Lee Hu Cake Shop

Review

Lee Hu Cake Shop is on Ren 3rd Road in Keelung. Mirror Media reports that it was founded in 1882, the eighth year of the Guangxu reign, more than 140 years ago, and that it has only this one shop with no branches. Many of the traditional pastries, wedding cakes and gifts Keelung locals have grown up with come from here, and gift boxes range from 10 to 30 pieces, making it one of the most recommended souvenir shops in Keelung.

Its best-known product is the pineapple cake, whose filling is mainly winter melon. Unlike the tart native-pineapple versions popular in recent years, it is mildly sweet, and the buttery pastry is crumbly, giving an old-fashioned taste. The mung bean paste pastry is a house classic, while the curry puff wraps bean paste mixed with curry and pieces of braised pork for a sweet-savoury mix. A 2025 Mirror Media report lists the pineapple cake at NT$30 each, the mung bean pastry at NT$40 and the curry puff at NT$48.

Praise focuses on the pineapple cake's balanced sweetness and fine pastry, a childhood flavour that also makes a respectable gift; the egg yolk pastry and mung bean cake are often recommended too. Criticisms include a winter melon filling some find plain and unexciting, and staff who can seem cold when busy. Some also warn that apart from the pineapple cake, other items have short shelf lives, so take care when sending them far.

Hours are roughly 8:30 a.m. to 8:45 p.m. daily. Before the Mid-Autumn Festival and around Lunar New Year there are long queues and popular items sell out, so order ahead if you need gifts. The shop is near Miaokou Night Market, so you can stop by after exploring; parking nearby is hard, so walk or use public transport.

It suits visitors wanting Keelung souvenirs to take home and older relatives who love traditional Chinese pastries. On a first visit, buy a few pineapple cakes, mung bean pastries and curry puffs to try, then pick up gift boxes if you like them; for sending to faraway friends, the pineapple cake with its longer shelf life is the safest choice.