A-Tsai Rice Cake
Qingshui Dist. · Taiwanese
Miyahara
Worth the queueTakeaway
VerdictIce cream and photos in a red-brick landmark; a tourist must, but expect lines
A dessert landmark inside a converted red-brick former eye clinic, scooping dozens of ice cream flavors, each with a free topping such as pineapple cake or cheesecake. Lines form at opening, so come early for photos.
Photos on Instagram
Review
Miyahara is on Zhongshan Road in Central District, about a five-minute walk over the bridge from Taichung Station. The red-brick building was the clinic of Japanese-era ophthalmologist Miyahara Takekuma; after the war it served as a health office, then fell into ruin before the Dawn Cake group restored it as an ice cream and gift shop. Its ornate interior is often compared to Hogwarts, making it one of Taichung's most popular photo spots, and entry is free.
There are over sixty ice cream flavors in four groups: fruit, chocolate, tea and house blends. The chocolate comes in more than ten cocoa strengths and origins, the teas include high-mountain oolong, Ceylon latte and Nanyan Tieguanyin, and the signature "Cheers to the Past" blends Tieguanyin, rose, osmanthus and mint. One blogger compares the texture to Italian gelato. Each scoop comes with one free topping, such as local pineapple cake, savory pineapple cake, cheesecake, palmier cookie or chocolate balls.
Praise centers on the historic building, wide flavor choice, good-value free toppings and beautifully packaged gifts. Complaints are long queues, no indoor seating at the main shop, prices above ordinary ice cream, and some found the sample teas weak. On price: a single scoop is about NT$100, a double about NT$180, a cone NT$20 extra, and a sundae is listed anywhere from NT$260 to NT$300 depending on the source, so go by the board on site.
It opens at ten; on weekday mornings from 10 to 12 the ice cream wait is about 5 to 10 minutes, while weekend peaks often exceed 30 minutes. At the main shop you eat standing or by the Green River; to sit down, walk about five minutes to sister shop Fourth Credit Union, which has the same flavors. The ground-floor gift shop offers tastings, the second floor is the Zuiyue Lou restaurant and the third has limited-hours exhibitions; cards are accepted and foreign-language menus are available. Hours are roughly 10:00 to 21:00, possibly later on some holidays. Drivers can use the Taichung Station parking lot, NT$15 per half hour on weekdays and NT$25 on weekends.
It suits first-time visitors to Taichung and anyone after photos. Arriving right at opening on a weekday saves the most time; start with a double scoop and free toppings, and if the line is too long, grab bubble tea from the stand outside or take your ice cream for a stroll along the Green River.
Why go
- A double scoop is about NT$180, with a free topping per scoop
- Toppings include pineapple cake or cheesecake
- Chocolate comes in more than ten strengths
- Shortest lines on weekdays from 10 to 12
- No seats here; sit at Fourth Credit Union instead
- Ground-floor gifts have tastings, and cards are accepted
What people say
Liked
- The ornate red-brick building is photogenic, like a wizarding school
- Over sixty flavors, and the free toppings are good value
- Beautifully packaged gifts, great for giving
Complaints
- Long queues, often over half an hour on weekends
- No seating at the main shop, so you eat standing
- Pricier than ordinary ice cream
Summarized from the common views of bloggers, media and diners; not direct quotes.
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Photos
Photo credits: Ian Chunyi Chiang (CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons), Tze Chiang Hao (CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons), 大三可 (CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons)
Location
台中市中區中山路20號Directions ↗
Sources
This page is compiled from the articles below and rewritten in our own words. Hours and prices change, so check before you go.
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