20-month-old baby-friendly sundubu set at Jeong Eunsuk Chodang Sundubu

Last weekend I took a trip to Gangneung with just one of my twins :) Trying to figure out what to eat in Gangneung with a 20-month-old, I thought — Gangneung means chodang sundubu (soft tofu), right? So I went to Jeong Eunsuk Chodang Sundubu, a Gangneung sundubu spot known for being made by a certified Master Chef.

I especially want to recommend their great-value Deluxe Table set menu. It's made up of dishes everyone can enjoy, so if you're traveling with kids or elderly parents, this is a place I'd definitely recommend!👍

Jeong Eunsuk Chodang Sundubu: location, hours, parking

• 📍 Location: 200 Nanseolheon-ro, Gangneung-si, Gangwon-do
• ⏰ Hours: Monday 08:00–16:00 / Wed–Sun 08:00–18:30 (last order 17:30)
• ※ Closed every Tuesday
• 🚗 Parking: Free private lot on site. If full, there's also a free lot nearby at Heo Gyun & Heo Nanseolheon Memorial Park
• 📱 Reservations: Available via Naver Reservations

Gangneung's sundubu restaurants cluster in Chodang Village, famous for tofu, but Jeong Eunsuk Chodang Sundubu specifically sits on the birthplace site of Heo Nanseolheen (허난설헌), a renowned Joseon-era poet!! Knowing that story before visiting made the spot feel even more special, haha.

Such a huge parking lot!! There's a lot right in front of the building and another one beside it, and if both are full you can also use the nearby Heo Nanseolheon Memorial Park parking lot — so no need to worry about parking at all‼️

Waiting area and interior seating

There's spacious seating set up for waiting guests too, so even on a hot summer day you can wait comfortably in the shade.

The interior is quite spacious with generous spacing between tables, so even a big family group could eat comfortably here.

We were seated by the window inside, and since we had a baby with us, they gave us a baby chair and baby utensils separately.👍

They said the chef is the only certified Master Chef (No. 48) in Gangneung, which made me even more excited!!! Since it's made under her own name, it felt even more trustworthy.

A clean open kitchen and neatly lined-up drinks~><

Jeong Eunsuk Chodang Sundubu: menu and ordering

What we ordered ✔️ Chodang Deluxe Table for two, ₩50,000 (sundubu jjigae + tofu samhap + grilled seasoned pollock)

We ordered the Chodang Deluxe Table for two. For this, you can choose your sundubu jjigae (soft tofu stew) as clear or spicy — if you order clear, they also give you seasoning sauce on the side, so you can taste both versions🧡 I'd definitely recommend ordering the clear sundubu‼️

Clear sundubu jjigae: a surprising first bite

The Deluxe Table was set out in no time!! And the food kept coming — pure magic👏 I couldn't believe this was really just for two people; the table was completely full. A table that feels like countryside hospitality😍

The first thing to arrive was the sundubu jjigae!! I'm not usually a fan of the clear version, but I ordered it for the baby — and wow... what a twist. It was genuinely, genuinely delicious. I'd never had sundubu jjigae this good before🥹 I honestly felt, this is what real sundubu tastes like. This is what sundubu tastes like in its birthplace village,,,, so nutty and savory, and the broth especially was amazing. The umami that comes through from the salted shrimp seasoning was so good that it almost felt like a waste to mix in the sauce — the clear sundubu was delicious enough on its own. Highly, highly recommend👍👍

And there was almost half a blue crab inside too? It was a big piece, so my husband and I split it. Lots of crab meat too, which made the broth really refreshing.

I tried adding the seasoning sauce near the very end, when only a little was left, and the spicy version has its own charm — nice and fiery. But personally, I loved the first taste of the clear sundubu the most!!

What does tofu samhap taste like?

And then there's the restaurant's famous tofu samhap!! I'd never had tofu samhap before, and since it's a specialty unique to this place, I dug in with high expectations. I love bossam (boiled pork wrap) with sikhae (fermented fish), and wrapping it with sikhae and tofu together turned out to have its own charm too? The combination with tofu filling your mouth felt fresh and well-balanced, and somehow more satisfying and hearty.

Wrapping the tofu samhap up full and popping it in one bite, then cleansing my palate with the sundubu jjigae — so good. I completely forgot the old Gangneung of just eating jjambbong (spicy seafood noodles).

Grilled seasoned pollock refreshes your palate

And there's still one more dish left! Grilled seasoned pollock (kodari)!!! This one was quite the special treat? Everything else was mild, so I needed something with a bit more kick, and the kodari fit that role perfectly. One bite and my appetite came right back — refreshed and craveable, the kind of dish you keep eating even when you're already full. It had a hint of a yangnyeom chicken flavor, which made it even more addictive.

Piled on top of plain white rice and eaten in a full mouthful, it made me really glad I came to Gangneung~ Good food really is the joy of travel🧡🧡