The Foodie’s Guide: What to Eat in Seoul

It can be overwhelming trying to decide what to eat in Seoul because there are so many amazing options! Apart from all the chimaek and BBQ that we see on our favourite K-dramas, there’s actually a good variety of Korean dishes that one can find in the city’s bustling capital. If you’re overwhelmed with options, this list covers the best restaurants we ate at when we visited in December 2021. Enjoy!

Jinjujip Bibimguksu (진주집)

Hidden at the basement of an unobtrusive office building, your only hint at having found a local haunt would be the snaking lines that form outside this restaurant every lunch hour. We were introduced to Jinjujip by a local back in 2014, and we’ve never failed to return religiously every time we’re back in Seoul. They are popular for their bibimguksu – cold, slick noodles with pickled radish, cucumbers and carrots tossed in a spicy, sweet and sour gochujang sauce. The burst of tart flavours is so refreshing and feels like a party for your palette. At 8000₩ a bowl, this is fantastic value especially when you can request to add noodles at the end of your meal! Make sure to go early to avoid the long queues at lunch and look out for the iconic round blue sign. Highly recommended especially since the versions we have in Singapore just can’t compare.

Nearest station: Yeouido (Exit 5)

Address: 33 Gukjegeumyung-ro 6-gil, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul

Puradak Chicken (푸라닭 치킨)

Korean fried chicken is legendary and when we googled for the best fried chicken in Seoul, the usual suspects like Kyochon and Chir Chir came up. But we reached out to a local to help us order some supper, and our world was forever changed when Puradak chimaek arrived at our doorstep. They market themselves as premium chicken, and well, that label is well-earned. The meat was so tender, flavourful, and crispy and truly unlike any other fried chicken we’ve tasted. If you’re feeling adventurous, consider their interesting fusion flavours such as black aglio and chilli mayo. If not, you can also stick to the more traditional ones like soy garlic. Can’t decide? You can also opt for a half-half plate to sample more flavours!

Multiple locations across Seoul

Sigol Bapsang (시골밥상)

To be honest, my favourite part of any Korean meal is actually the banchan, or side dishes, that are served before the main course. So imagine my surprise when I found out that there’s a restaurant that specialises in banchan and serves it as the main course. The restaurant itself is incredibly cozy and quaint and filled with memorabilia and cultural artefacts from yesteryear. For 9000₩ per person, you are served a whooping 27 plates of banchan! You also have the option of adding on dishes such as steamed egg and simmered beef to complement the meal.

Nearest station: Itaewon (Exit 2) or Hangangjin (Exit 1)

Address: 235 Itaewon-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea

Gobong Samgyetang (고봉 삼계탕)

Most people rave about the ginseng chicken at Tosokchon, but I actually found the soup quite thin and bland. In contrast, the broth at Gobong Samgyetang was a lot more robust and flavourful. You also have two options of samgyetang to choose from – Hanbang samgyetang (black chicken ginseng soup which is more flavourful) and Sanghwang samgyetang (white chicken ginseng soup which is closer to what you would traditionally find around Korea). Both broths were rich and had a generous serving of tender chicken that fell off the bone as well as glutinous rice. As with all samgyetang dishes, it is also served with a side of salt for you to add depending on how salty you prefer the soup to be. In addition, you are also given a little side of wine if you want a little oomph with your ginseng soup!

Nearest station: Bongeunsa (Exit 7) or Samseong (Exit 6)

Address: Starfield Coex Mall, B1 K-109

Mansuk Tofu / Manseokjang (만석장)

We chanced upon Manseokjang by accident while looking for lunch at Lotte World Mall, and what a find it was! This restaurant is actually a franchise of a 100-year old establishment. The tofu here is softer than a baby’s cheek and definitely one of the best soondubu I’ve had. They are also famous for their bossam ssambap (boiled pork wrapped with leaves) and even have a self-service bar with a whole range of vegetables to choose from that you can pair your meats with! All sets are served with a piping hot bowl of barley rice which complement the rich flavours of the soondubu and bossam beautifully.

Nearest station: Jamsil (Exit 11)

Address: 6th floor of Lotte World Mall

300 Olympic-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul

Premium Jangin Dakgalbi (장인닭갈비)

Being hidden in the basement of a sloped street doesn’t stop Jangin Dakgalbi from being wildly popular with the locals. It’s not hard to understand why – we tried several dakgalbi establishments on the trip and only this one managed to hit the right blend of chicken, sauce, and cheese without being overly oily or salty. Their lunch set is a great value for money, with a dakgalbi with cheese for two at only 19,000₩. You can then opt to zhng your dakgalbi with mozzarella cheese, rice cake, sausage or an assortment of noodles! Make sure to leave some space for the most savoury ‘dessert’ imaginable – fried rice topped with seaweed and sesame oil!

Nearest station: Gangnam (Exit 11)

Address: 19 Teheran-ro 1-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul (B1)

Woo Tender

This was our fancy meal in Seoul, and we enjoyed the luxury of a private dining room for the 7 of us on the second floor of the restaurant. Service was top-notch throughout dinner service, and we even had private chefs grill our beef tableside. Both the chateaubriand and sirloin were beautifully-marbled, but of the two, we actually preferred the latter for its tenderness despite it being the more affordable option. We also opted to pair our beef with thick, sweet slabs of uni which was an absolute match made in heaven. I would definitely recommend a visit here if you’re a steak-lover! The entire meal cost 508,000₩ (SGD564) for the 6 of us which I found to be quite reasonable given the quality of the meat!

Nearest station: Apgujeongrodeo (Exit 3)

Address: 25-10 Apgujeong-ro 42-gil, Seoul, South Korea

Mosori BBQ (신사 모소리)

Hack alert: Did you know that you can enter 맛집 into Kakao Maps and it will show you the highest rated restaurants in the area? 맛집 means “tasty house” in Korean and these are usually establishments with tasty food that have been made famous through online reviews or word of mouth.

This was how we chanced upon Mosori BBQ. This humble establishment is so local that there weren’t English words on the menu so we did the fun thing of just gesturing at the food on other tables and asking the servers for their recommendations. We found the mosorisol (pork neck) and gaorisal (sirloin) absolutely tender and delicious. Also make sure to leave some space for the Jjageul-i bab – Mosori’s special fried rice that is cooked table-side. For added depth to the flavours, try pairing the meat with cabbage mixed with raw eggs and anchovy sauce!

Nearest station: Sinsa (exit 8)

Address: 24 Dosan-daero 1-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea

Suyoil Teahouse

Eating bingsu in winter is like going to the sauna in summer. But my dad had a real craving and I’m glad we were finally able to find a traditional tea house to enjoy this on our last day in Seoul! This second-storey cafe overlooks the winding streets of Insadong and is the perfect place to rest your legs after shopping. Apart from bingsu, it also serves an array of traditional teas and other classic Korean sweet treats.

Nearest station: Anguk (Exit 6) or Jongno 3 (Exit 5)

Address: 2F, 36, Insadong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul 03148 South Korea

O’Sulloc Teahouse

This is my favourite place to get tea in Korea because the blends they offer are so unique and incredibly fragrant. The packaging is also gorgeous and makes for great souvenirs (even though I’m aware you can get it on Shopee these days if you have a real craving). Apart from buying the tea home, you can also enjoy a wide array of tea-inspired desserts in the cafe itself such as cheesecake, tiramisu and swiss rolls. You will definitely be spoiled for choice and quality at Osulloc.

Nearest station: Anguk (Exit 6)

Address: 45-1 Insadong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul 03145

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Have other amazing restaurants to recommend in Seoul? Share them with us in the comments below. We’re already counting down to our next trip!