Banyan Tree Koa-tia

Review

Banyan Tree Koa-tia is at No. 92 Yufeng Street in Caotun, its stall almost wrapped by a large banyan tree; it looks so low-key that first-timers may wonder whether they have found the right place. GoFunIt's Caotun food guide says it has been open for about sixty years and is a locals' favourite. Koa-tia is the Taiwanese name for fritters like oyster fritters, something Caotun people grow up eating, and many who have moved away come back for it.

The signature is the oyster fritter, fried to order with a crisp shell; a 2026 article by blogger Bunny Ann puts it at NT$70. There are also pork fritters, chive strips, shrimp rolls, radish cake and taro cake, mostly at coin prices, and soups including pig blood soup, tofu soup and meatball soup. Sweet chilli sauce and rice sauce are on the table for mixing your own dip; the fritters themselves are lightly seasoned and rely on the sauces.

Fans praise the crisp fritters, the distinctive sauces and refillable soup, saying a bowl of radish and meatball soup cuts the richness nicely, and many come every time they return to Nantou. Critics find it slightly pricier than ordinary fritter stalls and oily if you eat a lot, the setting is a basic stall under a tree, and some feel the fillings are bland without sauce.

Hours are about 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., extended to 8 p.m. at weekends, with no fixed closing day noted. Everything is fried to order, so expect a short wait when busy. The stall is on a side street in central Caotun, so take care with roadside parking; a scooter is easiest. The price above comes from a 2026 blog post and may have changed.

Good for anyone passing through Caotun wanting an old-style local snack, fans of Taiwanese fritters and families looking for an afternoon bite. Two people can share an oyster fritter and shrimp rolls or chive strips, with a bowl of meatball or pig blood soup each; try a little of both the sweet chilli and rice sauce to find your mix. Expect about NT$70 to NT$150 per person.