Hualien's food is simple and local: pork wontons, buns and pancakes from small family shops, sweets that go home as gifts, and the food of the Amis and other Indigenous peoples, built on what grows in the mountains and the sea. These are the ones to try.
Bianshi wontons (扁食)
Hualien calls wontons bianshi. The county describes them as made with fresh local pork in a bone broth with celery and fried shallots.
The famous shop is Yi Xiang Bianshi (液香扁食), at No. 42, Xinyi Street, a family business that goes back to the Japanese era. UDN listed it in July 2026 as open Monday to Thursday and Saturday, 09:30 to 13:30, closed Friday and Sunday; hours vary between listings, so check before you go. (Its sister shop, Dai Ji, closed in 2023.)
Scallion pancakes (蔥油餅)
Hualien's version is the fried-egg scallion pancake (炸蛋蔥油餅): an egg cracked into a deep-fried pancake so the yolk stays soft. It is on the county's list of local favorites, and you'll find stalls all over town. UDN's July 2026 list included Lin Ji on Mingli Road (No. 18-3, Mingli Road, 13:00 to 18:00, NT$30 with egg).
Soup dumplings (小籠包)
Small soup dumplings are another of the county's listed local foods. Gongzheng Baozi (公正包子) is the best-known shop; it moved from its old corner around late 2023, so search for it by name on Google Maps for the current address and hours.
Mochi (麻糬)
Hualien mochi has been a local product for over 80 years, according to the county, and boxes of it are the classic gift to take home. It keeps three to five days at room temperature. Zeng Ji (曾記麻糬) is the brand you'll see most.
Hualien sweet potato cakes (花蓮薯)
A baked pastry, not a potato. CNA traces it to a Japanese-era bakery, Ebisu (惠比須餅舖, founded 1899). Shops along Zhonghua Road and around the station sell it, and it keeps about 90 days frozen.
Peeled chili peppers (剝皮辣椒)
Green chilies, fried, peeled and pickled: a jar of these is the other classic Hualien gift. Liberty Times traces them to Fenglin, south of the city.
Indigenous food
Hualien has the largest Indigenous population of any county in Taiwan. The county lists bamboo-tube rice (竹筒飯), salted pork (鹹豬肉), flying fish (飛魚) and mountain greens such as bird's-nest fern (山蘇) and vegetable fern (過貓) among the dishes to try.
The Amis know their wild greens by the season. On the coast at Fengbin, the county describes the classic meal as "eight greens and a soup" (八菜一湯), several wild vegetables cooked with pork, alongside flying fish smoked over longan or acacia wood.
- In the city: the Indigenous street at Dongdamen Night Market is the easiest place to start.
- A sit-down meal: UDN recommended Liu Liu She (流流社風味餐) in July 2026: No. 77, Fuqian Road, Wednesday to Sunday 11:30 to 14:00 and 17:30 to 21:00, booking advised.
Town by town
| Township | Known for |
|---|---|
| Ji'an | The "three treasures": chives, taro and chayote shoots (龍鬚菜); taro ice cream |
| Shoufeng | Golden clams (黃金蜆), pomelo, watermelon |
| Fenglin | Chive stinky tofu, peeled chili peppers |
| Guangfu | Tafalong red glutinous rice |
| Ruisui | Fresh milk from Ruisui Ranch, honey-scented black tea |
| Yuli | Yuli noodles (玉里麵), stinky tofu |
Good to know: Hualien is not in the MICHELIN Guide, which covers Taipei, New Taipei, Taichung, Tainan, Kaohsiung and Hsinchu. Small family shops are the point here, and many close by mid-afternoon or keep irregular days off. Go early, and check the Google Maps listing on the day.
→ Food in Hualien · Dongdamen Night Market
Sources: Hualien Tourism, local food; Hualien Tourism, Hualien City specialties and the township pages; UDN, July 2026; UDN, August 2026; Liberty Times on Dai Ji; Liberty Times on Zeng Ji; CNA on Hualien sweet potato cakes; Liberty Times on peeled chilies; MICHELIN Guide Taiwan. Checked October 2026.