A Taipei institution since 1947, known for turning distinctly Taiwanese ingredients—from taro and red bean to savory pork knuckle—into single-flavor ice cream.
Order this first
Pair one adventurous savory scoop with a classic sweet flavor.
02
TAICHUNG
TaichungTaichung Station
Taiwan tea and chocolate ice cream
Miyahara Ice Cream
Why it is famous
A restored eye clinic, Taiwan tea and chocolate ice cream, and signature pastry toppings come together in one of Taichung’s best-known dessert landmarks.
Order this first
Choose a Taiwan tea or chocolate base, then add cheesecake or pineapple-cake toppings.
03
TAINAN
TainanZhengxing Street
Taiwan tea & fruit gelato
NINAO Gelato
Why it is famous
Its sell-until-gone rotating soft serve helped define Zhengxing Street, later growing into a gelato line built around Taiwan tea and seasonal fruit.
Order this first
Check the flavor board first; prioritize Taiwan tea or seasonal fruit.
04
KAOHSIUNG
KaohsiungHamasen ferry pier
Share-size shaved ice
Sea Ice at the Ferry Pier
Why it is famous
Traditional fruit and eight-treasure shaved ice arrives in giant bowls made for sharing, turning a ferry stop into a classic Kaohsiung ritual.
Order this first
Choose a fruit bowl by group size, or try mixed taro-ball ice for an old-school option.
05
HUALIEN
HualienDongdamen Night Market
Old-school soft serve
A8 American Ice Cream
Why it is famous
A long-running Hualien soft-serve specialist recognized by the local tourism bureau for more than three decades of neighborhood history.
Order this first
Check the day’s soft-serve flavor and save it for the end of a night-market walk.
06
TAITUNG
TaitungZhengqi Road
Traditional all-purpose ice shop
Jinfang Ice Shop
Why it is famous
For over 50 years it has kept popsicles, shaved ice, mixed ice, ice cream, and juice under one roof—almost a working museum of Taiwan ice culture.
Order this first
Start with mixed shaved ice or a classic house popsicle.
07
KEELUNG
KeelungRen 3rd Road and Miaokou
Hand-mixed bubble ice
Far East Bubble Ice
Why it is famous
This veteran shop whips ice, syrup, and toppings into a dense, creamy texture that made bubble ice a signature Keelung snack.
Order this first
Peanut shows off the texture best; egg-and-milk is the creamier choice.
08
NEW TAIPEI
New TaipeiXinpu, Banqiao
Ice bricks and snow ice
San Feng Taro Ice
Why it is famous
A neighborhood favorite noted by New Taipei tourism, best known for compact ice bricks and soft, snowy bowls.
Order this first
Try a taro ice brick first, then add a snow-ice flavor from the counter.
09
HSINCHU
HsinchuCity God Temple area
Traditional ice pops
814 Lixiang Ice Shop
Why it is famous
A half-century Hsinchu shop remembered for unwrapped old-style ice pops and a wide range of regional flavors.
Order this first
Longan sticky rice is the signature; red bean and mango are dependable classics.
10
YILAN
YilanBaili Road
Old-style weighed soft ice
Heixiu Ice Shop
Why it is famous
Recorded by Taiwan’s cultural memory archive, this dimly lit student hangout became a lasting piece of Yilan’s local ice-shop folklore.
Order this first
Pair peanut with longan or milk for its richest old-school combination.
11
PINGTUNG
PingtungChaozhou Circle
Hot-and-cold shaved ice
Original Chaozhou Hot-and-Cold Ice
Why it is famous
Warm rice balls and toppings hide under shaved ice, creating a bowl that moves between hot, cold, soft, and chewy—Chaozhou’s most distinctive dessert.
Order this first
Do not stir at first; eat from the ice down to the warm rice balls.
12
PENGHU
PenghuMagong
Penghu ingredient ice cream
Palm Pearl Cactus Ice
Why it is famous
Local cactus keeps both its tart fruitiness and a faint grassy note, turning an island plant into a recognizable Penghu flavor.
Order this first
Try the original cactus flavor before any seasonal Penghu fruit pairing.
13
TAOYUAN
TaoyuanZhongli Station
Sixty-year traditional soft ice
Banyan Tree Soft Ice
Why it is famous
This long-running Zhongli shop relies on generous ingredients and pleasantly grainy old-style ice rather than elaborate presentation.
Order this first
Ask for the day’s specialty; peanut, milk, and taro show its classic technique.
14
MIAOLI
MiaoliShitan Old Street
Hakka grass-jelly ice
Xianshan Grass Jelly
Why it is famous
A market stall grew into a Shitan landmark devoted to six decades of Hakka grass-jelly flavor and mountain produce.
Order this first
Try plain grass-jelly ice or jelly first, then add red bean, lotus seed, or milk.
15
CHANGHUA
ChanghuaZhonghua Road
Classic fruit-parlour ice
Changhua Papaya Milk King
Why it is famous
Opened in 1958, the second generation still makes simple fruit drinks and ice desserts with generous amounts of real fruit.
Order this first
Mango milk ice and red-bean pudding milk ice are house favorites.
16
NANTOU
NantouPuli
Puli fruit gelato
Feeling18 Gelato
Why it is famous
The Puli chocolate brand expanded into gelato using regional fruit and lighter recipes, creating a compact dessert destination.
Order this first
Pair a seasonal fruit scoop with milk or chocolate.
17
YUNLIN
YunlinGouba, Douliu
Old-style ice sandwiches
Gouziba Qingliang Ice Shop
Why it is famous
Featured by Yunlin’s official old-ice guide, this rural shop is loved for simple ice sandwiches and nostalgic scoops.
Order this first
Start with an ice-cream sandwich or traditional ice biscuit; flavors depend on the day.
18
CHIAYI
ChiayiWenhua Road Night Market
Soy-milk tofu pudding
A-E Old Soy Pudding
Why it is famous
This decades-old shop serves handmade tofu pudding in soy milk rather than syrup, a defining Chiayi approach.
Order this first
Order peanut soy-milk tofu pudding and taste it before mixing.
19
KINMEN
KinmenXifang Old Street, Lieyu
Nostalgic clear ice and honeyed taro
Carnival Ice Parlour
Why it is famous
A family barbershop and grocery was restored as a retro ice parlour, preserving old-street memories through handmade clear ice and honeyed taro.
Order this first
Start with clear ice and toppings or honeyed taro ice, then ask what is handmade today.