Food in Seoul

The food in Korea is varied and delicious! Worried about spice levels? We got you covered. Anything Sarah can handle, you can. Below we have defined some of the food highlights of Seoul, followed by a list of restaurants we recommend.

Banchan: Korean side dishes. Pretty much ALL restaurant experiences in South Korea will include banchan, and they are no extra charge, and they are refillable This is a great way to include your veggies in every meal (not to mention fermented foods). You may have heard of kimchi, which is usually included in banchan. The red versions --all types of cabbage, sprouts and leaves--with gochugaru (red pepper flakes) range in spiciness. If you can't handle spice (like Sarah), just avoid anything red until someone else at the table has sampled it. There are some red items that are mild, but most will be spicy. Don't despair! There are plenty of non-spicy banchan, including water kimchi which we loved so much we will be making it at home. Bibimbop: assorted vegetables and protein, served with rice. In the USA, bibimbop is usually served on top of rice, and may be pre-seasoned with spicy sauce. In Seoul, it was always presented apart from the rice (anyone on a low carb diet?), and the vegetables and meats tended to be pre-seasoned with anything BUT red pepper. Sometimes it was sesame or perilla oil, or something soy based. This is a dish that is available just about anywhere, at any kind of restaurant. Bulgogi: seasoned grilled meat, usually beef or pork. This is another staple of Korean cuisine that is available just about anywhere except vegetarian restaurants. BBQ: a popular type of restaurant is the BBQ place, where you and your party sit around a grill. Meat--usually pork and beef, but sometimes chicken--and vegetables are brought to you raw and you manage the cooking. In addition to banchan, try the sides of steamed egg. Soup is also brought, and it's one bowl for the table. There is a lot of communal eating in South Korea.

Ginseng Chicken: it's chicken soup, and it's good for you. There are versions that include red pepper, but the basic, traditional ginseng chicken is not spicy.

Temple Foods: restaurants that specialize in Buddhist cuisine! Look near a temple to find them. The TempleStay association has restaurants, but near temples you will also find small shops targeting monks and temple visitors. Dishes don't include garlic, onions, chives, meat, or eggs. You will see lots of lotus root (yum).

Mandu: dumplings! The fillings and shapes vary across Korea.

1. Gaseong Traditional Dumpling House (aka Gaseong Mandu Koong). 11-3 Insadong 10-gil, Jongno District, Seoul, South Korea. Open Monday - Friday 11:30 AM - 3:00 PM; 4 - 8 PM; Saturday and Sunday 11:30 AM - 8:00 PM.

Yum. The first picture below has the three types of dumplings, called mandu in Korean, that are hand-made here (and you can watch them make them in the front window). From left to right is kimchi, pork, and mushroom. Other photos show a soup with pork dumplings and a onion pancake set with kimchi dumplings. Banchan of 3 dishes is served first. Sarah loved the "water kimchi" which is pictured in a bowl here; you can see the cucumber and radish. This was a pleasant surprise as Sarah doesn't tolerate much spiciness. All of the dumplings were good and the pancake was not greasy. We also tried a rice wine that was delicious (Baekseju - Korean traditional wine with spices). It was not too sweet and the alcohol was mellow. A translation of the ingredients label is included in the photos below.

2. Traditional Temple Food (Vegetarian) 56 Ujeongguk-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 5th floor of the Templestay Information building across from Jogyesa Temple.

   The TempleStay organization has a center across from Jogyesa Temple, which was very close to our hotel. There is housing at this location, a restaurant serving lunch and dinner, and (nearby) some cooking classes.

The food was delicious and varied. There were many mushrooms, including a fried mushroom dish which tasted very much like Korean fried chicken, so those who are vegetarian and want to know what the local fried chicken craze is about should try this. Nearly all dishes had tolerable spice levels for Sarah. The ambiance is a private room.

