13 Priceless Places To Eat In South Korea

I’m not a foodie and I’ve never travelled somewhere to eat before but Korea is one of the few places in the world where I would come back Seouly to eat (yup worst dad joke ever). Jokes aside through, there is no end to the delicious and Instagrammable food in Korea. Though I’ve only been able to check out the food scene in Busan and Seoul so far, I haven’t been disappointed. Read through for the best food spots from my 10 day trip in Korea . You can also check out this post, to read about my favourite photo spots in Seoul, and this post, for my favourite spots in Busan.

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1. Myeongdong Street Market

Along with a variety of shopping choices, Seoul’s Myeongdong offers an endless supply of street food. I am not a huge foodie but I was blown away by the sheer amount of street vendors selling every type of street and fried food under the sun. Though the prices were higher than the food markets in Busan, I was never disappointed by my purchases.

A few of the many many street foods available at Myeongdong.

2. Myeongdong Kyoja

It’s a Michelin star noodle restaurant so there really is nothing much to say. The only crazy thing is that I always expected all Michelin star restaurants to be pretentious and overpriced. Surprisingly, there is a separate category for restaurants who are awarded Michelin stars for achieving an exceptional level of taste at affordable prices. Myeongdong Kyoja’s reason for ending up in this category is because of their amazing handmade noddle soup. The portion is actually so huge that it’s best shared between two people unless you can really pack it in. The dumplings are damn great too.

3. Migabon Restaurant

This is another restaurant that doesn’t need recommending because it is so popular and busy. Located right beside Myeongdong’s night market, I never passed by this place when it didn’t have a line. It’s even famous with locals who come in droves for their porridge and soup dishes. I found those to be fine but my drug at this restaurant was their free radish kimchi and cheap kimchi pancake. I don’t know what their fermenting process is, but their kimchi dishes are unbelievably fresh and delicious.

4. Paris Baguette

This is one of the fanciest chain café’s that I’ve ever been to. They have a really great selection of baked goods and sandwiches, as well as a menu that you can order from. This was a great place to come to on days that had an early start or late night when I needed some quick and cheap food.

5. Gurkha Indian Restaurant

After travelling from Seoul to Busan via train, we were dying of hunger and feeling some Indian food. A quick Google search showed us that this restaurant had a lot of really great reviews. The portions and flavour were pretty great. It was pricier than I expected but this wasn’t too surprising considering the location and quality of their food.

6. Bukchon Hanok Village

Like Gamcheon Village in Busan, you won’t be finding any hearty meals in Seoul’s Bukchon Village either. Instead, most of the food vendors around and in the village lean towards novelty and quick foods that you can eat on the go. We got to enjoy some specialty corndogs and great ice cream here.

7. Nami Island

Though nobody comes to Nami Island just to eat, the island has got some great options of restaurants, cafes, and food vendors. Not to mention the island has some great attractions and activities.

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8. Seomyeon Food Alley

While smaller than the street markets in Seoul, Seomyeon has got a sizeable food market. The best part about Seomyeon is that despite its popularity with tourists, it has not become pretentious. Vendors still sell food and alcohol at very reasonable prices. For the more adventurous, you can also visit the Jalgachi fish market for some fresh seafood dishes.

9. Modern Chicken (Seomyeon)

This is a restaurant meant for bottomless eaters or sharers. The portions of delicious fried chicken are ridiculously large but surprisingly cheap for the amount you get. They also have really cheap deals on drinks and alcohol so you’ll be neither thirsty nor hungry when you leave.

10. Gamcheon Cultural Village

The cultural village is a great place to try some cheap and novelty Korean foods. My favorite was the tteokbokki and hotdog skewer, and the strange gelatinous sugar syrup dessert that I tried. There’s also an endless selection of fried foods, desserts, and bubble teas.

11. Twosome (Busan Tower)

After seeing Twosome in a few K Dramas, as well as throughout Korea, I initially avoided it because of its bougie vibe. There are so many affordable cafes in Korea that you don’t have to turn to higher prices for better coffee and desserts. I ended up going into the Busan Tower location solely because I needed a coffee after a long day out that ended with some photography at the Busan Tower Observatory. As I’d expected, I didn’t think the prices were worth the food and drinks we got, but they were worth the location. I haven’t been to any other Twosome but I was surprised by how much effort they put into their interior. While I wouldn’t come back for their coffee and desserts alone, along with the ambiance, it might just be worth it.

12. Soup 65 Degrees

I had breakfast here on a rainy say in Busan because cold rain calls for warm soup. I ended up going with their sandwich instead of their soup and felt that their food and portions were pretty good for the price. Not to mention, the restaurant is so damn adorable.

The cute dogs walking by as I ate, only made the experience sweeter.

13. Yoogane

I know the food isn’t much to look at, but Yoogane was hands down my favorite restaurant in Korea despite being a well-established chain restaurant. I’m not big on chain restaurants because food quality and taste tends to take a hit in favor of faster service and cheaper prices. Though cheap, Yoogane still manages to maintain the taste of their food, as well as an authentic Korean restaurant experience. Once you make your selection, the restaurant workers prepare your meal directly in front of you in a hot pot. If you’re not used to spicy food, be sure to mention this, or else your eardrums will burn. Fun note: be prepared to leave the restaurant smelling like the meal that was cooked in front of you.

When I was in high school, I was told that my generation would be the generation that pursues multiple career paths and does at least three different jobs throughout their lifetime. I’d initially laughed at that thought but ten years later, here I am as a full time teacher, part time traveller, and constant animal rescuer. Also, they failed to tell me that two out of the three jobs wouldn’t even pay me.

13 Priceless Places to Eat in South Korea

SEOUL

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1. Myeongdong Street Market

2. Myeongdong Kyoja

3. Migabon Restaurant

4. Paris Baguette

5. Gurkha Indian Restaurant

6. Bukchon Hanok Village

7. Nami Island

BUSAN

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8. Seomyeon Food Alley

9. Modern Chicken (Seomyeon)

10. Gamcheon Cultural Village

11. Twosome (Busan Tower)

12. Soup 65 Degrees

13. Yoogane

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SEOUL-

1. Myeongdong Street Market

2. Myeongdong Kyoja

3. Migabon Restaurant

4. Paris Baguette

5. Gurkha Indian Restaurant

6. Bukchon Hanok Village

7. Nami Island

BUSAN-

8. Seomyeon Food Alley

9. Modern Chicken (Seomyeon)

10. Gamcheon Cultural Village

11. Twosome (Busan Tower)

12. Soup 65 Degrees

13. Yoogane

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