Where to eat in Seoul
Want to discover a lesser-known side of Korean cuisine? Bypass the barbecue, and instead try Pyongyang naengmyeon, North Korean buckwheat noodles in an icy beef broth, from Wooraeok and Jinmi Pyeongyang Naengmyeon. Another affordable everyday staple, kalguksu, or knife noodle soup, represents comfort in a bowl. Though it’s doled out all across the city, Myeongdong Kyoja has been serving up some of the best since 1966. (You can even ask for a free second helping of noodles.) And for sluggish mornings following late nights, a bowl of gamjatang (spicy pork bone soup) from Seongsu’s Somunnan Gamjatang, a standby hangover remedy that’s open 24 hours, will fix you right up.
While Seoul is packed with reputable, high-end establishments—Michelin-starred Jungsik and Mingles are among the best for contemporary Korean fine dining—street food is where you can tap into the city’s culinary soul cheaply and easily. Established in 1905, Gwangjang Market is South Korea’s oldest and largest market, and is always filled with hungry locals and out-of-towners hovering over crispy bindaetteok (mung bean pancakes) and steaming bowls of kalguksu. Other markets you should have on your radar are the smaller-but-charming Mangwon Market and Tongin Market, and Noryangjin Fish Market, where you can shop the fresh seafood stalls, then have your selections prepared as you wish (raw, steamed, grilled) at one of its on-site restaurants.
Want to discover a lesser-known side of Korean cuisine? Bypass the barbecue, and instead try Pyongyang naengmyeon, North Korean buckwheat noodles in an icy beef broth, from Wooraeok and Jinmi Pyeongyang Naengmyeon. Another affordable everyday staple, kalguksu, or knife noodle soup, represents comfort in a bowl. Though it’s doled out all across the city, Myeongdong Kyoja has been serving up some of the best since 1966. (You can even ask for a free second helping of noodles.) And for sluggish mornings following late nights, a bowl of gamjatang (spicy pork bone soup) from Seongsu’s Somunnan Gamjatang, a standby hangover remedy that’s open 24 hours, will fix you right up.
While Seoul is packed with reputable, high-end establishments—Michelin-starred Jungsik and Mingles are among the best for contemporary Korean fine dining—street food is where you can tap into the city’s culinary soul cheaply and easily. Established in 1905, Gwangjang Market is South Korea’s oldest and largest market, and is always filled with hungry locals and out-of-towners hovering over crispy bindaetteok (mung bean pancakes) and steaming bowls of kalguksu. Other markets you should have on your radar are the smaller-but-charming Mangwon Market and Tongin Market, and Noryangjin Fish Market, where you can shop the fresh seafood stalls, then have your selections prepared as you wish (raw, steamed, grilled) at one of its on-site restaurants.
