Food · Seoul · South Korea
What to eat in Seoul
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define Seoul, and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Eunmi Park, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Start with Korean barbecue, Bibimbap and Kimchi stew. Graze through the market's central food alley: bindaetteok, mayak gimbap, yukhoe and kalguksu, eaten on benches beside the cooks. Side dishes (banchan) are free and refilled on request; ask politely rather than helping yourself from other tables.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Korean barbecue
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 3
- Tipping
- Tipping is not customary in Korea and can confuse staff.
- Food experiences
- 4
11 foods to try
Dish
1.Korean barbecue (Samgyeopsal-gui)
Thick slices of pork belly (or marinated beef galbi) grilled at your table, cut with scissors and wrapped in lettuce with garlic, ssamjang and kimchi. Restaurants usually require at least two portions.
Where: Barbecue restaurants in every district; Mapo and Sinchon are known for pork, and the alleys behind Jongno 3-ga for inexpensive grills.
Dish · Vegetarian
2.Bibimbap
Rice topped with seasoned vegetables, egg and gochujang chili paste, mixed together just before eating; the dolsot version comes in a sizzling stone bowl that crisps the rice.
Where: Casual restaurants across Insadong and Jongno; vegetarian versions are easy to request.
Dish
3.Kimchi stew (Kimchi jjigae)
A spicy, sour stew of aged kimchi, pork and tofu served bubbling in a pot with rice and side dishes — Korea's everyday comfort food.
Where: Office-worker lunch spots around Gwanghwamun, City Hall and Euljiro.
Street food
4.Tteokbokki
Chewy rice cakes simmered in a sweet, spicy gochujang sauce with fish cakes, sold from street stalls alongside fried snacks (twigim) and blood sausage (sundae).
Where: Street stalls in Myeongdong and markets, and the Sindang-dong tteokbokki alley near Dongdaemun.
Street food
5.Mung-bean pancake (Bindaetteok)
Ground mung beans mixed with kimchi, bean sprouts and pork, fried in oil until crisp on the outside, best with makgeolli.
Where: The pancake stalls at Gwangjang Market, where the batter is ground in front of you.
Dish
6.Korean fried chicken and beer (Chimaek)
Double-fried, crackling chicken served plain or glazed in sweet-spicy yangnyeom sauce, paired with cold beer; locals often have it delivered to the Han River parks.
Where: Chicken pubs in Hongdae, Sinchon and every residential neighbourhood.
Dish
7.Cold noodles (Naengmyeon)
Buckwheat noodles in icy beef broth (mul naengmyeon) or with spicy sauce (bibim naengmyeon); the Pyongyang style is subtle and much loved in summer.
Where: Specialist naengmyeon restaurants around Euljiro and Jangchung-dong.
Dish
8.Ginseng chicken soup (Samgyetang)
A whole young chicken stuffed with glutinous rice, ginseng, jujube and garlic, simmered in a milky broth; Koreans eat it on the hottest days of summer.
Where: Samgyetang specialists near Gyeongbokgung and in Jongno.
Snack · Vegetarian
9.Hotteok
A griddled sweet pancake filled with brown sugar, cinnamon and chopped nuts that melt into syrup — a winter street snack.
Where: Street stalls in Insadong, Namdaemun Market and Myeongdong, especially in the cold months.
Dish
10.Knife-cut noodle soup (Kalguksu)
Hand-cut wheat noodles in a rich chicken or anchovy broth, often served with dumplings (mandu) and plenty of garlicky kimchi.
Where: Long-running noodle houses in Myeongdong and the noodle alley in Gwangjang Market.
Drink · Vegetarian
11.Makgeolli and soju
Makgeolli is a milky, lightly fizzy rice wine served in bowls; soju is the clear spirit that accompanies barbecue. Both are shared, with friends pouring for each other.
Where: Makgeolli pubs in Jongno and Hongdae; soju is available in every restaurant and convenience store.
Food experiences
Gwangjang Market food crawl
Graze through the market's central food alley: bindaetteok, mayak gimbap, yukhoe and kalguksu, eaten on benches beside the cooks.
Pojangmacha night
Orange-tented street bars along Jongno 3-ga and around Euljiro serve soju, grilled fish and spicy stews to a mostly local after-work crowd.
Temple food
Korean Buddhist temple cuisine is vegan and uses no garlic or onion; restaurants and programmes around Jogyesa and Insadong introduce it.
Mangwon Market and a riverside picnic
Buy croquettes, fried chicken and tteokbokki at Mangwon Market near Hongdae, then walk about 15 minutes to Mangwon Hangang Park to eat by the river.
Quick bites and street food
- Tteokbokki — Street stalls in Myeongdong and markets, and the Sindang-dong tteokbokki alley near Dongdaemun.
- Mung-bean pancake — The pancake stalls at Gwangjang Market, where the batter is ground in front of you.
- Hotteok — Street stalls in Insadong, Namdaemun Market and Myeongdong, especially in the cold months.
Vegetarian options
Of the 11 foods in this guide, 3 are usually vegetarian: Bibimbap, Hotteok and Makgeolli and soju. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- Side dishes (banchan) are free and refilled on request; ask politely rather than helping yourself from other tables.
- Barbecue restaurants often require a minimum of two portions; solo diners should look for places that serve single sets.
- Water is usually self-service from a dispenser, and you pay at the counter by the door when leaving.
- Spoons and chopsticks are often in a drawer under the table.
- Many small restaurants list menus only in Korean; a translation app's camera mode works well.
Tipping
Tipping is not customary in Korea and can confuse staff. Upmarket hotels may add a service charge; elsewhere, prices already include everything.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Annyeonghaseyo | Hello |
| Gamsahamnida | Thank you |
| Igeo juseyo | This one, please |
| Eolmayeyo? | How much is it? |
| Mashisseoyo | It's delicious |
| Geonbae | Cheers |
Questions travellers ask
+What food is Seoul famous for?
Korean barbecue, Bibimbap, Kimchi stew and Tteokbokki. Thick slices of pork belly (or marinated beef galbi) grilled at your table, cut with scissors and wrapped in lettuce with garlic, ssamjang and kimchi.
+Is Seoul good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Bibimbap, Hotteok and Makgeolli and soju.
+Do you tip in restaurants in Seoul?
Tipping is not customary in Korea and can confuse staff. Upmarket hotels may add a service charge; elsewhere, prices already include everything.