This guide covers the best restaurants, street food, and dining experiences in Taiwan.
For more recommendations, see the full guide.
Located in Yilan County in northeastern Taiwan, this area is renowned for its hot springs and natural scenery, but it's also a hidden gem for xiaolongbao enthusiasts. Yilan xiaolongbao inherits traditional Jiangsu-Zhejiang craftsmanship while incorporating the fragrant aroma of local Sanxing green onions, creating a unique local flavor. Unlike Taipei's upscale Din Tai Fung approach, Yilan xiaolongbao follows a people's food route, offering handmade, freshly made authentic delicacies at affordable prices of NT$65-110, making it the reason many foodies make a special trip.
Highlights
The biggest characteristic of Yilan xiaolongbao lies in its commitment to "handmade, freshly packed and steamed." Each long-established shop maintains traditional craftsmanship, from dough mixing and skin rolling to filling, all done by hand to ensure every xiaolongbao has paper-thin skin and abundant soup. Local masters skillfully use the sweetness of Yilan Sanxing green onions to replace traditional chives, making the soup more fragrant and returning to sweetness. In addition, Yilan xiaolongbao generally uses local pork, which is fresh and delicious at affordable prices. A serving of 8-10 pieces allows food enthusiasts to enjoy variations of different flavors.
Recommended Locations
Zhenghao Fresh Pork Xiaolongbao (Yilan Main Store)
This long-established shop, praised by locals as "even better than Din Tai Fung," offers classic xiaolongbao with thin skin and generous filling at an unbeatable price of NT$80 for 10 pieces. The shop's secret lies in using Yilan Sanxing green onions for seasoning, resulting in fragrant and non-greasy soup. Every bite lets you feel the warmth of handmade, freshly made products. Business hours are 10:00-15:00 (closed on Mondays). It's recommended to arrive early to avoid queuing.
Zhengchang Fresh Pork Soup Dumplings
This early bird specialty shop opens at 6:30 AM, making it an excellent choice to avoid crowds. At NT$110 for 10 pieces, the price is slightly higher, but the abundance of soup is truly amazing—a gentle bite releases a full mouth of delicious soup. The shop adheres to traditional steamer craftsmanship, with each basket being a carefully temperature-controlled creation by the master. Open until 13:30, closed on Mondays.
Yuanlai Fresh Pork Xiaolongbao
Beloved by students at the affordable price of NT$70 for 8 pieces, this shop's specialty is its particularly chewy skin with excellent texture. The shop selects fresh-killed pork for immediate wrapping, paired with proprietary seasonings to create a unique texture hierarchy. Although the portion is smaller, the value for money is extremely high, suitable for tourists who want to taste various flavors.
Zhenshi Xiaolongbao
This popular shop with a Google rating of 4.6 stars and over a thousand reviews is known for its innovative flavors. Besides the classic fresh pork flavor, they also offer special fillings like shrimp and crab roe to satisfy different food enthusiasts' needs. Business hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday to Saturday, 11:00-19:00, closed on Wednesday and Sunday—a creative pioneer in the Yilan xiaolongbao scene.
Taishun Soup Dumplings
A hidden gem tucked in an alley, this long-established shop features traditional Jiangsu-Zhejiang flavors with clear and sweet soup—a shared memory of older generation Yilan locals. The shop adheres to traditional methods without adding any artificial seasonings, presenting the purest deliciousness purely with pork bone broth and fresh ingredients. Affordable prices and generous portions make it the best choice for experiencing authentic xiaolongbao culture.
Practical Information
Transportation:
From Taipei, you can choose train (about 1 hour) or bus (about 1.5 hours) to Yilan. Train services are frequent, and it's recommended to take the Tzu Chiang Express for a more comfortable ride. Bus options include Capital Bus, Kamalan Bus, and Guo Guang Bus. Driving via National Highway No. 5 takes about 50 kilometers. After arriving in Yilan, you can take city buses 751, 752, 772 to reach various shops.
Budget:
Xiaolongbao prices range from NT$65-110 per basket. It's recommended to order 2 baskets as a standard serving. Paired with hot and sour soup (NT$35 per bowl) and drinks (NT$20 per cup), per person spending is approximately NT$200-300, making for a quite economical culinary experience.
Business Hours:
Most shops operate from around 10 AM to 3 PM. It's recommended to arrive early to avoid disappointment. Some shops are closed on Mondays, so it's advisable to confirm business status before visiting.
Travel Tips
There are a few must-know tips for tasting Yilan xiaolongbao: First, be sure to taste the original flavor first, experiencing the pure sweetness of the soup, then add soy sauce or chili sauce according to personal preference. Second, bringing exact change can avoid the hassle of making change, as most traditional shops still operate on cash-only basis. The dining flow is typically: pay at the counter first, find a seat, self-serve drinks, and finally wait for your number to be called to pick up the piping hot xiaolongbao.
It's recommended to plan a half-day itinerary—enjoy xiaolongbao in the morning and visit other Yilan attractions in the afternoon such as Jimmy Park and Yilan Literature Museum. Since Yilan xiaolongbao shops are mostly concentrated in the downtown area, you can walk to connect multiple shops for a xiaolongbao pilgrimage. Remember to bring wet wipes, as soup may splash when enjoying soup dumplings.
Yilan xiaolongbao represents the ultimate expression of Taiwanese people's cuisine. Here, you can taste the most authentic handmade delicacies at the most affordable prices, experiencing Taiwanese dedication and passion for food.
