WHATTOCOOK / SEOUL FOOD GUIDE
Plan a Korean food trip, one dish at a time. Explore 20 Seoul restaurants for kalguksu, samgyetang, Korean BBQ, tofu, mandu and cold noodles, then try a related recipe at home.
20 restaurants
At the restaurantPhoto: Mobius6 ↗ · CC BY-SA 4.0 ↗ · Resized; display crop.
Myeongdong · Kalguksu & mandu
A noodle stop in Myeongdong built around freshly made kalguksu in chicken broth. The central address makes it a practical food stop during a shopping walk. Look for the Korean name on the sign to distinguish this location from other noodle shops.
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Dish referencePhoto: chomjong ↗ · CC BY 2.0 ↗ · Resized; display crop.
Myeongdong · Gomtang & suyuk
This Myeongdong restaurant concentrates on gomtang, a clear beef soup, and boiled beef called suyuk. Visit Seoul traces its history to 1939. It is a focused introduction to Seoul-style beef broth rather than a broad menu of Korean dishes.
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At the restaurantPhoto: Korea.net / Korean Culture and Information Service (Jeon Han) ↗ · CC BY-SA 2.0 ↗ · Resized; display crop.
Gyeongbokgung · Samgyetang
Near Gyeongbokgung Palace, Tosokchon specializes in samgyetang, chicken soup with ginseng. Its hanok setting adds a traditional architectural stop to a palace-area itinerary. Visit Seoul lists an English menu, although current availability should be checked before visiting.
Plan your visit →Dish referencePhoto: Mobius6 ↗ · CC BY-SA 4.0 ↗ · Resized; display crop.
Bukchon & Samcheong · Kalguksu & mandu
In the Bukchon and Samcheong area, this specialist serves noodles in beef broth and substantial handmade dumplings. It offers a different broth style from Myeongdong Kyoja. Consider it when planning a food stop around the neighborhood’s museums and traditional streets.
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Dish referencePhoto: chomjong ↗ · CC BY 2.0 ↗ · Resized; display crop.
Hapjeong · Dwaeji gomtang
Okdongsik’s Seoul location focuses on dwaeji gomtang: pork served with rice and a clear broth. This is a useful contrast to the richer, cloudy soups travelers may associate with Korean gukbap. Use the Seoul branch address when planning a visit near Hapjeong.
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Dish referencePhoto: chomjong ↗ · CC BY 2.0 ↗ · Resized; display crop.
Sindang & Yaksu · Pork barbecue
Geumdwaeji is a pork barbecue restaurant in Sindang, recognizable by its pale tile frontage and gold lettering. The MICHELIN Guide describes pork cooked on a cast-iron grill over briquettes. Check the current waiting and ordering arrangements before choosing it for a fixed-time meal.
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Dish referencePhoto: 세미짱 ↗ · CC BY 4.0 ↗ · Resized; display crop.
Ahyeon · Dubu jorim & tofu dishes
Tofu made with Korean-grown soybeans is the focus at this Ahyeon restaurant. The guide lists braised tofu, tofu hot pot and tofu pancakes alongside meat and seafood dishes. A tofu specialty does not mean the whole menu is vegetarian; ask about each broth and seasoning.
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Dish referencePhoto: Mobius6 ↗ · CC BY-SA 4.0 ↗ · Resized; display crop.
Euljiro · Pyeongyang naengmyeon & bulgogi
Woo Lae Oak pairs Pyeongyang-style cold noodles with a menu that also includes bulgogi. The MICHELIN Guide describes a beef-based noodle broth. For visitors exploring Euljiro, it provides a chance to compare a cold noodle meal with sweet-savory Korean beef.
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Dish referencePhoto: Eugene Kim ↗ · CC BY 2.0 ↗ · Resized; display crop.
Insadong · Gaeseong-style mandu
A converted hanok in Insadong houses this Gaeseong-style dumpling restaurant. The guide describes pork-and-vegetable fillings and beef broth. It is a food-focused stop for an Insadong walk, with a regional dumpling tradition to compare with other mandu restaurants in this collection.
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At the restaurantPhoto: Trainholic ↗ · CC BY-SA 4.0 ↗ · Resized; display crop.
Buam-dong · Mandutguk
Jaha Son Mandu serves dumpling soup in Buam-dong. The guide describes a filling of pork, tofu and vegetables in beef broth, with views toward Inwangsan from the dining room. This location suits a separate Buam-dong outing rather than assuming it is on the same street as Insadong.
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Dish referencePhoto: Steve Longus ↗ · CC BY 2.0 ↗ · Resized; display crop.
Bukchon & Samcheong · Sujebi & potato pancakes
The signature here is sujebi: irregular pieces of hand-torn dough in anchovy broth. The guide also notes potato pancakes. This Samcheong-dong address is useful for travelers who want to explore Korean dough soups beyond long noodles; the anchovy broth is relevant for vegetarian diners.
