Sokcho Korean restaurant for handmade tofu and pot rice: Yetgoeul

While traveling in Gangwon, we stopped in Sokcho and looked for somewhere to eat with our six-year-old. Here is my review after a really delicious meal with my child at Yetgoeul Sundubu (옛고을순두부), a long-established Sokcho restaurant that has made its own tofu for 40 years ✍️

Parking and hours at Yetgoeul Sundubu in Sokcho

Address: 114 Wonamhaksapyeong-gil, Sokcho-si, Gangwon State, South Korea (강원특별자치도 속초시 원암학사평길 114) Parking: Free parking is available in front of the restaurant.

We visited around 11 a.m. on a weekday, and there was a parking attendant, so parking was easy. For a beginner driver, I would rate the difficulty low.

It is open daily from 07:00 to 20:00, with a break from 15:30 to 17:00. Since it opens early in the morning, it felt like a nice place to start a day of travel :) Do check the break time before you go!

A menu that lets everyone choose what they like

Please refer to the menu board for details. The signature dish is tofu hot pot, and there are soft tofu stews, hangover soup, grilled dried pollack, and more, so it looked great for a group where everyone wants something different.

This is the entrance to Yetgoeul Sundubu. The whole building was quite large.

Yetgoeul Sundubu has been featured several times in media programs such as Live Info Show and Live Today, and lots of celebrities and public figures have visited. It really had the feel of a genuinely beloved local restaurant.

We arrived early on a weekday, and there were already quite a few diners at the window seats, so I took the photos while avoiding them a little. Before long, the middle tables filled up too. The restaurant was spacious and looked very clean and well maintained.

Also, every spoon-and-chopsticks set was individually wrapped, which gave me the impression that they care about hygiene. A great first impression ✨

From abalone jjamppong sundubu to three-color tofu

• Abalone jjamppong sundubu (spicy)
• Spicy sundubu
• Three-color tofu

What is travel without a food trip? There were three of us, including a preschooler, but we ordered three dishes because we wanted to try a bit of everything, and it looked so generous. Each dish tasted different and special, so it was fun choosing among them.

What a lavishly set table! There were so many side dishes, and they all looked delicious. Let’s take a closer look at each one!

Abalone jjamppong sundubu is loaded with seafood

The abalone jjamppong sundubu (spicy) was truly packed with seafood. Two whole abalones!! It also had squid, mussels, and shrimp, so the seafood flavor came through strongly, and its spicy warmth would be perfect for a hangover. Highly recommended for anyone who loves spicy food. I am not great with heat, so it felt a little spicy to me.

Spicy sundubu and handmade soft tofu

The spicy sundubu had a moderate kick and plenty of seafood, including mussels and shrimp, making the broth richly flavored. The soft tofu, made in-house with 100% Korean soybeans, was so smooth and nutty.

Three-color tofu we ate with our child

We ordered the three-color tofu for our child, but aren’t the colors lovely? It is made using beet and green-tea juice, so it is wholesome too. It made such a good combination with the tangy kimchi and seasoned dried pollack.

Our six-year-old gave a thumbs-up while eating the tofu and said it was delicious 👍🏻 My child already likes tofu and knows a thing or two about it, but after mostly having store-bought tofu, said this tofu was nuttier and tastier. As expected, the handmade tofu was just right for a child’s palate too. Have a look at this collection of side dishes as well.

Finishing with side dishes and pot rice

There were so many kinds of side dishes, and their seasoning was just right—not bland and not salty—so they were easy to enjoy. It looked like a good place to bring older family members, too.

Yetgoeul Sundubu also serves rice in an individual pot, which seemed to raise the quality of the meal another level. The glossy pot rice, followed by nurungji (crispy scorched rice), made for a clean, satisfying finish.

If you are looking for a good restaurant in Sokcho or a Sokcho soft-tofu restaurant, give Yetgoeul Sundubu a try. The menu works well for both children and adults, and I loved the handmade tofu using 100% Korean soybeans along with the many tasty side dishes.