Sokcho Jungang Market restaurant with 2-hour parking: Jungang Sanghoe

Sokcho Jungang Market is a must on any trip to Sokcho !! This time I didn't just want to browse the market — I wanted a proper meal, so I went to Sokcho Jungang Sanghoe (속초중앙상회), recommended by a local friend who lives in Sokcho.

Where is Sokcho Jungang Sanghoe, and how does the parking work?

Sokcho Jungang Sanghoe is a skate specialty restaurant located inside Centum Mark! Parking is usually a nightmare when visiting Jungang Market, but diners here get 2 hours free at the Centum City parking lot — this genuinely made a huge difference for our trip. No waiting line either, and it's right at the market entrance, so you can eat and then wander around — parking problem solved.

Inside Sokcho Jungang Sanghoe: group tables for 8 to 40

The moment you walk in, it hits you — that smell of a good restaurant...

The moment I walked in, the smell of gaori-jjim (steamed skate) sauce and a room packed with customers made it clear this wasn't just a local secret. They also have group seating for 8 to 40 people, which makes it a great option for tourists too.

*Cooking notice* Cooking times vary somewhat depending on the menu and size. Because of this, dishes may be served in a different order than they were ordered, with whatever's ready first coming out first (basic cooking time: 15–20 minutes).

Menu and what we ordered at Sokcho Jungang Sanghoe

📍 Check the photo above for the menu 📍 We ordered the pro gaori-jjim (steamed skate) small for two. Looking at the table next to us, the stir-fried squid looked delicious too — a skate plus squid combo set might be a great choice.

Free side dishes and seaweed soup refills

A place where even the side dishes were generous

Once seated, a variety of banchan (side dishes) arrive — fernbrake, bean sprouts, braised soybeans and more — all great to pair with the main gaori-jjim, and refillable too!

Of everything, this seaweed soup was so, so, so good. I finished a whole bowl before the gaori-jjim even arrived and ended up refilling it once — that's how good it was.

How the small pro gaori-jjim (steamed skate) tastes

My first time trying steamed skate, and it's now my favorite restaurant

This was my first time trying skate, so I was curious about the texture — it turned out to be the softest fish I've ever had. The flesh was so tender and moist, and boneless too, making it a flavor anyone of any age could love. Made me wonder why I hadn't tried it sooner.

The owner's pairing: steamed skate with bokbunja wine

The moment the dish arrived, both my boyfriend and I said, 'this is definitely a drinking dish,' and were about to order daytime drinks when the owner strongly, strongly recommended pairing the skate with bokbunja (Korean black raspberry wine). Curious, we ordered it right away.

Seriously, what was this haha, I had no idea bokbunja could taste this good. Drinking bokbunja alongside the spicy-sweet, savory gaori-jjim maximized the flavor of both — an unbeatable combination.

Take one bite of the spicy-sweet, savory skate meat and it's heaven. Every time I took a bite my boyfriend kept shouting 'assa-gaori' next to me — so embarrassing... (cringing...) T_T

It's delicious on its own, but mixing it into rice and wrapping it in gim (seaweed) gives it a great texture and nutty flavor — a version even first-timers to gaori-jjim will fall for.

I genuinely wonder why nobody told me gaori-jjim was this good

I visited Sokcho Jungang Sanghoe this time because a friend living in Sokcho recommended it, but honestly, as someone who loves traveling around Gangwon-do, my pride is a little hurt that I only discovered a place this good now... (sulking...)

Finishing the sauce with corn noodles

After nearly finishing the gaori-jjim, it was such a shame that so much sauce was left over (yes, I'm a glutton). Right then, the owner came over and asked if we'd like corn noodles added. By the way, the owner at Sokcho Jungang Sanghoe is incredibly kind — kept showing us how to eat it the best way, kept smiling — I was won over.

I'd already polished off a whole bowl of rice and was full, but this still went right in! Mixing chewy corn noodles into the sauce was insanely good...! From the banchan to the gaori-jjim to the corn noodles, nothing here was skippable — a truly moving find at Sokcho market.

Verdict: is this local favourite worth a return trip?

Delicious, friendly, and even convenient with parking — Sokcho Jungang Sanghoe at Sokcho Jungang Market. If I go back to Sokcho, I'm definitely returning. I'm glad my first-ever gaori-jjim happened here.. 💝