Your ultimate guide to savory heaven- curated by a professional foodie. (part of a 3-guide series)

Seoul, South Korea

Savory Seoul

Soup for the soul. The many hours that go into preparing this dish shines through in its flavor. It's hearty, it's warming, it's savory.

Open HoursMon-Fri 10AM-9PM (break time: 2:30PM-5PM)Sat 10AM-8PM (break time: 3:30PM-5PM)Sun closed

Okdongsik serves dweji gomtang- pork gomtang. Its branch in New York City is garnering immense popularity and was even chosen as one of the top 8 dishes in New York 2023 by NY Times.Have a taste of the OG in Seogyo-dong.

Located near Hongdae and the Han river, it won't be difficult to add this destination into your itinerary.

Tip! The place is immensely popular, so there will probably be a wait as they don't take reservations. Make sure you can queue virtually by clicking on the link in the place details above to shorten your wait time.

Open HoursEveryday 11AM-10PM (break time: 3PM-5PM, last order: 9:30PM)

Aeseong Hoegwan (애성회관한우곰탕)

Gomtang, is most widely known as a beef bone soup dish (it's used as an umbrella term for all soup dishes that boil the bones for a long time now.) Aesong Hoegwan serves the best beef gomtang in Seoul. It doesn't use just any pork, but Hanwoo, Korean beef, which makes the soup even more flavorful.

Tip!When visiting on weekdays, try to avoid peak lunch hours. It's a favorite among people who work nearby, so you might have to wait for a seat during those hours. Before 11AM and after 1:30PM is recommended.

While the West has chicken noodle soup, Koreans have dak gomtang- chicken gomtang, and Kyewol does it best. They also have a spicy version for those who like to spice their meals up!

Kyewol is located in Seongsu, the trendiest town in Seoul. Seongsu has an abundance of art exhibitions, pop-up stores, and aesthetic cafes- all located in its iconic brick buildings.

Open HoursEveryday 11AM-9PM (break time: 3PM-5PM, last order: 2:30PM, 8:30PM)

No more gatekeeping- Korean barbecue is becoming a thing all over the world, but nothing can beat the original. Experience magic on a grill.

Born and Bred is located in Majang-dong, where Korea's largest meat market is. It is run by one of the largest hanwoo producers in the Majang Beef Market and offers top-quality full-course hanwoo meals. Although it's quite an expensive place, the food is worth every penny.

Tip!Reservations are mandatory- you can find the rsvp link by clicking on the place details.

Open HoursEveryday 12PM-10:15PM (break time: 3PM-5PM, last order: 9:15PM)

Geumdwaeji Sikdang literally translates to Golden Pork Restaurant. Koreans use the preface "guem-" to indicate when something is one of a kind. This place lives up to its name.

Tip!This place is extremely popular and doesn't take reservations. There is a queuing kiosk at the door to the restaurant where you can enter your phone number to get a notification once your table's ready. Go to the restaurant approximately 1-1.5 hr before meal time, enter your number at the kiosk (the kiosk opens at 10AM), and hang out at a nearby cafe until your table's ready. Don't go too far though because if you don't show up shortly after you get your notification, your table will be given to the next person.

Open HoursEveryday 11:30AM-11PM (last order: 10:15PM)

Open HoursMon-Fri 5PM-10:50PMSat-Sun 4PM-11PM

Charcoal grills are one of the most famous types of grills in Korean barbecue. The distinct flavor it gives goes well with chicken. Eunhwagye offers juicy, high-quality chicken and even special parts like cartilage and heart.

Limbyungjoo Sandong Kalguksu (임병주 산동칼국수)

A humble dish adored by everyone. When done right, Kalguksu can be the kind of food that makes you long to stay in Korea.

Established in 1988, Limbyungjoo Sandong Kalguksu serves bajirak (clam) kalguksu. You will be surprised how such a simple dish could have such depth in flavor.

Tip!This restaurant is extremely popular, so if you get there at peak hours, you will have to wait. However, it's a big restaurant that can seat a lot of people, so the wait won't be too long. There are also parking spots.

Ellim Deulkkae Kalguksu (엘림 들깨칼국수)

Deulkkae (perilla seed) kalguksu is made from soup with ground and filtered perilla seeds, which gives it its unbeatable savoriness. Real Korean foodies know that the places with old-fashioned signs are the real ones, and Ellim is just that.

Open HoursMon-Sat 11:30AM-9PM (break time: 3:30PM-5PM, last order: 8:30)

Tip!Order Suyuk (수육, boiled pork) and have it with the kalguksu and some kimchi for a bite you'll never forget.

Sohojung is serves Andong Guksi, a type of kalguksu originated from Andong, a city located in the southern region of Korea. The ingredient used for the broth is also shredded and placed as a topping for the noodle. Sohojung uses beef (including the bones) in their kalguksu, which gives it its distinct whitish color.

Virtual Queueing

Okdongsik

Mecenatpolis

Seoul Brewery

MAISON KITTYBUNNYPONY SEOUL

Aeseong Hoegwan

Myeongdong Street

Deoksugung Palace

Myeongdong Sookhee

Kyewol

29CM Seongsu 

RSVP

GAMDO

oiljang (오일장)

Born and Bred

Majang Meat Market

Soocut Oong

IN THE MASS

Geumdwaeji Sikdang

Mosaic Seoul

LAB POTTERY 원데이 클래스는 소규모로 진행되는 수업입니다. 

Savory Seoul

Buy to unlock full guide