Stopover Menu Diarist · 71 stories

Menus Between Stops

I write about restaurant meals I find while moving around Seoul. · Writes about: Restaurants · Cafés · Hair & beauty salons · Things to do · Bars · Shopping

PlaceJung-gu, SeoulCafés

Gwanghwamun Station café tip: stir the mugwort latte | Center Coffee

Center Coffee Gwanghwamun is a Blue Ribbon specialty coffee shop in Seoul, on basement level 1 of 136 Sejong-daero near Exit 5 of Gwanghwamun Station. Two people ordered a mugwort latte, a flat white and the Matilda chocolate cake; the cake was dense and intensely sweet, and they made the mistake of drinking both drinks without stirring them. At Center Coffee Gwanghwamun, stir the mugwort latte and the flat white well from the very first sip.

Written Jul 31, 2026Sponsored
PlacePohang, GyeongbukRestaurants

Conveyor sushi in Pohang Ocheon-eup: salmon crumble, no weekend break

Hojueseo on Hoejeon Chobap (호주에서온회전초밥) is a conveyor belt sushi restaurant on Namwon-ro in Ocheon-eup, Nam-gu, Pohang, where every plate costs a flat 2,200 won. Hojueseo on Hoejeon Chobap has a sign welcoming solo diners, no break time on weekends and massage chairs in the waiting area, and the visit covered flame-grilled sushi, salmon crumble sushi, four-shrimp sushi and karaage. Hojueseo on Hoejeon Chobap is a good-value conveyor sushi spot in Pohang that works just as well for eating alone as for a family meal.

Written Oct 6, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Jonggak Station sushi bar: QR-order sashimi don & sushi set, Ilpum

Ilpum Gwanghwamun is a sushi, kaisendon (raw seafood rice bowl) and unagi don (eel rice bowl) restaurant on basement level 2 of 19 Jong-ro in Jongno, Seoul, near Jonggak Station Exit 1. After signing the waiting list and taking a bar seat, the writer ordered a special sashimi don and a white fish sushi set through the Catch Order QR code, followed by miso soup, steamed egg, a taster udon and a mango-flavored dessert. Ilpum Gwanghwamun has a wait, but the thick-cut fish and generous sides made it a satisfying meal.

Written Oct 3, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Jongno red-wall pizza pub, shrimp in white sauce: Backstreet Pizza

Backstreet Pizza is a basement pizza pub in an alley near Exit 5 of Jongno 3-ga Station in Seoul, decorated with red walls and antique mirrors. The writer ordered the Quarter Street pizza (regular 38,000 won), which puts shrimp, potato, pepperoni and cheese & patty on one pie, with a cola, and dipped the shrimp slices in the white sauce. Backstreet Pizza is a good stop in Jongno 3-ga when you want to taste all four signature flavors in one pizza.

Written Oct 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulRestaurants

Euljiro 3-ga burger restaurant, mozzarella chicken burger: BAS Burger

BAS Burger Euljiro Branch (바스버거 을지로점) is a handmade burger restaurant on basement level 1 of the Sieoso Hotel (시어소호텔), near Exit 10 of Euljiro 3-ga Station in Jung-gu, Seoul. On a 3 p.m. visit to BAS Burger Euljiro Branch, the writer ordered a Double BAS Burger, a mozzarella chicken burger, French fries, sweet potato fries and a mozzarella cheese bar, and also enjoyed the unlimited potato chips and drink refills. The mozzarella chicken burger packed with chicken and cheese and the juicy double-patty burger each made a filling meal on their own.

Written Jul 29, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulRestaurants

Korean BBQ at Chungjeongno with marinated beef short rib: Doldam

Doldam Sutbuljip is a charcoal Korean BBQ restaurant on Jungnim-ro in Jung-gu, Seoul, near Chungjeongno Station, serving Handon-certified Korean pork. At Doldam Sutbuljip, staff grilled the marinated beef short rib and marinated pork galbi into bite-sized pieces at the table, alongside corn cheese and grilled kimchi and bracken, and a complimentary sundubu jjigae (soft tofu stew) arrived too. Doldam Sutbuljip is a good pick for smoky, charcoal-grilled marinated meat without doing the grilling yourself.

