Under the red-brick arcades of Sanxia Old Street, the air carries the scent of freshly baked butter. Rows of golden horn-shaped bread sit neatly in the display window, just pulled from the oven, still releasing wisps of steam. Pick one up, give it a light squeeze — a crisp crack — and inside is soft and pillowy. This is Sanxia's Golden Croissant, a butter bread that started on Sanxia Old Street in 1992 and has since become nearly synonymous with the town itself.
What is a Sanxia Golden Croissant?
A golden croissant is a bread made by rolling dough into a horn shape, brushing the surface with butter and egg wash, and baking it until golden. The crust comes out of the oven crispy and golden, and when torn open the interior is layered and richly fragrant with butter — somewhere between a croissant and a standard bread roll, more substantial than a croissant but crispier than ordinary bread. The Sanxia Golden Croissant first appeared near Sanxia Old Street in 1992 as the signature item of a local bakery. Its appealing shape, pronounced butter flavor, and suitability as a souvenir quickly made it the defining snack sold up and down the entire old street.
The golden croissant market on Sanxia Old Street is now anchored by established bakeries such as Kangxixuan, Fumeixuan, and Guangming, each with a slightly different recipe ranging from dense to flaky, and each with its own devoted customers. The Sanxia Old Street commercial district's official website and local tourism materials all list the golden croissant as the old street's top souvenir buy. The smell of freshly baked butter wafts every few steps along the way. From the red-brick arcades to the Zushishi Temple area, the golden croissant has become a visual and culinary symbol inseparable from the old street itself — a rare case of a bread becoming a place's defining identity.
How to eat it like a local
Local knowledge
Verified credentials (sponsored content filtered out)
- The golden croissant originated near Sanxia Old Street in 1992 and is a locally created bread.
- The Sanxia Old Street commercial district website lists Kangxixuan, Fumeixuan, and other long-established shops as the signature golden croissant vendors.
- Sanxia Old Street is a New Taipei City heritage conservation area; the red-brick arcade buildings date from the Japanese colonial period.
Visitor tips
- Crowds are heavy on weekends and waits during popular baking times are longer. A weekday visit is more comfortable.
- Golden croissants are a higher-calorie butter bread. They work best as a snack rather than a meal replacement.
- Sanxia Old Street has limited space. Drivers can park in the lots near Zushishi Temple and walk in.
Information compiled from the Michelin Guide, New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Bureau, and large volumes of public reviews, with sponsored content filtered out. Photos will be replaced with exclusive channel footage after Dio's on-site shoot.