Summer Sokcho Beach makguksu: large perilla oil bowl and mandu, Topgol

Where to eat near Sokcho Beach in summer

When you go to Sokcho, you've got to see the sea and eat something good to feel like you actually traveled, right? On this Sokcho trip, while looking for somewhere to eat near Sokcho Beach, I ended up at Sokcho Topgol Makguksu Main Branch. It's right in front of Sokcho Beach, so it fit easily into the day's route, and honestly, if you're in Gangwon, a bowl of makguksu (buckwheat cold noodles) is basically mandatory, isn't it?

When you visit Sokcho in summer, cool food is especially what comes to mind, and makguksu is great for eating lightly on a hot day — it also just matches the Gangwon travel vibe, making it the perfect meal during the trip.

Sokcho Topgol Makguksu Main Branch being close to Sokcho Beach meant it was easy to stop by after visiting the beach. When traveling, you often end up looking for restaurants near tourist spots, but being famous doesn't always mean it'll be satisfying. So again, I looked for something not too heavy but still worth eating in Gangwon, and settled on makguksu.

Especially in summer, cool and clean makguksu naturally wins out over hot soup dishes. I searched for Sokcho makguksu and ended up here, so I went in with expectations.

Buckwheat mandu: a good side for makguksu

While waiting for the makguksu at Sokcho Topgol Makguksu Main Branch, I also tried the buckwheat mandu (dumplings). They had that distinctive plainness of buckwheat, which paired well with the makguksu. The dumplings themselves weren't overly heavy, so they went well alongside the noodles, and I found myself reaching for one after another.

For anyone who feels makguksu alone isn't quite enough, this was a good side to add. Especially if you like buckwheat, pairing the noodles with the mandu seems like a great combo.

What does perilla oil makguksu taste like?

The dish I was most looking forward to was, of course, the perilla oil makguksu. Since I'd come all the way to Sokcho, regular makguksu is good, but I wanted something where I could really taste that nutty flavor. The perilla oil makguksu had a subtle, nutty aroma rising from the very first bite. Rather than a strong, sharp taste, it was a style where the plainness of the buckwheat and the nuttiness of the perilla oil came together, making it easy to eat without feeling heavy.

Personally, I think this kind of plain noodle dish can feel a bit bland at first, but it has a charm that keeps you thinking about it as you keep eating. Especially tasting the texture of the noodles themselves together with the nutty flavor of the perilla oil, it was quite a satisfying meal during my Sokcho trip. If you're looking for perilla oil makguksu in Sokcho, I think you'll like this style.

Sokcho has so much good food that choosing a meal is oddly a real dilemma. Raw fish and seafood are great too, but sometimes solving a meal cleanly with noodles like this is nice too. Especially if you're traveling around Sokcho Beach, it's convenient location-wise to include on your route. Playing hard at the beach and then having a cool bowl of makguksu fits a summer Sokcho trip really well too. If you're looking for a meal that's not heavy and want to feel the charm of makguksu eaten in Gangwon, I think it's a place worth visiting at least once.

Why order the large perilla oil makguksu?

When traveling and eating this and that, I usually try not to eat too much in one meal, but makguksu, being noodles, somehow gets eaten up faster than expected. So I decided to eat plenty from the start and went with the large bowl, and it turned out to be a good choice.

After finishing a cool bowl, I felt satisfyingly full and didn't have to worry as much about getting hungry while traveling. People who like makguksu often find one regular bowl isn't enough, so if you love noodles like me, the large bowl seems like a good option.

Is Sokcho Topgol Makguksu worth it near Sokcho Beach?

This visit to Sokcho Topgol Makguksu Main Branch overall left me with the memory of eating a clean, plain meal and leaving satisfied. Starting light with buckwheat mandu, then tasting the nutty perilla oil makguksu, and finishing with a generous, filling portion of noodles, it left nothing lacking as a meal during my Sokcho trip. I especially liked that it's close to Sokcho Beach, making it easy to stop by before or after seeing the sea.

If you're planning a summer trip to Sokcho, go see the cool sea and have a bowl of delicious makguksu too :) For anyone looking for Sokcho makguksu or searching for the best Sokcho makguksu restaurant, this is a place I want to recommend as a meal stop during your trip. If you love nutty, plain noodle dishes like I do, I'd definitely recommend trying Sokcho's perilla oil makguksu. It's a good place to remember when you're wondering what to eat near Sokcho Beach.