Written Aug 8, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJeju, JejuBars

Jeju City Hall Korean pub: spicy hot pot, seafood pancake, Jichilliya

Jichilliya Jeju (잊힐리야 제주) is an atmospheric Korean pub on Gwangyang 14-gil near Jeju City Hall. An order of three dishes, kalkal eoreol jeongol (spicy, tingly hot pot), haemul banga-jeon (seafood pancake with Korean mint) and mugeunji chamchi mari (aged kimchi tuna roll), filled the table. The visit also came with a welcome bamboo liquor and a coin-drop game at the counter. Jichilliya Jeju is a good pick for an evening drink in Jeju with proper food to match.

Written Aug 9, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJeju, JejuCafés

Jocheon café in Jeju: bakery showcase and mango bingsu at Lala Cafe

Lala Cafe is a bakery café on Namjo-ro in Jocheon-eup, Jeju City, known for its apple mango bingsu (shaved ice dessert). The Jeju fresh apple mango bingsu arrives with deep-orange mango and fine milk ice, eaten one bite of mango to one bite of ice and finished sweet with condensed milk and mango purée, while Lala Cafe's showcase holds castella, salt bread, cookies and mammoth bread. A good stop on a Jeju trip when you want something cold and sweet.

Written Aug 10, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeogwipo, JejuRestaurants

Jeju family restaurant with baby chairs near Sanbangsan: Sikgwa Hamkke

Sikgwa Hamkke Jeju Sanbangsan Branch is a Korean restaurant specialising in boneless braised cutlassfish (galchi jorim) in Hwasun-ri, Andeok-myeon, Seogwipo, Jeju. The boneless galchi jorim for two arrived as a full table with fried cutlassfish, soy-marinated crab and stir-fried kimchi, plus rice and seaweed soup, and baby chairs and aprons made the meal easy with a child. With no bones to pick and big radish chunks soaked in sauce, Sikgwa Hamkke makes a filling stop on a Jeju trip.

Written Aug 12, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJeju, JejuThings to do

Jeju photo studio with an MPQ prop shop next door: Eoeum-ri in Aewol

Eoeum-ri Photo Studio is a Jeju-style photo studio set behind a stone-wall lane in Eoeum-ri, Aewol-eup, on Jeju Island. Couple photos are taken outdoors against stone walls and flowers, and while the photos are being edited, visitors can browse accessories and souvenirs at MPQ, the prop shop right next door. Because the wait is as enjoyable as the shoot, Eoeum-ri Photo Studio slots easily into a Jeju Island itinerary.

Written Aug 13, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJeju, JejuRestaurants

Jeju black pork grill with shrimp and ramyeon: Sicheong Geuttaegeujip

Sicheong Geuttaegeujip is a twice-grilled black pork restaurant on Donggwang-ro 1-gil near Jeju City Hall, a short hop from Dongmun Market in Jeju. The black pork set for two brought pork belly and pork neck grilled tableside by staff and dipped in myeoljeot (salted anchovy sauce) or sesame oil, plus steamed egg, black tiger shrimp and a complimentary kimchi stew finished with ramyeon noodles. Sicheong Geuttaegeujip has no parking lot of its own, but one table covers everything from black pork to house-made sikhye for dessert.

Written Aug 11, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJeju, JejuRestaurants

Aewol, Jeju restaurant comparing two hangover soup pots: Aewol Eomma

Aewol Eomma is a mint-colored haejangguk (hangover soup) restaurant on Ilju-seoro in Aewol-eup, Jeju. The Aewol Eomma haejangguk and the brisket (chadol) haejangguk were ordered together with a fried egg added: the brisket pot came packed with bean sprouts and glass noodles, while the Aewol Eomma pot held big pieces of brisket and beef tripe. Both pots were generous with broth and ingredients, making Aewol Eomma a filling breakfast stop in Aewol.

Written Aug 16, 2026Sponsored