Xi Da Fa Chenghuang Buns

Review

Xi Da Fa Chenghuang Buns is at No. 3 Chang'an Street in Hsinchu's North District, right opposite the City God Temple, where the queue outside is hard to miss. Supertaste includes it in both its Hsinchu souvenir and breakfast round-ups, noting that the bun dough is made with an old-dough starter, steamed fresh every day and free of preservatives. The blogger Bunny Ann's Hsinchu food list also names it as the famous bun shop across from the temple, with the bubble tea bun as its signature.

Traditional buns include the namesake Chenghuang bun, fresh pork bun, red bean bun and vegetable bun, but the creative ones are the big draw. Supertaste lists the bubble milk tea bun and the molten chocolate bun at NT$28 each, alongside flavours such as a brown sugar lava bun. The old dough gives the skin spring and chew; the bubble tea bun has a milk tea filling with well-cooked tapioca and is not too sweet, while the chocolate bun releases a rich sauce at the first bite. The shop often runs buy-ten-get-some-free deals, handy for stocking up on gifts.

Fans say the buns are big and filling, the bubble tea bun is bouncy with a tea aroma, and the chocolate one is as dense as brownie batter, making it a must-buy Hsinchu souvenir; some note there are hot buns to eat on the spot and frozen ones that keep longer for travel. Criticism centres on long queues, with one visitor waiting almost an hour because many customers buy twenty or thirty at once; others found the bubble tea bun bland and over-hyped.

Opening times vary slightly between sources, roughly 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., possibly later at weekends, so confirm before going. It is mainly takeaway; if you buy frozen buns, ask how to store them and how long they keep. Parking around the temple is hard, so use a nearby paid car park and walk, and visit on a weekday morning or before evening to avoid the crowds.

It suits anyone after a distinctive Hsinchu gift, or temple visitors wanting a hot bun to eat while walking. On a first visit, eat one bubble tea bun and one molten chocolate bun on the spot, then take home Chenghuang or pork buns; for gifts, use the buy-ten deal to stock up. Spending ranges from about NT$30 to NT$300 per person.