Dongdaemun & Eastern Seoul
This sprawling fabric market is now best known as Seoul’s busiest meokjagolmok (food alley), thanks to the 200 or so food stalls, kimchi and fresh-seafood…
Dongdaemun & Eastern Seoul
This sprawling fabric market is now best known as Seoul’s busiest meokjagolmok (food alley), thanks to the 200 or so food stalls, kimchi and fresh-seafood…
Dongdaemun & Eastern Seoul
Seoul's hippest cafe-bakery, Onion is the epitome of industrial-chic cool, set within a semiderelict concrete building that just begs to be photographed…
Gangnam & Southern Seoul
This place was voted number 25 in Asia's 50 Best Restaurants in 2018; neo-Korean cuisine hardly gets better than this. At the Apgujeong outpost of the New…
Myeong-dong & Jung-gu
Scoring a hat trick for high-quality food, entertainment and shopping is Korea House. A dozen dainty, artistic courses make up the royal banquet. The…
Dongdaemun & Eastern Seoul
The tteokbokki at this raucous restaurant comes in bubbling saucepans as part of a witches brew of rice cakes, fish cake, instant ramen, vegies, egg and…
Gwanghwamun & Jongno-gu
The converted hanok that houses this chic bistro in the revamped old neighbourhood of Ikseon-dong is Korean, but the dishes are contemporary European…
Gwanghwamun & Jongno-gu
Reserve three days in advance for the fine temple-style cuisine served here. Take your time to fully savour the subtle flavours and different textures of…
Seoul
Credited with kicking off a trend for more authentic Thai restaurants in Seoul, Tuk Tuk's Thai chefs whack out a broad menu of spicy dishes that don't…
Gangnam & Southern Seoul
'Normal' is the casual counterpart to restaurant Ryunique, one of Asia's Top 50 restaurants. A contemporary bistro that makes fine dining affordable, the…
Myeong-dong & Jung-gu
Feast on artfully plated, contemporary twists on Korean classics, such as pinenut soup with soy milk espuma (foam) or raw blue crab, at this serene…
Gangnam & Southern Seoul
This fine Italian restaurant is as casually cool as its all-black-wearing diners, but the food is seriously top-notch. Homemade squid-ink linguine with…
Itaewon & Yongsan-gu
These mouth-watering, deep-filled sandwiches served on wide, half-loaves of pillowy bread are beloved by locals and expats. Try the wickedly seasoned (and…
Northern Seoul
Around lunchtime and on weekends Seoulites queue up at this posh mountainside mandu (dumpling) house for elegantly wrapped dough parcels stuffed with…
Gangnam & Southern Seoul
Serving top-class galbi (beef ribs) for over 30 years, Samwon is a Korean idyll, surrounded by beautiful traditional gardens including several waterfalls…
Itaewon & Yongsan-gu
A luxe spin-off of the Paris Baguette chain, Passion 5 is the Rolls-Royce of Korean bakeries, offering a Fortnum & Mason–like experience as you wander the…
Itaewon & Yongsan-gu
The portions are more modest than your typical Southern smokehouse, but the pulled pork and beef-brisket rolls with 'skinny ass' fries are some of the…
Seoul
Real charcoal (rather than hotplates) brings out the flavours of the fine cuts of pork and beef at this galbi (beef ribs) joint; look for the stove on the…
Itaewon & Yongsan-gu
Vegan wraps, avocado burgers, chickpea tagines and peanut stews are just some of the virtuously delicious highlights at this popular vegan hang-out…
Northern Seoul
The fried-chicken purists here say cluck-off to chilli and other gimmicks, simply serving delicious, golden-fried chicken pieces heaped together with…
Myeong-dong & Jung-gu
One worth dressing up for, this classy restaurant specialises in vegetarian temple dishes that date from the Goryeo dynsasty. It's all set-course,…
Myeong-dong & Jung-gu
The special kalguksu (noodles in a meat, dumpling and vegetable broth) is famous, so it’s busy, busy, busy. Fortunately, it has multiple levels and a…
Seoul
You can enjoy the bright lights of Hongdae's student hang-outs but still dine at this converted hanok restaurant hidden in a quiet courtyard. The menu of…
Gwanghwamun & Jongno-gu
Koong’s traditional Kaeseong-style dumplings are legendary and more than a mouthful. Only order one portion, unless you're super hungry, or enjoy them in…
Gangnam & Southern Seoul
Haru’s decades-long run alone could be considered a feat in Seoul – not to mention the constant (fast-moving) lines out the door and topping local 'best…
Seoul
One of the most famous and best-value chicken joints in Seoul. Portions are smallish, but the fried exterior is crispy-perfect and the juiciness of the…
Itaewon & Yongsan-gu
Cute North African–themed spot offering a chalkboard of half a dozen halal dishes like carrot salad, claypot lamb and the popular 'Morocco Over Rice' (…
Gwanghwamun & Jongno-gu
You'll feel whisked to the Himalayas at this charming fair-trade cafe that raises awareness about Tibet (Rogpa is Tibetan for 'friend and helper')…
Gwanghwamun & Jongno-gu
Sit on chairs at tables for this modern take on royal cuisine as you work your way through multiple dishes such as yukhoe (Korean steak tartare) and…
Seoul
Made famous on local television for using a fresh batch of oil for every fry, Chicken in the Kitchen has larger, juicier cuts of poultry than most fried…
Itaewon & Yongsan-gu
Hungry revellers flock here for the nightly all-you-can-eat barbecue deal (₩16,900 per person), which includes beef ribeye and all the pork cuts on the…
Seoul
Can purely raw, vegan, gluten-free and organic dishes be tasty? Yes! Take this tiny cafe's pad thai, which spices up vegie spirals (in place of noodles)…
Gwanghwamun & Jongno-gu
Following the same recipe since the 1980s, Gwanghwamun Jip is one of the most famous kimchi jiggae (stew) restaurants in South Korea. The homey interior…
Gwanghwamun & Jongno-gu
One of Seoul's most acclaimed fried chicken eateries, Mirak serves three types: crispy, marinated and garlic-topped. Most popular is the garlic pan…
Gwanghwamun & Jongno-gu
Right behind the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Chosun Gimbap is a rare cheap eat in the area. Its signature dish, the chosun gimbap, is…
Gwanghwamun & Jongno-gu
In the basement of the Royal Building, Ogawa's expert chefs craft sushi and sashimi, piece by piece, and serve it directly over the kitchen counter – in…
Seoul
One of the most photogenic dessert spots in Seoul, Sobok creates desserts based on Korean ingredients. Its menu varies season to season but the year-round…
Gwanghwamun & Jongno-gu
Swiss-German chef Roland Hinni and his wife Yong-Shin run this charming gourmet restaurant that blends sophistication with traditional European cooking…
Northern Seoul
British baker Jonathan exhibits admirable bake-off skills in his selection of sweet treats ranging from scones and ginger cake to coconut macaroons – but…
Gwanghwamun & Jongno-gu
Spread over a series of hanok, Tosokchon is so famous for its samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup) that there is always a long queue waiting to get in,…
Itaewon & Yongsan-gu
This humble bakery-cafe just off Itaewon's main party strip bakes the best pecan pie this side of the Pacific, along with cranberry cheesecake, butter…