NantouEat Recommendations

Dong Jia San Xiong Di Ba Wan is a Shui Li, Nantou institution with more than seventy years of history, famous for freshly handmade ba wan dumplings paired with complimentary pork bone broth. The small shop has only about twenty four seats and frequently sees queues, with weekday hours roughly 2 pm to 6 pm and holiday closures often triggered by early sellouts. The dumpling skin is translucent, glossy, and springy, the filling juicy, and the house chili and numbing spicy sauces can also be dipped directly in the bone broth. Beloved by locals and tourists alike, it is a Shui Li must try snack.

Dong Jia Ba Wan is a heritage snack shop in Shui Li Township, Nantou County, founded in 1954 and operating for more than seventy years. The family runs three branches led by three brothers, and the second brother's shop at No. 342 Min Zu Road is the most celebrated, known for tender and springy ba wan skins, crisp bamboo shoots, lean pork fillings, and a heritage house sauce with a clean, pure flavor. Each ba wan costs around NT$40, and the shop offers complimentary pork bone broth so diners can taste the skin first, then add broth for a satisfying dual texture experience. Lines are common thanks to stellar word of mouth, making it a must-eat stop when visiting Shui Li.

Jin Du Restaurant in Pu Li Township, Nantou County, has operated for more than thirty years and consistently champions seasonal local ingredients to craft state banquet-level Taiwanese cuisine and inventive Chinese dishes. The dining room is spacious with comfortable table spacing for small families or large gatherings, and a large parking lot makes self-driving easy. Their signature set menu centers on NT$4,500 with abundant courses and generous portions, spanning cold appetizers, fresh shrimp, three-delicacy duck, mushroom hotpot, crisp stir-fried vegetables, and fresh fruit, all characterized by low oiliness and rice-friendly flavors. Jin Du blends creative Taiwanese cooking with traditional state banquet elegance, making it a top gathering spot in the Pu Li area.

Dan Tong Restaurant on the second floor of Fleur de Chine Hotel at Sun Moon Lake is a five-star buffet serving breakfast and dinner. The dining room seats nearly four hundred guests, with three hundred thirty indoors and forty-six outdoors, and the decor blends Chinese elegance with mountain motifs. The buffet spans nine categories including salads, breads, live-cooking stations, omelets, hot dishes, Hong Kong dim sum, congee, panna cotta, fresh fruit, and beverages, plus premium offerings such as roasted suckling pig, fresh oysters, Mongolian barbecue, charcoal-grilled pork ribs, scallops, sushi, draft beer, and unlimited Taiwan Beer drafted on site. The kitchen partners with local farmers to source Nantou vegetables, and there is a dedicated vegetarian zone and dessert counter, ideal for travelers seeking a high-quality buffet paired with lake views.

Big Shot Steak King's Table at No. 1019 Xin Yi Road in Pu Li Township, Nantou County, is a steak-centric buffet restaurant. The kitchen serves wet-aged whole cuts of beef, M9 Australian wagyu, Angus steak, and other premium meats, with heated stones at each table so guests can fine-tune doneness to personal preference. Beyond meat, the buffet bar includes pizza, soups such as corn chowder and borscht, four flavors of ice cream, coffee, and unlimited beverages, delivering outstanding value for money that suits group dinners and serious carnivores alike.

Hao Zi Wei Buffet on Ren Ai Road in Pu Li Township, Nantou County, offers an all-you-can-eat Taiwanese buffet at a flat NT$139 with more than thirty dishes including steamed rice, congee, soup, beverages, sweet soup, and three to five rotating mains each day featuring pork, fish, or chicken. Dining is timed at forty minutes with identical weekday and holiday pricing, and discounted rates apply for children and infants. The dining room mixes round and square tables to fit families, friends, and group meals, making it a budget-friendly choice for travelers exploring Pu Li.