Fengxing Bakery (Main Store)

Review

Fengxing Bakery was founded in 1928 and is nearly a hundred years old, making it one of Hualien's longest-running pastry shops. It has several outlets in Hualien City, with the main store at No. 296-2 Zhonghua Road. Both Supertaste and Yam Travel include it in their Hualien souvenir guides, and it is a classic stop for locals buying gifts and visitors stocking up.

Supertaste highlights the pomelo cake, NT$320 for a box of eight, which combines sweet potato with diced pomelo for a sweetness lifted by citrus and a light, clean finish. Yam Travel recommends the bite-size mini mooncakes, lemon toast made with Danish butter, and the Regoo cookies shaped like vinyl records. Besides traditional pastries, the shop stocks common Hualien specialties such as sweet-potato cakes and yokan, so you can buy everything in one go.

Fans say the flavours are consistent and the packaging presentable, the mini mooncakes are the right size and not too sweet, and the record cookies are fun enough for younger friends. Reviews of the main store are more mixed, though: some report unfriendly staff and others feel certain items were not fresh, while the Zhonghua branch earns better service reviews. Experiences vary by outlet, so check production dates when buying.

The main store opens every day from 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., long hours that suit a last-evening shopping run. It sits on the Hualien Station side of Zhonghua Road, and other outlets at No. 107 Zhonghua Road and near the station are closer to the central sights; if you only want the signature items, a nearby branch is fine. Some outlets offer samples, so taste before you buy.

It suits anyone wanting a souvenir with history and a lighter flavour. For older relatives, choose a gift box of pomelo cakes or mini mooncakes; for colleagues, individually packed record cookies are easy to share. If you want to try something yourself, the lemon toast makes a good breakfast. Shelf lives vary, so check before carrying items home.