YilanEat Recommendations
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Ju Hokkaido Hot Pot (now renamed Ju Japanese Hot Pot) is on the 4th floor of Luna Plaza in Yilan City, serving a Japanese-style hot pot buffet with a Hokkaido flavor profile. Part of the Wang Steak Group's brands, the restaurant focuses on a generous self-service bar of soup bases, meats and vegetables, ideal for gatherings and family meals. The average spend is about NT$600 per person, and advance phone reservations are recommended (03-932-9838).
Wenchang Road Zhajiang Noodles on Yilan City's Wenchang Road is a popular queue-up snack shop that, together with the zhajiang noodle shops on Fuxing Road and Nongquan Road, forms the 'Three Zhajiang Noodle Brothers'. The shop is known for hand-made flat noodles tossed in rich zhajiang sauce, paired with wonton soup or pork-rib soup—a top breakfast pick for locals and tourists alike. Hours run from morning to midday; queues are long on weekends so weekdays are better. The shop is near Wenchang Temple and about 13 minutes' walk from Yilan Train Station, with parking lots nearby and easy access to the South-North Market and Yilan Luna Plaza.
Eat
OX Yaxus Seared Steak (Yilan Yuanshan branch) sits at No. 202, Sec. 1, Yuanshan Road in Yuanshan Township, right beside the Yuanshan Farmers' Association. The interior is industrial-style, with blues and jazz setting a laid-back tone and walls lined with rows of motorcycle helmets. The menu centres on a self-service bar and steaks: the bar alone is just NT$109 for salad, hot dishes, toasted bread and ice cream, while steaks start from NT$309 and come with the free bar. Oden, Japanese steamed egg, spicy duck blood with stinky tofu, a chocolate fountain and corn chowder round things out, with no service charge—great for family and group dinners.
Beimen Mung Bean Slush (Beimen Lvdousha Milk King) is a long-standing Yilan drink shop with more than 40 years of history. Hand-made to order, the mung bean slush milk, papaya milk and taro slush are the most popular, and the rich, smooth taste routinely draws long queues. Beyond the signature drinks, the bright, refreshed storefront also offers seasonal limited editions—an unmissable taste of Yilan for any traveller.
Beimen Garlic Meat Soup is a Beimen District, Yilan institution with more than 60 years of history, famed for its rich garlic-fragrant broth. The thickened soup features tender strips of pork shoulder, paired with garlic puree, shredded bamboo shoots and vegetables. Common choices include meat-soup noodles, rice cakes (gua zai) and rice noodles or rice, at about NT$55 a bowl—a coin-purse snack that often draws queues and a Yilan classic not to be missed.
Chenghuang Temple Qie-Zi Noodle Shop at No. 27, Chenghuang Street, Yilan City, is a hidden breakfast spot locals love. Sign-less and plain-looking, it serves old-school dry and soup noodles, rice cakes and rice vermicelli, paired with handmade fish balls and small plates like pork liver, lung and cheek meat at friendly prices. Opening hours are roughly 6 to 11 (some say 12); queues are common, so driving in and parking along Zhongshan Road or near the temple is recommended. The dining area is simple and there's no air-con in summer—an authentic choice for travellers wanting a traditional Yilan breakfast.
Anyong Heart Food Hall in Su'ao Township, Yilan, is a tourism factory that blends marine food education with high-tech interactivity. The site has a seafood supermarket, hot pot buffet, pizza DIY and afternoon-tea café, with tickets at NT$200 (fully redeemable on purchases) and free entry on weekdays for Yilan residents. Inside, AR motion games, a glass-walled production line, balance-bike area and fishing simulator offer rich family interaction, all in a tall, spacious hall that's both photo-friendly and educational—an excellent indoor family pick on rainy or hot days.
Ke-Shi Scallion Pancake is a Jiaoxi classic, founded in 1970 and more than 50 years old. Its hand-made 'bomb scallion pancake'—a crispy, pan-fried dough pocket filled with egg—is priced around NT$45 and beloved by locals and tourists alike, often drawing long queues. The stall sits opposite Jiaoxi Elementary School, close to Jiaoxi Train Station, with easy transport. In 2023 it earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand and won two bowls in 'Taiwan 500 Bowls', making it a coin-purse must-stop in Jiaoxi.