Potato bread shop in Sokcho Central Market: samples and gifts, Bultan

Sokcho Central Market food means fried chicken and sul-ppang (rice wine bread), right? I'm recommending Bultan Gamja Bread instead, where you can taste the real thing in Sokcho potato bread, and it's perfect as a gift for friends back home! Maybe it's because they bake Gangwon potatoes fresh every morning, but the nutty flavor and chewiness are clearly different!

If there's one must-do on any Sokcho trip, it's wandering the market! While exploring the snack-filled Sokcho Central Market, I found a dessert with a different, deeper flavor. Its fame already precedes it: Bultan Gamja Bread. Here's my honest review after trying it, and what makes it special.

Bultan Gamja main store and 2nd store: location, hours, parking

Bultan Gamja Bread has two locations: the main store on Haksapyeong-gil (daily 09:00–17:00) and the 2nd store inside Sokcho Central Market (daily 10:00–19:00). The menu is potato bread, 1 pack of 4 for ₩10,000, and the Sokcho jjondeugi set, 1 pack of 12 for ₩10,000.

• Main store: 34-20 Haksapyeong-gil, Sokcho, Gangwon, 1st floor / daily 09:00–17:00 / large free parking lot at its own building
• The main store is just before the Sokcho IC, so if you missed the market store, you can buy gifts there on the way home
• 2nd store: 18 Jungangsijang-ro 6-gil, Sokcho, Gangwon, in the middle of Sokcho Central Market / daily 10:00–19:00 / use the Sokcho Central Market parking lot
• Menu: potato bread (4 pieces) ₩10,000 / Sokcho jjondeugi set (12 pieces) ₩10,000
• About the potato bread: no additives, made from Gangwon potatoes baked every morning, and reportedly made and sold the same day

Why the Central Market 2nd store instead of the main store?

For this Sokcho bakery I went to the 2nd store inside Sokcho Central Market, not the main store. The market is a must-see on any Sokcho trip, so the 2nd store was the natural pick.

The 2nd store is super easy to reach: you can just pop in while browsing the market food. It always shows up on lists of Sokcho Central Market gift ideas, and I saw lots of people having their purchases carefully wrapped as gifts.

What does the potato bread taste like? Squid ink and baked Gangwon potatoes

• Bultan Gamja potato bread, 1 pack (set of 4): ₩10,000
• Sokcho squid jjondeugi, 1 pack (set of 12): ₩10,000

We started with a sample, of course.

The Sokcho potato bread grabs your eye from the very look of it! It was inspired by the nostalgic image of potatoes roasted black in an old-style hearth fire, and the dough gets its natural black color from Sokcho squid ink. It's not actually burnt, so don't worry, haha.

But here's the thing! This potato bread is really, really good! The best potato bread I've ever had!

Baked, not steamed, potato filling

Steaming or boiling potatoes would be easier, but to bring out their natural sweetness, they say they bake Gangwon potatoes themselves every morning. They peel the hot skins by hand before they cool, blowing on their fingers, to make the filling, so this is a potato bread full of effort.

Nutty coating of domestic grains

The outside is coated with carefully selected domestic black sesame, black bean and black rice powder for a rich, nutty flavor. I really didn't expect Sokcho potato bread to be this nutty.

Zero synthetic additives and deep sea water

Instead of harsh sweetness, they use cream cheese and butter for softness, and the dough is made with East Sea deep sea water. They stick to making and selling everything the same day, which made me trust it even more.

Trying the sample at the market, it was chewy outside and plain and soft inside, and I actually blurted out, "Wow, this is really good!!" Enough said. I was sure I'd found a proper Sokcho bakery, so I bought some right away.

How much potato bread and squid jjondeugi did I buy as Sokcho gifts?

Once I'd tasted it, I couldn't just walk past, so I stocked up on Sokcho potato bread and Sokcho jjondeugi as gifts for friends. The packaging is pretty too, so it works well as a casual gift.

• Potato bread: 2 packs (4 pieces per pack / ₩10,000 x 2 sets)
• Sokcho jjondeugi, squid flavor: 2 packs (12 pieces per pack / ₩10,000 x 2 sets)

The Sokcho jjondeugi I bought along with it takes the national snack jjondeugi (chewy dried squid-style candy snack) and adds flavors of Sokcho specialties: snow crab, squid and fried chicken. We chose squid! I figured it would taste most like Sokcho. Good choice!

The squid jjondeugi keeps its savory depth the more you chew, so it's great for snacking. And again, the neat packaging makes it perfect as a gift. I was so glad I bought two sets. We finished one set in the car on the way back up to Seoul.

Main store or 2nd store: which should you visit?

If you have time, I'd recommend the main store on Haksapyeong-gil; if you're there for the market, the Central Market 2nd store. The main store runs as a Sokcho bakery café with a spacious area where you can relax with drinks like coffee, ade and tea.

The main store also offers a ceramic art toy experience called "Moosetoy", which is popular with couples and families. If your goal is the market, like me, using the 2nd store will really shorten your route.

Bultan Gamja Bread showed the real essence of Sokcho potato bread with careful ingredients and freshness! Not harsh, but nutty and soft, it seems like something everyone from kids to grandparents would enjoy. If you're after a local specialty that gets both taste and health right, or wondering what to eat at Sokcho Central Market, do stop by. I confidently recommend it as a proper Sokcho bakery and a perfect Sokcho bakery pick! There's never been a potato bread like this~~ haha