Walking from Taichung Station to the second section of Ziyou Road, the air carries the scent of butter, flour, and malt sugar baked together. Shops at numbers 23, 25, and 27 stand side by side, each sign reading "Sun Cake." The staff tuck freshly baked round pastries into paper bags, and you can't resist biting into one before you've even left the shop — flaky crust scatters like petals all over your hands, while half-melted malt sugar oozes from the center. This street is the home ground of Taichung's pastry culture.
What is Sun Cake
Sun cake is a Taichung pastry made of Chinese-style flaky dough filled with malt sugar. The crust is distinctly layered and melts in the mouth, while the filling is a cooked malt sugar paste that flows slightly when warm and solidifies into sugary layers when cool. Each piece is roughly palm-sized, round and slightly domed, named for its golden, sun-like surface. The traditional way to eat it is with hot tea, letting the bitterness of the tea cut through the sweetness of the malt. Many older Taichung residents have eaten it since childhood as a breakfast or afternoon snack.
Sun cake is generally thought to have originated on Ziyou Road in Taichung, with pastry chef Wei Qing-hai (Master Aming) cited as its source. As apprentices branched out and family members opened their own shops, multiple stores claiming to be the authentic or oldest sun cake maker clustered around numbers 23, 25, and 27 on Ziyou Road — a brand dispute that has never been settled. For this reason, the guide does not favor any single shop, using the "Ziyou Road pastry old street cluster" as the visit anchor instead. Treat it as a category destination — browse the pastries, buy some, compare them. That's the most enjoyable way to do a dessert walk through old Taichung.
How to eat it like a local
Local knowledge
Verified facts (sponsor-free)
- Sun cake originated on Ziyou Road in Taichung, with pastry chef Wei Qing-hai (Master Aming) most commonly cited as its source. Multiple shops at 23/25/27 Ziyou Road each claim to be the authentic version; brand ownership remains disputed.
- This guide uses the "Ziyou Road sun cake old street cluster" as its anchor and does not designate any single shop as the sole representative, to avoid being drawn into brand arguments.
- The Taichung City Government Tourism Bureau lists Ziyou Road Pastry Old Street as a representative souvenir pastry destination — an official Taichung taste landmark.
Visit tips
- The second section of Ziyou Road (near Taichung Station and Miyahara) takes about 10 minutes to walk. Afternoon tea time is recommended so you can do proper tastings at each shop.
- Most shops offer samples and hot tea, so you can stroll the whole street before deciding where to buy. Parking is difficult — the train or bus is most convenient.
- You can combine the visit with Miyahara, the Fourth Credit Cooperative, and Second Market for a complete sweet dessert walk through old Taichung.
Data compiled from the Michelin Guide, Taichung City Government Tourism Bureau, and a large volume of public reviews. Sponsored content has been filtered out. Photos will be replaced with Dio's own channel footage after on-site shooting.