Zheng Hao Fresh Pork Xiaolongbao

Review

The Zheng Hao Fresh Pork Xiaolongbao flagship sits on Taishan Road in Yilan City near Guangfu Elementary School, a small corner shop mentioned by Supertaste, GoFun and bloggers whenever they cover Yilan City snacks. There is also a branch in Jiaoxi, but this is the original; queues form as soon as it opens, waits of over half an hour are common at mealtimes, and weekdays are busy too.

The dumplings are rolled and wrapped to order, with skins that are thin yet hard to tear, juicy filling without any gamey smell and Yilan's Sanxing scallions for fragrance. They taste great without sauce, though soy sauce and chilli oil are provided. The other signature is a loaded hot and sour soup with bamboo shoots, egg ribbons, tofu and wood-ear mushrooms. Supertaste lists ten dumplings at NT$100, a 2025 blog post gives NT$110, and the soup is NT$35; check prices on site.

Fans praise the thin skins, rich juices, clear scallion aroma and fair prices, with one traveller calling them the best of a round-Taiwan trip. Complaints centre on long queues and slow service due to a small team, with one person giving up and asking for a refund after waiting too long; some also find the soup not sour or spicy enough and the shop hot inside in summer.

Hours are roughly 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., closed Mondays, though one blogger says it also closes Sundays, so check before you go. The flagship is currently mainly takeaway with no dine-in; go to the Jiaoxi branch if you want to sit down. There is a paid car park opposite, as street parking is hard. Freshly steamed dumplings are scalding, so let the juices cool a little before biting.

It suits anyone who wants affordable soup dumplings with plenty of scallion, and works as a takeaway lunch during a stroll around Yilan City. Two people should buy at least two baskets plus a hot and sour soup; to dodge crowds come close to closing time, but be prepared for a sell-out.