Where to Eat in Seoul: Soups, Noodles, Markets and Cafes by Area

Seoul’s food is organised by dish more than by neighbourhood, and you’ll notice it fast. A short street often does one thing, whether that’s chicken-ginseng soup, knife-cut noodles or sea snails. This list sticks to places with a published address and hours. Closing days matter, because several of the old shops close on Sundays or holidays, and you don’t want to find that out at the door. Find them all on the map.

Near the palaces

Tosokchon Samgyetang serves samgyetang, the ginseng chicken soup, and it’s been open since 1983 near Gyeongbokgung. Gwanghwamun Jip is the kimchi jjigae stop and closes on public holidays, including Seollal and Chuseok. Imun Seolnongtang serves ox bone soup near Jonggak Station and is listed by Visit Seoul as more than 100 years old. For coffee, Tailor Coffee Seochon is a roastery cafe by the palace wall. In Bukchon, Chamasineun Teul Chatteul is a hanok teahouse closed on Tuesdays.

Ikseon-dong

The alley has more cafes than you’ll fit into an afternoon. Cafe Highwaist Ikseon is a dessert cafe, Moowee Nakwon is a rooftop hanok cafe and restaurant, and Songam Onban is a hanok restaurant serving pork gukbap. Chanyangjip serves kalguksu and dumplings and closes on Sundays. Its listing is several years old, so check before you go, because it’s the sort of thing that changes.

Myeongdong and Namdaemun

Myeongdong Kyoja is the long-running kal-guksu restaurant on Myeongdong 10-gil, known for chicken-broth noodles. Hadongkwan opened in 1939 and serves only gomtang and boiled beef, open 07:00 to 16:00 Monday to Saturday. It’s closed on the first and third Sunday of each month. At Namdaemun Kalguksu Alley the stalls sit inside Namdaemun Market, and Namdaemun Galchi-jorim Alley is the braised hairtail lane.

Euljiro

Euljiro Nogari Alley is a short alley of beer pubs serving dried pollack, a Seoul Future Heritage site since 2015. Pungnam Golbaengi serves sea snails and closes on Sundays. Coffee Hanyakbang is a cafe styled as an oriental clinic on the site of a Joseon-era medical office.

Hongdae, Sinchon and Mapo

GMH Dabang is a Sangsu-dong cafe by day and wine saloon by night, closed on Tuesdays. Imi Coffee is closed on Tuesdays too. In Sinchon, Jukmiin is a rice porridge shop with more than 30 items. In Mapo, Mapo-ok serves seolleongtang, the ox bone soup, and Seongsan Wanggalbi is the stop for fresh pork short ribs.

Itaewon and Seongsu

Bangul & Kkomak is a seafood tavern between Hannam and Itaewon, closed on Sundays. All That Jazz is the live jazz club, opened in 1978, with no cover from Monday to Thursday if you spend ₩5,000 on drinks. In Seongsu, Daelim Changgo is a former rice mill turned cafe and bar, and Anderson C is a cafe attached to a vintage furniture gallery.

Apgujeong, Cheongdam and Jamsil

Apgujeong Haru serves cold buckwheat noodles, and New Mandujip serves dumplings and closes on Sundays. Hanilkwan Apgujeong first opened in Jongno in 1939 and moved here in 2008. In Jamsil, Hanguk Jip Lotte World Mall is a Korean restaurant on the fifth floor of the mall.

For area guides, see Myeongdong, Hongdae and Yeonnam-dong and Seongsu-dong.