Savor the authentic flavors! 6 must-try gourmet foods in Seoul

[Seoul's Recommended Gourmet] 6 Picks

1. STANDARD BREAD

Anguk is a hotbed of bakery competition.
While searching for a cafe for breakfast, I discovered a cute shop!

Perhaps because it was around 10:00 AM, we were able to get in without waiting.
Freshly baked bread and hard breads were lined up,
and there was a wide selection of jams.
Bakery-style, you put your food on the tray yourself.
Drinks are ordered at the register.

This time, two of us ordered the following: 🍞
・Matcha Azuki Bread
・Avocado Soup
・Hard Bread
・Cafe Latte

It was a hearty meal, and we were completely satisfied!
At around ¥3,600, I thought it was reasonably priced.

By the way, when I passed by the shop later,
there was an event going on (staff members were cooking stuffed bread 😂)!

📍3 Bukchon-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
(서울특별시 종로구 북촌로 3)
🕐8:00 AM - 8:00 PM
(L.O. 7:30 PM)

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2. Myeongdong Gyoza (Main Branch)

This famous kalguksu restaurant is located in the bustling Myeongdong district.
Founded in 1966, it's a long-established establishment!
It's a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant, so many people probably know about it! ✨️

Of course, there was a line out the door...
I asked the waiter, "How long will the wait be?" and he replied, "10 minutes!"
I thought it was another Korean joke, but
the turnover from order to serving was so fast that it really was 10 minutes! 😂

The menu is simple, with the following four dishes: 👇️
・Kalguksu
・Bibingkusu
・Mandu
・Kongguksu (Available April-October)

This time, two of us ordered the three dishes other than Kongguksu. ♪

Kalguksu is like a Korean version of udon,
with a rich chicken broth and a mild garlic flavor.

Bibiguksu (commonly known as bibimbap noodles) is a spicy cold dish,
and the flavor was delicious as the thin noodles clung to the dish.

Mandu is similar to steamed dumplings.
It's packed with meat, chives, and other vegetables, but it has a refreshing aftertaste, and we both devoured it in no time! ♪

📍25-2 2-ga, Myeong-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul
🕐️10:30 AM - 9:30 PM (L.O. 9:30 PM)
(Closed: Lunar New Year and Chuseok)
🚃3-minute walk from Myeongdong Station, Exit 8
*A new location will open in December 2024. It's right outside Exit 8.

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3. 청진옥
Cheongjinok
@cheongjinok

A Korean friend of mine told me, "Haejangguk is good for hangovers."

I searched for it, and it seems to be beef bone soup.

I found a famous restaurant in Seoul that's been in business for nearly 90 years, so I went and checked it out!
Since it was before 12 o'clock, there were still seats available and we were seated right away.
(Luckily, it got crowded with local guys later on).

The soup was filled with beef offal and blood clots,
and came with rice and pickled vegetables.

The blood clots (blood tofu?) had no particular flavor,
and you never get tired of eating them with the sauce (wasabi?) that was provided.

I added some gochujang? that was on the table,
and added rice to make it like soup,
and it was delicious until the very end!

📍Seoul Jongnok 3-gil, 32
🚃3-minute walk from Jonggak Station Exit 1
🕐0:00 AM - 12:00 AM (Really?)

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4. Tamanut Ttegari Gamjatang

When I mentioned my desire for #gamjatang,
a Korean friend found this restaurant for me.
I ordered two soups recommended by the owner,
two servings of samgyeopsal, and one soju.

The menu is written in Hangul and doesn't have any photos of the dishes.
I don't speak Korean, and the owner doesn't speak English,
so ordering was a challenge, but she patiently served me.

The soup is called Ttegarijiri,
a combination of potatoes and beef on the bone? The recommended dish seems to be the spicy or mild version.

You can choose spicy or mild.

It was quiet during weekday dinner time, but
it seems to get crowded with Korean customers at lunch!

📍6 Insadong 3-gil, Jongno District, Seoul (1st floor)
6 Insadong 3-gil, Jongno District, Seoul
🚃Jonggak Station Exit 3
Pass Topgol Park towards Insadong

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5. Baeknyeon Dojong Samgyetang (Bukchon Branch)

A Michelin-starred Samgyetang specialty restaurant. 🐓
I arrived early so I didn't have to wait in line, but
there was a waiting list after 12:00.
The restaurant is quite spacious, so the turnover seems good.

The only option on the menu is Samgyetang.
From the classic to black garlic and sesame, you can enjoy Samgyetang.
The whole chicken was stuffed with rice!
The soup was refreshing yet rich with a strong dashi flavor. ✨

By the way, I ordered ginseng juice, which had an earthy, burdock-like aroma and seemed very healthy. 😂

📍41 Bukchon-ro, Jongno District, Seoul
🕐️10:00 AM - 10:00 PM (L.O. 9:30 PM)
(No closing days)
🚃7-minute walk from Anguk Station

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6. BRICKSAND

A cute brick-shaped financier shop.
They have locations in Myeongdong and Seoul, as well as Gangnam and Insadong.

There are 12 flavors in total.
The chocolate-topped salted caramel, matcha, and raspberry flavors are adorable, too. ♡

This shop hasn't yet arrived in Japan, so it would make a great souvenir.
These additive-free financiers are made with carefully selected ingredients, so please note that they only last about 7 days.

📍Annyeong BRICSAND Insadong Branch
49 Insadong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Mall 1F
(서울특별시 종로구 인사동길 49, Mo 1F)
🕐9:30 AM - 8:30 PM

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