Winter melon tea is a traditional Tainan sweet drink made by slowly simmering winter melon with sugar into a concentrated brick, then dissolving it in water; the amber-colored tea carries a caramel-like sweetness and is one of the most familiar heat-beating drinks on Tainan's streets. Buy a cold cup at the old shop across from Wu Temple and it goes down easy in Fucheng's summer heat — a plain-looking sweet drink that represents hours of simmering, and the taste of old Tainan.
The shop behind Tainan's winter melon tea tradition, Yi Feng Winter Melon Tea (Yi Feng Dong Gua Hang), states on its official website that it was founded in 1912 by Lin Huang and has passed through four generations while still following the traditional handmade method of simmering winter melon sugar bricks.
What is Winter Melon Tea
Winter melon tea is a traditional sweet drink made by slowly simmering winter melon with sugar into a concentrated brick, then dissolving it in water. The tea is amber in color, cleanly sweet with a caramel-like fragrance, contains no caffeine, and is at its most refreshing served cold. It is a common old-style beverage across Taiwan, with particularly deep roots in Tainan.
The key to winter melon tea lies in making the sugar brick — repeatedly stirring winter melon and sugar together, cooking it down until it crystallizes into a solid brick. The dissolved drink carries a rich caramel sweetness that is entirely different from simple sugar water. According to Yi Feng Winter Melon Tea's official website, the shop was founded in 1912 and is one of the last traditional winter melon sugar shops surviving in Fucheng, with the main factory located on Yongfu Road directly across from Wu Temple. This ancient brick-making process is the foundation that allows Tainan's winter melon tea to claim its status as a local signature drink.
How to enjoy it
Local knowledge
Verified endorsements (sponsored content filtered out)
- Yi Feng Winter Melon Tea's official website states the shop was founded in 1912.
- Yi Feng is considered one of the last traditional winter melon sugar shops surviving in Fucheng.
- Its main factory is located on Yongfu Road across from Wu Temple; it is not a Michelin-listed item.
Practical tips
- The main factory is on Yongfu Road in Zhongxi District, directly facing Sidian Wu Temple — easy to locate.
- It's close to Chikan Tower, Wu Temple, and Da Tian Hou Gong, making it easy to add to a Zhongxi District historic sites walking route.
- This is a street-side beverage shop, primarily open during the day through early evening — most convenient to stop by while visiting nearby historic sites.
Information compiled from the Michelin Guide, the Tainan City Government Tourism website, and public reviews, with sponsored content filtered out. Photos will be replaced after on-site shooting.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is winter melon tea made of?
Winter melon tea is made by slowly simmering winter melon with sugar until it reduces into a crystallized sugar brick, then dissolving the brick in water — a caffeine-free traditional sweet drink.
When did winter melon tea originate in Tainan?
According to the official website of Tainan's Yi Feng Winter Melon Tea, the shop was founded in 1912 and remains one of the traditional winter melon sugar shops still operating in Fucheng today.
Is winter melon tea better served hot or cold?
It is most commonly served ice-cold, which best brings out the caramel sweetness and cooling effect, a common way to drink it on Tainan's summer streets.
Sources
- 義豐冬瓜行官方網站 — 官網品牌故事頁載明創立於1912年、傳承四代