioxide is pumped in, followed by various syrups. There are flavors like passion fruit, orange, grape, apple, and sarsaparilla. Though the price has gone up to NT$25 per cup, the taste remains unchanged — still that classic, handmade soda. Some locals describe Soda Grandpa’s homemade soda as “gentle,” adding, “It’s very fizzy but not harsh on the throat.”

With over 50 years in business, the legacy of Soda Grandpa Handmade Soda records the charm and history of the city, while also carrying a sense of perseverance. No matter how modern drink shops rise, Taiwan’s traditional flavors still hold a unique presence.

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Soda Grandpa Handmade Soda
Address: No. 199, Xiangrong St., West District, Chiayi City
Phone: 05 232 5539
Business hours: 10:30–18:00