Yexiang Wonton

Review

Yexiang Wonton has been on Xinyi Street in Hualien City for more than seventy years, and it is one of the first names locals mention when wontons come up. Supertaste's 2026 Hualien round-up lists it as a classic old shop, and CommonWealth's Smile Taiwan used this bowl as the starting point of a walking day around the city centre. The shop sells only one thing, wonton soup, and that focus is part of its identity.

According to Supertaste, a bowl costs NT$80 for about ten wontons. The wrappers are very thin and the mainly pork filling is firm with a clear meaty flavour. The broth is simmered from pork bones and finished with celery and fried shallots, light rather than greasy. Seasoning is gentle, and vinegar and chilli on the table let you adjust as you eat.

Fans call it a clean, very Hualien bowl: thin skins, solid filling and a mellow broth that is easy on the stomach in the morning. Others find it bland, feel there are fewer pieces than expected, or say it gets monotonous. One blogger noted that online opinion is split between those who think it has slipped and those who think it holds up, so sources differ and it is best not to expect too much.

It opens roughly 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and closes on Sundays, so it trades for only about four hours a day; check before you go. You order and pay first, then find a seat, and staff call your number when the bowl is ready, so listen for it. The shop's own parking often fills up, so park nearby and walk. When the shop is short-staffed, clearing your own bowl is appreciated.

It suits anyone after a local Hualien breakfast or brunch with a light taste, and it is an easy walk for travellers staying around Hualien Station and the city centre. One bowl per person is about right; bigger appetites can order two or move on to other snacks nearby.