Top 3 in the hearts of Taichung locals: The dreamy combo of crispy stinky tofu and Taiwanese pickles

Text & Photos /Mika

Let me introduce you to the top three stinky tofu spots in Taichung. Although it's located in Taichung, the shop is called ‘Lin’s Hualien Ruisui Stinky Tofu’ — what a confusing name, XD!! But don’t doubt it, this street food stall has created an economic miracle. Now the place has expanded massively, and there’s always a constant stream of customers. Locals treat it as an afternoon snack, dinner, or snack anytime they want, with no fixed meal time, and there are always lots of people around.

This place only sells one dish, which is stinky tofu, and it's only available in small, medium, or large sizes. It also comes with soup and black tea... Just this simple and straightforward stinky tofu, yet the business is booming like this. Isn't that amazing? It's a vegetable-seasoned stinky tofu, and it's super crispy on the outside, soft and juicy on the inside — exactly the texture I love. The pickles are also very local-style and delicious.

Wow, this Lin’s Ruisui Stinky Tofu sure has presence!!! They only sell stinky tofu, but being able to run such a big shop is seriously impressive!!

Open daily from 2 PM to 7 PM, closed every Tuesday.

They only serve stinky tofu, and it's only available in small, medium, or large sizes.

You can help yourself to the hot soup.

Same goes for the black tea — totally self-service.

Small portion of stinky tofu (4 pieces) NT$40

We really just treat it as a snack, so we just ordered a small portion as a little taste.

The pickles are also the essence here. Look how crispy it’s fried — I think the stinky level is actually okay, but the crispiness really blew me away. The Taiwanese pickles are also super tasty.

There’s special sauce in the little dug-out hole. First, try the original flavor — super delicious!! It’s super juicy too!!

I recommend adding some spicy sauce too. Their spicy sauce is really flavorful, and I love it.

Personally, I like to put the spicy sauce in the hole first, then stuff in the pickles and eat it all in one bite. It’s kind of a lazy way to eat, but it’s insanely satisfying~~ I just love this crispy-textured stinky tofu — so tasty and so addictive. No wonder people say it’s one of the must-eats in Taichung. I highly recommend this local favorite flavor shared with everyone. This is also one of the top three stinky tofu spots in the hearts of Taichung folks ^^

Lin’s Hualien Ruisui Stinky Tofu
Address: No. 151, Section 3, Zhongzheng Rd., East District, Taichung City
Phone: 04-22113042
Business Hours: 14:00–19:00 (Closed every Tuesday)

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