To make a reservation, we were told to do so online. While they have an online system, one must have a Korean credit card. Instead, we asked our hotel to call and make a reservation. One could also visit in person. (We tried twice but the first time they were "on break" and the second time the information center on the first floor was closed so we couldn't figure out how to access floor 5)

3. Miseong Hoe Pocha (or Miseong Hoegwan).

Miseon Hoegwan/Hoe Pocha. 60-3 Namyeong-dong, Yongsan District, Seoul. Open 11 AM - 9:30 PM every day.

This restaurant focused on raw fish/sashimi accompanying Korean dishes. Dan got raw sea squirt bimbimbap, Sarah got raw flounder bimbimbap and our son got perilla soup with potato dumplings. Each dish, which included about 6 banchan, was only 11,000 won (US$8). There are some set menus and grill dishes that were in the 25,000-35,000 won range but we didn't order them. The banchan here--4 different dishes-- was delicious, with one non-spicy item that Sarah loved.

The restaurant is close to Wooskin dermatology clinic, which is why we were in the area. You can read more about dermatology visits in Korea and Wooskin specifically on our blog post "Medical Korea"

4. Insadong Tofu Village (or Insadong Dubu Village) Insadong Tofu Village. 30-12 Insadong-gil, Jongno District, Seoul, South Korea. Open 11 AM - 8:40 PM daily.

   This is not strictly a tofu restaurant, but tofu is featured on the menu. They had a note in the menu that they can do vegetarian if diners notify them at the start. One can order a la carte, or get a set meal. We did the latter, and there were 4 set meals to choose from for 3-4 people. (Other set meals are indicated for 2 people, or more than 4). The restaurant is down a long narrow alley off Insadong street.
   

   First the "appetizer" arrived which was a chive pancake and salad. Neither were spicy. Then came a plate of pork, tofu, and lettuce with various sauces and pastes. These were delicious all together in a lettuce wrap; Sarah opted for tofu only to avoid the spice. We also got a seafood pancake that was chock-full of little shrimp and green onion, and not too greasy. The banchan was good and included several that were not spicy for Sarah: tofu and broccoli salad, and chapchae

   Finally, the hotpot arrived and it had more of their good tofu with mushrooms and carrots. It was tasty and healthy.
   

   We recommend the wine! It's called dongdongju, and like makgeolli, it goes very well with rich foods. It's a little sweet and easy to drink.

   
   
   
   

Photos show the storefront, hotpot, banchan, seafood pancake, tofu/pork lettuce wraps, Dan pouring our alcohol, "appetizers" of chive pancake and salad, the interior space, and menus and business card

6. Ginseng Chicken at Jeongtong Samgyetang 정통삼계탕 Jeongtong Samgyetang 정통삼계탕, 95 Jong-ro 5-gil, Jongno District, Seoul

   
   

   Ginseng chicken is a traditional Korean food. This little restaurant is very close to the Palace complex and the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History. The menu had English, but the proprietor just came over and pointed at the first two items and pantomimed we should order three of the first one, ginseng chicken soup. She made it known that the second menu item was an option, but very spicy. So we all ended up with ginseng chicken soup. A whole, albeit small, chicken is stuffed with rice, a jujubee, and a piece of ginseng. It's in a chicken broth and came to the table still boiling.
   

The proprietor again showed us what to do--put salt and pepper in the small bowl and dip your chicken in it. So we did! Very good soup.

Banchan here included three spicy options: whole, very raw garlic, kimchee, and diakon. In the photos below, you can see the complete dish, and then some of the items taken out of the soup pot and set aside to cool and eat

7. A Flower Blossom on the Rice

A Flower Blossom on the Rice. 3-6 Insadong 16-gil, Jongno District, Seoul, South Korea. Open 11:30 - 3:00 PM and 5:30 PM - 9:00 PM daily. Reservations through CatchTable.

This restaurant focuses on organic and locally grown foods. Reservations are REQUIRED. The ambiance is upscale. It's a lovely experience to eat innovative cuisine in a different country. If you want lots of nice vegetables with limited starches, you will love this place.

