Gangnam & Southern Seoul
You’ll be treated like royalty by hanbok-clad staff in this oasis of old-fashioned service and decor. The dozen well-presented dishes are modernised…
Must-see restaurants in Seoul
Itaewon & Yongsan-gu
This open-fronted eatery sexes up the good old BLT with extra thick, house-cured bacon and a big choice of flavoured mayos, served on toasted white bread.
Itaewon & Yongsan-gu
Harking back to the original San Bernardino McDonald's, this '50s-themed diner only grills one type of burger, but it's a beast. You can add bacon, double…
Itaewon & Yongsan-gu
There's no menu at this hidden-gem HBC hang-out – just a grill behind a hardwood bar where striploin steaks are sizzled to perfection (₩22,000). If butter…
Gangnam & Southern Seoul
An iconic chicken and beer bar, Hanchu is a Garosu-gil institution, though it's known more for its loud, crowded ambiance and its fried hot peppers than…
Gangnam & Southern Seoul
Korean cuisine, while delicious, can overwhelm with punchiness. Min's Kitchen opts for fresh, delicate flavours in dishes such as shrimp bibimbap. The…
Itaewon & Yongsan-gu
Everything is made from scratch at this Thai eatery serving a small selection of regional dishes from across Thailand (yes, it does a pad thai). Chefs…
Seoul
Anh serves southern-Vietnamese-inspired dishes. While its pho is quite good, the standout meal is the bun thit nuong cha gio (grilled meat on noodles and…
Seoul
Generous fresh fish and crab meals at this stand in the Noryangjin Market are a bargain. Try kkotge (spicy blue-crab soup), which includes side dishes…
Myeong-dong & Jung-gu
Books about Tibet and colourful crafts and pictures adorn this restaurant where you can sample the cuisine of the high Himalaya plateau, including momo …
Northern Seoul
Serves a tasty fermented-bean-paste-and-tofu stew that comes with a big variety of nearly all vegetarian side dishes at a bargain price – no wonder it’s…
Seoul
An offshoot of Tuk Tuk Noodle Thai. An Astroturf lawn and some outdoor furniture fronts this Thai street-food restaurant where you can dig into a short…
Dongdaemun & Eastern Seoul
Centred on a cafe that serves dainty cakes, coffee and Fortnum and Mason teas, vintage-styled OR:ER feels throughout like an elegant old home. The 3rd…
Gwanghwamun & Jongno-gu
Daijangjangi means 'blacksmith', and that is exactly what the owner Lee Jae-Sung is. Some of his metal creations adorn the quirky interior of this hanok…
Seoul
This adorable tapas bar whips up authentic and creative Spanish-style nibbles including light-as-a-feather tortilla and homemade anchovies. Wash them down…
Gwanghwamun & Jongno-gu
The terrace seating at this combined bakery, cafe and restaurant is a great spot from which to watch the comings and goings of Bukchon. Its baked goods,…
Gwanghwamun & Jongno-gu
Traditional jeonsik meals that tend towards vegetarian Buddhist-style cuisine are served on rustic pottery in this hanok. The food is fresh and has a…
Gwanghwamun & Jongno-gu
Delightful Euro-style deli-cafe specialising in sandwiches, pasta and baguette-style pizza made with premium ingredients, such as camembert and rocket…
Gwanghwamun & Jongno-gu
Run by members of a Taiwanese religious sect. Sit cross-legged for vegan food that combines all sorts of mixtures and flavours. The barbecue-meat…
Dongdaemun & Eastern Seoul
Historic street lined with vendors and restaurants selling all manner of tteobokki (rice cake) dishes.
Itaewon & Yongsan-gu
Go large at this '50s-themed American diner franchise with towering plates of syrupy pancakes, chicken and waffles and egg-heavy breakfasts. It's pricey…
Gangnam & Southern Seoul
What was originally a hipster food truck in Austin, Texas, Coreanos (which is Spanish for 'Korean') brings its winning formula of kimchi tacos to Seoul…
Myeong-dong & Jung-gu
Michelin-starred chef Pierre Gagnaire’s Seoul restaurant is an epicurean and wallet-hammering experience with a dress code of no T-shirts, shorts or…
Myeong-dong & Jung-gu
Housed in an attractive red-brick, western-style building from around 1910 with white-wood wrap-around verandah, this restaurant is a fragment of Seoul’s…
Dongdaemun & Eastern Seoul
Hidden away in Dongdaemun's 'Little Silk Road' is a Mongolian restaurant so grimly authentic you'd half expect a couple of horses to be parked outside…
Seoul
These burgers taste good, but this is Yeonnam-dong, the haunt of the social-media savvy, so they look even better. Origami boxes reveal creations like …
Gwanghwamun & Jongno-gu
At this cafe on the ground floor of the Institute of Traditional Korean Food, you can choose from soft, delicately flavoured handmade gourmet rice cakes …
Dongdaemun & Eastern Seoul
Tucked away in the sewing-machine parts section of Dongdaemun’s sprawling market streets is this elegant old-timer specialising in bulgogi and galbi …
Itaewon & Yongsan-gu
Run by Bulgarians, this long-lived Itaewon restaurant whips up Balkan standards like shopska salad (billed as 'Bulgarian kimchi' for its comparative…
Gangnam & Southern Seoul
A popular hang-out with a passing array of characters – artists, models and fashionistas – this industrial brick coffee house does a delicious patbingsu …
Northern Seoul
For a Korean interpretation of Western food circa 1987, try the breaded pork, fish or beef cutlets (something approaching a schnitzel) at this retro…
Gangnam & Southern Seoul
This is the place for fashionistas to be seen. Run by the bakery behemoth Paris Croissant, it has a classy bakery section and dining area (try the salmon…
Itaewon & Yongsan-gu
A hip take on a Hong Kong diner, this stripped-back canteen serves roast pork belly, ribs, barbecue char sui and chicken over rice, along with noodle…
Myeong-dong & Jung-gu
A Myeong-dong institution since 1960, this is fast food Korean-style: the tasty deep-fried chicken comes in various portion sizes or there’s samgyetang …
Myeong-dong & Jung-gu
Mandu (dumplings), tofu or ginseng can be added to the seolleongtang (Seoul's milky white beef broth dish) served at this inexpensive chain, but purists…
Gangnam & Southern Seoul
From the moment those salivating aromas of sizzling burgers hit you, there's no return from this underground diner which is a homage to American food. Its…
Gwanghwamun & Jongno-gu
In an artfully styled hanok, interesting dishes to share are offered (such as tteokbokki served in a carved-out squash), alongside western cuisine…
Gangnam & Southern Seoul
Modelled after a US-based Mexican food chain, Cuchara allows you to customise your dish of choice: burrito bowls, burritos or tacos. Fill with chorizo,…
Gangnam & Southern Seoul
Located within the main Olympic Park gate, this buffet buzzes with diners here for excellent-value, all-you-can-eat Korean and fusion dishes. There's an…
Itaewon & Yongsan-gu
Decked out like a whimsical Parisian cafe, Lou Loudi caters for the Hannam-dong socialites with picture-perfect slices of cake and specialty teas served…
