What to eat in Seoul! 🍽
Listing down what I ate in Seoul and their ratings.
📍Mangwon Market
1️⃣ Kyuseu Chicken - Different flavours of chicken to choose from with small little tteoks. Taste of chicken is not bad but the tteoks are the main highlight.
Rating: 3/5 ⭐️
2️⃣ Hoon Hoon Hotteok - There are many different flavours of toppings for the hotteok. I got the original corn hotteok and cheese hotteok. The hotteoks are really goooood~ Be prepared they are quite sweet but much better than the street ones. Worth to try!!!
Rating: 4.5/5 ⭐️
📍Hongdae
1️⃣ Katsup Hondgae - A store specialising in tonkatsu. I got the semi-glazed tonkatsu. The tonkatsu is really crispy and soft and the sauce was perfect! Price was cheap as well (around 11000 to 14000 won). Highly recommended if you like tonkatsu!
Rating: 4/5 ⭐️
📍Seongsu-dong
1️⃣ Butty Sandwich House - Found this small little cafe that sells sandwiches and smoothies. Was not easy to find as it is behind the main street and within a small alley. Don't get fooled by the looks of the sandwich...even though it looks plain but its one of the best sandwiches I had!! The chicken was really really soft, tender and flavourful. I got the Tahini Choco smoothie which is not too sweet and well balanced. Highly recommended!!! 👍
Ratings: 4.7/5⭐️
2️⃣ Tenne - Cafe that sells unique pastries. I got some pistachio cream crossiant. Its one of the best crossiants I've had!! The pistachio cream was sooooo good, creamy and strong and the crossiant was perfect too. The hot chocolate and matcha latte was so so though.
Rating: 3.9/5 ⭐️
3️⃣ Etre bakehouse - Cafe that sells all types of salt bread. I got the red bean butter and chocolate salt bread. Both tasted okay, not really mindblowing. The chocolate one was better than the red bean butter salt bread.
Rating: 3/5 ⭐️
📍Ikseon-dong
1️⃣ Soha Salt Pond - This cafe sells all types of salt bread and I really loved the vibes of the place! The plain salt bread was really crispy and delicious with a salted butter taste. The castella salt bread tasted good as well if you prefer something sweeter. I got the einspanner too which was gooood, it had a very balanced taste with not too strong or sweet taste. Very worth to go there!!! 👍
Rating: 4.5/5⭐️
📍Namdaemun Market
1️⃣ Mungchichi Cafe - I tried the greek yogurt bowl, it was great! Surprisingly it was'nt sour and the sweetness of the honey balanced it very well. Comes with mochi too! However there was nothing much special about it 🫤
Rating: 3.9/5 ⭐️
2️⃣ Namdaemun Vegetable Hotteok - Small little store that sells all types of hotteoks with different fillings. I got the japchae hotteok which was really unique and actually tasted delicious! Recommended to try this! 👍
Rating: 4/5 ⭐️
📍Myeongdong/Chungmuro area
1️⃣ BHC chicken - I got the spicy and sweet sauce boneless fried chicken with sotteok sotteok. Wow the chicken really tasted superb!! Very crispy, soft and well coated with sauce 😋 Portion is very big though and one plate is good to share for more than 2 people. Really worth going if you are a fan of fried chicken!
Rating: 4.5/5 ⭐️
2️⃣ Brisket Bakhin Small Octopus - Small little restaurant thats sells small octopus and beef. The stir fried small octopus are really fresh and good!! It is my second time coming here and I still love it 😋
Rating: 4.5/5 ⭐️
3️⃣ Gimbap Cheonguk - A store that sells gimbap and other local korean food. Gimbap was not bad but tbh convenience store gimbap tasted better.
Rating: 3/5 ⭐️
4️⃣ Dongdaemun yupgi tteobokki - Store that only sells different types of tteobokki. I got the rose tteobokki and wowww its is definitely one of the better tteobokki I had. Please be prepare a drink as it is really spicy but the tteobokki is really chewy!! Portion was huge too, probably sufficient for 4 pax. Highly recommended!! 👍
Rating: 4.8/5 ⭐️
If you're planning a food trip in Seoul, it’s worth exploring beyond the popular spots mentioned. For instance, you might want to check out Solsot Yeonnam Branch, which is known for its rustic Korean dishes and cozy atmosphere. It’s a great place if you want authentic flavors away from the tourist crowds. Also, many first-time visitors ask about the best way to experience hotteok like at Hoon Hoon Hotteok. My tip is to try different toppings as they offer a variety of unique flavors—from classic corn to more adventurous fillings. Pairing a sweet hotteok with a less sweet drink is ideal to balance out the flavors. When visiting places like Etre Bakehouse or Tenne Cafe in Seongsu-dong, take your time to explore their pastry selections. Their pistachio cream croissant is really exceptional due to its creamy texture and rich flavor. Don't hesitate to try a matcha latte or hot chocolate there, but keep your expectations moderate as they can be hit or miss. For Butty Sandwich House, don’t judge the sandwiches by their simple appearance. The softness of the chicken and the well-balanced Tahini Choco smoothie make it a hidden gem. It's located a bit off the main street, so having a map or GPS helps to find it easily. Finally, when trying Korean fried chicken at places like BHC Chicken in Myeongdong, share portions as they tend to be large. Combining the crispy chicken with sotteok sotteok (sausage and rice cakes) provides a satisfying experience. And if you like spicy food, the rose tteokbokki at Dongdaemun Yupgi Tteobokki is a must-try but prepare a drink to cool down the heat! Exploring these local favorites with genuine enthusiasm enhances the whole culinary experience. Enjoy your Seoul food adventure!
