Restaurants in Seoul
The selection of Seoul restaurants is vast and varied with
everything from local specialities, such as
Saeng Galbi, to
huge American cheeseburgers and exotic Moroccan kebabs on offer.
Options for eating out in Seoul range from cheap noodle stalls to
fine-dining establishments.
The Itaewon entertainment strip has the best collection of Seoul
restaurants, serving both local and international cuisine.
Otherwise, good areas for traditional Korean food are Gangdong-gu
and Yeongdeungpo-gu, while restaurants with international menus can
be found in Gangnam-gu, Seodaemun-gu and Namdaemun.
Tipping is not customary in Korea but some Seoul restaurants may
add a service charge of 10%. Restaurant hours vary throughout the
city and reservations are recommended.
| Sanchon |
$$$$$ | Vegetarian |
Don't miss the experience of dining at Sanchon, or sipping tea
at their attached tea house. Run by a former Buddhist monk, this
restaurant specialises in vegetarian dishes prepared with
ingredients from the mountain valleys and flavoured with subtle
herbs and roots. The menu features a perilla seed soup, radish
mushroom and red pepper wraps,
Goso-namul (seasoned goso,
a wild vegetable favoured by monks), as well as a tofu stew and
traditional Korean pastries. Traditional folk dancing every evening
is made more colourful by Nong Ju rice beer or a glass of fruit
wine. Reservations recommended.
Address: 14 Gwanghun Dong, Jongno-gu, Insadong
Telephone: (0)2 735 0312
For the adventurous diners, Jangchu is known for its excellent
jang-uh gui (grilled eel). This unassuming eatery
is located behind the Chungmuro Geukdong Building and is marked by
a large white sign and a cartoon of an eel wearing a chef's hat.
Open daily for lunch and dinner, reservations not required.
Address: Behind the Chungmuro Geukdong Building, Jongno
Telephone: (0)2 2274 8992
| Myeongdong Hamheung Myeonok |
$$$$$ | Local |
Myeongdong Hamheung Myeonok is one of the best Seoul restaurants
to go to for a relaxed
naengmyeon (cold noodle)
meal. Their sweet potato noodles can be enjoyed in a delicious
oxtail broth, or perhaps with spicy
hwae (raw
fish). Open daily from 9.30am to 10pm, reservations not
required.
Address: 26-1 Myeongdong 2-ga
Telephone: (0)2 776 8430
For the ultimate dining experience, offering a French fusion
menu or a seven course set meal, the Seoul Hilton's Seasons
restaurant scores top marks for cuisine, service and ambiance.
Executive Chef Hyo Nam Park is a recognised master of his craft who
enhances traditional French dishes with his own special touches.
Both the set menu and the à la carte change frequently. The
setting is decidedly elegant and intimate, and the service discreet
and old-fashioned. Open daily for lunch and dinner, reservations
essential.
Address: Millennium Seoul Hilton Hotel, 395-5 Ga, Namdaemun
Telephone: (0)2 317 3205
| Nashville Steak House |
$$$$$ | Steakhouse |
For a taste of the USA seek out Nashville, the American
bar/restaurant that has become something of a landmark on Seoul's
Itaewon entertainment strip. Enjoy a martini or a beer and wolf
down a cheeseburger with fries, buffalo wings or a tenderloin
Texas-style steak. The chef, surprisingly, is French, but his
burgers are renowned as the best in Korea. The atmosphere is
informal and the clientele largely made up of the ex-pat community.
Open daily from 7am to midnight, reservations recommended.
Address: 128-9 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu
Telephone: (0)2 789 1592
Aptly named, Do Ga Hun is set in the 'very beautiful house' of
the Hyundai Gallery, and also has a lovely outdoors area for
alfresco dining. Menu favourites include the king-crab, grapefruit
and avocado salad, and the glazed beef tenderloin. Open Tuesday to
Sunday for lunch and Monday to Saturday for dinner, reservations
recommended.
Address: 109 Sagan-dong
Telephone: (0)2 3210 2100
Chinese cuisine is popular in Seoul, as evidenced by the large
number of Chinese restaurants. One of the tried and trusted
restaurants in this genre is Wan Chai with a vast menu covering all
the traditional favourites. Named after Hong Kong's nightlife
district, Wan Chai is popular with young Koreans and serves tasty
Chinese food in a relaxed environment. Highly recommended are the
spicy noodles and spicy Hong Kong shellfish.
Address: 5-35 Jangchun-dong, Seodaemun-gu
Telephone: (0)2 392 7744
This cosy French restaurant serves a fine selection of sweet and
savoury buckwheat crepes, quiches,
galettes
(cakes) and salads, and also boasts a good range of French wines.
Open daily for lunch and dinner, reservations not essential.
Address: 123-1 Itaewon-dong
Telephone: (0)2 795 2465
| Baekje Samgyetang |
$$$$$ | Local |
Diners at Baekje Samgyetang are seated on comfortable floor
cushions around the restaurant's polished wooden tables and served
traditional Korean cuisine, such as
samgyetang
(chicken soup), best accompanied by a glass of
insamju (ginseng wine). Open daily from 9am to 10pm, no
reservations required.
Address: 50-11 Myeongdong 2-ga
Telephone: (0)2 776 3267
| The Flying Pan |
$$$$$ | Café |
Located in a quiet Itaewon alleyway, The Flying Pan is a popular
café set in a lofty building and charmingly furnished with
chairs that don't match each other, at all! Menu favourites include
chicken curry sandwiches, Saturday brunch pancakes, bagels with
cream cheese and the delicious chocolate mud (brownies with wine
sauce). Open from breakfast till 9.30pm Monday to Saturday,
reservations recommended.
Address: 123-7 Itaewon-Dong
Telephone: (0)2 793 5285
