The best places in the world specialize in one thing and do that one thing extremely well. Sunny Hills does that for pineapple cakes. Pineapple cake is a Taiwanese gifting staple. It’s a classic souvenir, something you’d bring into work after traveling, or bring as a gift when visiting friends abroad. It’s a local specialty that has evolved over the years from traditional pastries which were more winter melon than pineapple to be a variety of shapes, flavors and textures to please every palate. Oh, and it’s not so much a cake as it is a buttery shortbread-like pastry wrapped around a jammy fruit center.

As you can imagine, it’s a crowded landscape, but Sunny Hills, whether it’s your favorite or not, has gained the respect of locals and visitors near and far. Their rendition uses “tu feng li,” featuring more of a fibrous, natural texture to the pineapple jam (without the addition of winter melon as a traditional sweetener), and a more robust, thick pastry shell. Beyond pineapple cake, they also sell pineapple juice, honey cake, oolong tea and occasionally have seasonal specials.