The restaurant has a la carte and set meal options. We had the set course with beef and the set course with fish. All courses have the same foods except for the last savory one, and everyone at the table shares all the preliminary dishes.

Among the stars was the salad. A corn porridge is used as a dressing and it was sweet and vinegary. Another favorite was a cold salad with a dressing of pinenuts and soy. The beef and fish were both nicely cooked with good flavor. All the dishes were focused on appreciating in-season foods and their special tastes. It was nice that items were not overly salted or sugared, but also offered opportunity to add layers of seasoning if desired.

We loved the drinks, especially the Special Tasting Premium Rice Wine. They will choose what pairs best with your food. Ours was paired with the beef. We liked one of the wines well enough that we will try to buy a bottle to bring home. They have an extensive alcohol menu and show a map of local origination. We also enjoyed the non-alcoholic beverages: warm tea already on the table and a carrot orange juice with dessert. It was a lot of food and if we were to come again, we would order the Vegan menu (which has all the shared dishes we had) and perhaps one beef to share for 2 or 3 people, or no beef.

8. Chicken BBQ

   We met up with friends who live in Seoul and this is where they took us. Apparently, chicken BBQ isn't traditional; it is one of the many ways that Seould restaurants today are taking traditional foods and updating them. They ordered chicken neck and thigh in three preparations (including soy sauce, which was our favorite) and some vegetable skewers. There was also a puffy egg souffle that had veggies in it that was very good. Each person had a small dish with white onion slices and green onions, and 2 dips (one spicy and one ranch). The banchan included one bowl of soup, radishes, and kimchee, plus lettuce and nettle leaf to use as wrappers for the meat. We drank the traditional beer + a shot of shoju. The shoju takes the bitterness out of the Korean beer!

9. Korean Fried Chicken

We tried it three times: 1st we got delivery from Puradak. It is a saucy type of kfc, and this is a popular chain here.

2nd we tried some in the Seoul Central Market. This was the crispier type.

3rd we tried it at Banpo Hangang Park area. This is on a manmade island, near the Banpo River Fountain. (Beer Garden 649 Banpo-dong, Seocho District, Seoul.) Many people set their picnic blankets in the park and either get food from street vendors or order delivery. (Our local friends said so many people order delivery directly to their picnic blankets that a rule was made that one must meet the delivery drivers at the street.) We opted instead to walk over to the Beer Garden and have drinks and chicken with a view of the water. It's a great location and this chicken was fantastic. In the photo below the chicken is partially hidden by the beer mug. Apologies. The following three photos are from the Seoul Market.

10. Food Courts/ Supermarkets in Major Department Stores We are big fans of the basement-level food courts in Japan and were excited to see the Korean versions! We visited three, Sonsigie, Hyundai, and Lotte. The basement level (B1) has restaurants, Sonsigie had the most limited options. Hyundai was our favorite. The had the most restaurants and the widest variety of food types Lotte had a good selection of restaurants and the grocery store had a great price on day-old cut fruits.

11. Grab-and-Go or Street Foods: The Night Markets tend to have the same few items: meat on skewers, fried potatoes, roasted sweet potatoes, fried chicken, things with cheese in them, dukkbokki and/or Army Stew, fruits cut up or fruit shake, and a variety of desserts. It's possible to eat dinner here, but it would not be cheaper than a restaurant, and a restaurant lets you sit and talk. Fruit stores offer grab-and-go options at good prices. They have fresh and freeze-dried options. Of course, convenience stores like 7-11 or shops in the subway also have sandwiches, drinks and more. Below: a fruit store.

1000 layer honey candy. Look for vendors around town. There are many. It's not really honey though. It's corn syrup and perhaps some honey flavoring. Still a cool concept and very tasty.

1000 layer honey candy creation

1000 layer honey candy assembly

First "honey" (actually corn syrup that's hard) is stretched into fine strands. The white powder is cornstarch. This is amazing to watch!

Then pieces of the many layers are cut off, filled with nuts, and rolled.

Flavor options are almond or walnut, green tea, red bean, and chocolate.

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