5Miyahara
Central Dist. · Desserts & shaved ice
Ding Shan Ba-Wan
Long-standingLocal favorite
VerdictA century-old ba-wan across from the Second Market — eat it hot, in-house
A century-old ba-wan shop across from the Second Market, now in its fourth generation. The dumplings are gently oil-poached for a chewy, lightly crisp skin, with a choice of spicy red or sweeter white sauce. The renovated shop is bright — eat in while they're hot.
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Review
Ding Shan Ba-Wan sits on Taiwan Boulevard across from the Second Market. Reports say it was founded in 1909 and is now run by the fourth generation, making it one of Taichung's oldest ba-wan (meat dumpling) shops, and in 2026 Supertaste still listed it among the city's recommended ba-wan. The shop was renovated a few years ago in a nostalgic style and is clean and bright, quite unlike the image of a traditional snack stall.
The wrapper is made from rice batter, and many articles describe it as springy and translucent with slightly crisp edges, around a generous filling of pork hind leg that releases a meaty aroma at first bite. As for the cooking method, some articles say it is poached in low-temperature oil and others say it is fried — sources disagree. There are two sauces: a spicy red sauce and a mild white sauce, and several writers prefer the sweeter white one; a TV host demonstrated pouring both together and adding soy sauce for a layered salty-sweet taste. Another frequent recommendation is the wonton soup — six per bowl, thin-skinned and generously filled. The menu also has dry wontons, dry noodles, pork chop rice and other soups, and set meals make choosing easy.
On price, older articles list the ba-wan at about NT$40 and wonton soup at NT$35, while a 2026 report gives NT$50 for each, so go by the prices posted in-store. Online reviews generally praise the wrapper texture and century-old reputation, though some find the sauce too sweet or the portion too small for big appetites, so opinion isn't one-sided.
Supertaste's editor recommends eating in, since it is best fresh from the pot and loses a lot when taken away and reheated. Some sources say it opens at 10:30 a.m. and others at 11 a.m., closing around 6:30 p.m. — check before you go. Drivers can use the reopened Second Market parking garage nearby.
It suits anyone exploring the Second Market who wants to try a century-old ba-wan on the way. Eat in with a ba-wan and wonton soup, try the white sauce first, then add red sauce or soy sauce to taste.
Why go
- Founded in 1909 and now in its fourth generation
- Springy, slightly crisp wrapper around pork hind-leg filling
- White sauce is sweeter, red is spicy — you can mix both
- Wonton soup has six per bowl, thin skins and plenty of filling
- Ba-wan price runs NT$40–50 depending on the article's date
- It suffers when cold — eat in while it's hot
What people say
Liked
- Springy, translucent wrapper with slightly crisp edges
- A century-old shop, renovated, clean and bright
- Thin-skinned, well-filled wonton soup pairs well with the ba-wan
Complaints
- The sauce is sweet, which not everyone likes
- One piece isn't much for a big appetite
- Takeout loses a lot of texture once cold and reheated
Summarized from the common views of bloggers, media and diners; not direct quotes.
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Location
台中市中區臺灣大道一段370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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