【宮原眼科】Miyahara: where history meets sweets and shopping
Another one of my favorite places I visited with my parents recently is the old Miyahara building 宮原眼科, a restaurant, ice cream and milk tea store that perfectly blends the traditional vintage and modern elements aesthetics.
My dad suggested to take me there to check it out and gave me some background on the building's history before heading over.
about Miyahara
Miyahara, also known as 宮原眼科, is nearly a century old and is one of the most historic buildings/restaurants in Taichung. It was originally an eye doctor's office opened by Miyahara (宮原) in 1927 during the Japanese colonization of Taiwan.
The brick walls on the exterior of Miyahara are still original to the building, giving it an authentic vintage feel. Even though the bricks are slowly deteriorating over time, Taiwan still preserves the building to keep it fresh.
entering Miyahara
When you enter through the door, you'll feel like you've stepped into a Harry Potter movie.
Gazing up you see the tall ceilings and with tall vintage brown wooden bookshelves filled with books.
The wooden medicinal vintage drawers serve as tables for displaying desserts, chocolates, candies, and souvenirs. Just stepping inside feels magical. Like you’re stepping back in time but also have a semi-modern twist to it.
dining at Miyahara
Climbing up the beautiful stairway, you'll reach the restaurant on the second floor. When stepping inside the restaurant itself had a unique vintage and elegant vibe.
Before you visit, during weekends and holidays, the restaurant is usually very booked.
We decided to visit during the weekdays to avoid the crowds. We grabbed lunch early and still during weekdays — past noon — the restaurant filled up quickly!
The tea pot they served was vintage-looking and made of heavy metal. The food was excellent I had two bowls of rice (which is a lot for me) and we also ordered a afternoon tea dessert platter with other Taiwanese dessert options along with your preference of coffee or tea.
the restroom
Located on the third floor, the bathroom at Miyahara is absolutely gorgeous. The structure with the lines — blending modern and vintage together creating a beautiful masterpiece.
It’s also unique that when the suns too bright, they have these black out curtains that go down to prevent the bathroom becoming too hot.
That bathroom itself is beautiful and extremely clean. I love a great bathroom design and this checks my box ☑️
milk tea at Miyahara
After we finished eating lunch, we walked outside the building and they had a boba tea shop which was very unique looking. This is still part of Miyahara!
It had a very vintage vibe to it filled with metal tea boxes, vintage menu signs and bricks throughout and a hole to peep through if anyone was to order through inside the building.
I ordered a strawberry milk shake (草莓牛奶）and it tasted so good!
know before you go
What Miyahara is most known for is their ice cream which is located on the outside of the building past the milk tea shop.
Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to eat their ice cream due to the long lines and not seeing the ice cream shop first… But I’ll definitely try it out next time! I saw other people getting their ice cream and they looked amazing!
VISIT
HOURS
Monday - Sunday: 10:00 am - 9:00 pm
LOCATION
No. 20號, Zhongshan Rd, Central District, Taichung City, Taiwan 400
Miyahara is a must-visit place that offers culture, history, and a perfect mix of vintage and modern. It's a great place to enjoy yummy food, learn about the building's history, and experience the unique atmosphere of Taichung.
check out my Taichung travel vlog!
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11:59 03012023
Last Updated: 06.02.2024
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