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Dish referencePhoto: 이동원 ↗ · CC0 ↗ · Resized; display crop.
Jongno · Seolleongtang
Imun specializes in seolleongtang, a milky beef-bone soup, in Jongno. The guide also lists sliced boiled beef. Compare this cloudy broth with Hadonggwan’s clear gomtang when exploring Seoul’s soup traditions; the linked chicken recipes are separate home-cooking ideas, not the restaurant’s beef soup.
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Dish referencePhoto: by jetohs ↗ · CC BY-SA 2.0 ↗ · Resized; display crop.
Gwanghwamun · Cold buckwheat noodles
Mijin is a Gwanghwamun stop for Korean-style cold buckwheat noodles served with dipping sauce. The guide describes grated radish, seaweed and green onion for adjusting the sauce at the table. Buckwheat noodles and chilled sauce make this a different format from cold noodles served submerged in broth.
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Dish referencePhoto: travel oriented ↗ · CC BY-SA 2.0 ↗ · Resized; display crop.
Gyeongbokgung · Gamjatang & jokbal
Halmaejip is an alley restaurant near the Gyeongbokgung area associated with gamjatang and jokbal. The guide describes pork soup with bean sprouts and chives, alongside braised pig’s feet. These dishes offer a different pork meal from tabletop barbecue; confirm portion sizes before ordering for a small party.
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Dish referencePhoto: 국립국어원 ↗ · CC BY-SA 2.0 kr ↗ · Resized; display crop.
Mapo · Bassak bulgogi
This Mapo restaurant is associated with bassak bulgogi, thin beef grilled over a flame to a drier finish. The guide traces the restaurant to 1962. Its specialty is useful for understanding that bulgogi can take different forms, beyond the saucy pan-cooked version often prepared at home.
Plan your visit →Dish referencePhoto: Mobius6 ↗ · CC BY-SA 4.0 ↗ · Resized; display crop.
Euljiro · Pyeongyang naengmyeon & beef hot pot
Nampo Myeonok is a cold-noodle and beef-hot-pot restaurant in an Euljiro alley. The guide identifies Pyeongyang-style noodles and notes both chair and floor seating. Use the full address to locate the entrance among office-district streets rather than relying only on the English restaurant name.
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Dish referencePhoto: 대경라이프 ↗ · CC BY-SA 4.0 ↗ · Resized; display crop.
Seocho · Hwanghae-style mandu & kimchi mari guksu
Bongsanok introduces food associated with Bongsan in Hwanghae-do. Visit Seoul describes handmade dumplings filled with cabbage, sprouts, tofu, beef and pork, as well as chilled kimchi noodles. The Seocho address makes it a distinct southern-Seoul option in a collection otherwise concentrated north of the river.
Plan your visit →Dish referencePhoto: Mobius6 ↗ · CC BY-SA 4.0 ↗ · Resized; display crop.
Gangnam · Pyeongyang naengmyeon & bulgogi
This Gangnam restaurant centers on Pyeongyang-style cold noodles. The guide also lists boiled pork and beef, bulgogi, dumplings and beef hot pot. It is a useful southern-Seoul counterpart to the Euljiro noodle addresses, especially if your itinerary already includes the Hakdong-ro area.
Plan your visit →Dish referencePhoto: Mobius6 ↗ · CC BY-SA 4.0 ↗ · Resized; display crop.
Yeouido · Pyeongyang naengmyeon & mandu
Jungin Myeonok offers Pyeongyang-style noodles in Yeouido, with boiled beef and dumplings also noted by the guide. Its position in an office district makes checking lunch-time arrangements worthwhile. Consider it as a Yeouido food stop instead of crossing the city for an Euljiro noodle restaurant.
Plan your visit →Dish referencePhoto: chomjong ↗ · CC BY 2.0 ↗ · Resized; display crop.
Gwanghwamun · Dwaeji gukbap
Gwanghwamun Gukbap serves a clear pork soup with rice near central Seoul’s office streets. The guide describes sliced pork, chives and radish kimchi. Compare this rice-and-soup format with Okdongsik’s pork gomtang when exploring Korean comfort food; confirm current lunch queues before fitting it between timed visits.
Plan your visit →No matches. Try another neighborhood or dish.
Policies differ by restaurant and can change. Use the source link to find current contact details and confirm reservations, waiting lists and minimum orders.
The recipes are independent home-cooking guides. They introduce related Korean dishes and do not reproduce a restaurant’s proprietary recipe.
Start with the neighborhood on your itinerary. This guide covers Myeongdong, Gwanghwamun, Bukchon, Insadong, Euljiro, Mapo, Hapjeong, Yeouido, Seocho and Gangnam.