I have a scandalous confession: I used to think French food was the best on Earth, but I now think South Korea may have better food than France. I spent a month in South Korea, traveling between Seoul, Jeju Island, and Busan. In my experience, meals in France can be excellent or leave you woefully disappointed and over budget. In South Korea, however, whether you eat in a food market, a hole-in-the-wall restaurant, or an expensive dining area, the food is always more delicious than you imagined.
It’s not just the taste that made me shift my food perspective; the creativity that goes into some of the preparation and presentation is equally impressive. Here are seven of my favorite foods in South Korea and where you can find them.
Pro Tip: When you try to find the places mentioned in this article while in South Korea, Google Maps won’t work. You’ll need to download the Naver and Kakao apps on your phone. They both take some adapting to, but if all else fails, ask your hotel for help with directions.
1. Black Pork Barbecue
This is a Jeju Island signature dish. It’s named for the island’s black-haired pigs. While barbecue can have other meats, pork is a specialty on Jeju. Make sure to find a place where the meat isn’t too greasy.
Pro Tip: To cook the meat, place the entire piece of pork on the grill. Wait until it’s no longer red and then cut off the gristle (which is not edible) attached to the fat. When the pork is cooked through, you cut it into finger-sized strips and enjoy!
Where To Try It
- Neulbom Heukdwaeji on Jeju Island: The food is delicious, however, the wait staff may try to cook for you and rush you. Grab the tongs and make it clear you’ll cook at your own pace and you’ll be fine.
2. Korean Barbecue
Standard barbecue has red meat, as opposed to just pork. There are many varieties of meat available in South Korea. You can get marinated short ribs, sirloin, and more cuts of meat than you could imagine. As with the pork barbecue, be aware that you’re expected to order a minimum of two dishes. Some restaurants will not admit you if you’re by yourself. The ones that do will expect you to order two dishes. (Happily, their portion sizes are much smaller than American ones.) If you’re in a couple, you aren’t allowed to split one dish, you have to order two.
Where To Try It
- Jeju Island: Dae Hyang in Jeju City
- Seoul: Chic Gub across from the Moxy Hotel Insadong
- Busan: Cheonggiwa or Gaemijip
3. Jeju Green Tea
This is the main reason I went to South Korea in the first place! On a layover at Incheon Airport in 2019, I stopped at Starbucks and ordered a green tea. It was so delicious that I ran back to the counter to ask if they sold it and bought a box. Back in New York, when I was running out of it, I went to a local Starbucks to get more and found out it’s not sold in America. I searched on Amazon and learned it was $60 a box! I decided I’d rather go to Korea and get it there, and I did! I also visited the home of all Jeju green tea — O’Sulloc Tea Museum. I love their tea too, but South Korea’s Jeju green tea at Starbucks is my favorite!
Where To Try It
- Any Starbucks throughout South Korea; they do run out, even in the local stores, so plan to try a few of them or make sure to get a box!
- O’Sulloc Tea Museum on Jeju Island
4. Gimbap
Like any fan of the Netflix series Extraordinary Attorney Woo, I came to Korea wanting to try some gimbap. I didn’t expect to become obsessed with it. I thought it was a large vegetable sushi roll. I didn’t know it comes in so many types and flavors!
I found a gimbap shop on Jeju Island. When I arrived, I was in front of a hole-in-the-wall storefront and the smell outside was not good. I mustered the courage to go inside. I had no idea there were seven or eight varieties. I ordered a pork and an anchovy gimbap then stepped aside to wait. Within minutes, there was a line out the door and I learned I had discovered a very popular place in Seogwipo. Both rolls were so good I went back to the store on my last night in Seogwipo only to find a 45-minute wait. I ate more gimbap in Busan and Seoul, though not all the Seogwipo varieties were available, it was always prepared fresh and made me feel nurtured like my mom had just made it for me. Another bonus is that one roll is not just filling, it only costs $3–$4.
Where To Try It
- Oneunjung Kimbap on Jeju Island
5. Seafood Soup
I was starving after hiking to the Jeongbang Waterfall on Jeju. The only place to eat nearby was at the waterfall exit. It looked like a touristy café where I presumed the food would be mediocre, but I was too hungry to go someplace else. It was full, so I had to wait for a table. When I finally got to place my order, I got the surprise of my life. I ordered a seafood ramen soup that was complete with a scallop in its shell and every piece of seafood in it was fresh and sensational. And, it was less than $10.
In Seoul, I ordered another version of this soup only to fear I had made a mistake. The pot of soup arrived on an individual burner with only a few shells poking out. I was told to wait for the soup to boil. The experience was like a clown car; the more soup I ladled from the pot into my bowl, the more seafood appeared. I’m still not clear how so much could fit into the pot. It was one of the best soups I ate in South Korea.
Pro Tips: Save money on alcohol at Insadong Lakuen by sticking with beer or soju. The menu is entirely in Korean. You’ll need to use your phone to translate or ask the waiter for the soup!
Where To Try It
- Jeju Island: Jejugot Seogwipo Haemul Ramyeon
- Seoul: Insadong Lakuen
6. Raw Marinated Crab
A friend told me about this and my first thought was, ewwwww! Suffice to say, when I found a place to try it, I gave it a go. It was one of the most delicious foods I’ve ever tasted. It’s typically available in a spicy sauce or marinated in soy sauce. My first try was as a side dish accompaniment with my pork barbecue on Jeju Island. It was so good that I was delighted to find a restaurant in Busan that specialized in raw marinated crab and eagerly ate dinner there one evening. I couldn’t get enough of it either time.
7. Seafood Green Onion Pancake (Haemul-Pajeon)
I had never experienced savory pancakes before this trip, apart from egg foo young, which I used to love as a kid. In South Korea, the pancakes are thick and full of so much protein; it’s literally like a meaty pancake. My favorite was on Jeju Island, accompanied by Makgeolli, a South Korean alcoholic beverage with a fairly low alcohol content. However, in Seoul, I found a food market where stand after stand offered these pancakes in many varieties.
Where To Try It
- Jeju Island: Seogwipo Olle Market
- Seoul: Gwangjang Market (multiple types available)
My advice is, when you go to South Korea, dare to have every food experience you can. Take time to look at the food, because seeing it is an important part of your Korean culinary experience. If it looks like it would taste good, it probably does, so go ahead and try it.
Pro Tip: You’ll often find your utensils and napkins hidden in a drawer on the side of your table.
