Local places · 8176 stories
Restaurants, cafés and salons across Korea — every story by a blogger who actually went, linked to Google Maps.
Jjamppong Jijon Yeoksam Branch is a Chinese restaurant in Gangnam, Seoul, near Yeoksam Station. Soft tofu jjamppong, jjajangmyeon, and cream shrimp made a satisfying balance of heat and sweetness. Verdict: a roomy, reliable spot for solo meals or groups.
Gim Myeongju Tteuranchae Bapsang Bucheon Main Branch is a Korean restaurant in Bucheon, Gyeonggi, serving freshly made pot rice and generous banchan. Our family of four enjoyed charcoal-grilled pork on a weekday evening, and even the child kept eating the meat, spinach, and fresh kimchi. A satisfying choice for a hearty family Korean meal.
Sarugak20 is a Japanese curry restaurant in Busanjin, Busan. I tried the ₩12,000 Special Curry and Sarugak Curry with tonkatsu, plus ₩3,500 sweet potato cheese croquettes. Sarugak20 is a filling, good-value lunch spot.
Noknok is a two-story bakery café in Mapo, Seoul, with parking and pet-friendly seating on the second floor. I worked at a long table upstairs over iced Americano, blueberry bread, and Basque cheesecake. Verdict: a café I would gladly revisit in Yeonnam-dong.
Mentsuru City Hall Branch is a Japanese ramen restaurant near City Hall Station in Jung-gu, Seoul. After work, I had motsu ramen, handmade karaage, and Asahi draft beer; the warm wood-toned interior, bar seating, and generous portions made it an easy solo dinner. For a hot, spicy bowl of ramen with draft beer, Mentsuru City Hall Branch is a great fit.
Grid Cafe is a bakery café in Ogeum-dong, Songpa, Seoul, that works well for bread and coffee together. Among the breads Grid Cafe mixes, proofs and shapes in-house, the egg tart with a puff-pastry-style shell and a generous, moist custard filling stood out most, eaten alongside soboro salt bread and ciabatta. On a day you want a mouthful of custard cream, Grid Cafe's egg tart is the one to get.
Mano di Chef Gangnam is an Italian restaurant near Gangnam Station and Yeoksam Station in Gangnam, Seoul, well suited to a blind date or a dinner date. The writer ate the wide pappardelle in tomato sauce, octopus gnocchi and a blueberry & arugula pizza, and was impressed by how easy the room was for conversation and by the staff suggesting the set menu. Mano di Chef Gangnam is worth shortlisting for anything from a first meeting to a family meal out.
Samsin Garosu-gil is a fusion Chinese restaurant near Sinsa Station in Gangnam, Seoul, with a menu that blends Korean, Chinese and Japanese elements. The writer ordered galbi-jjim jajangmyeon (₩25,000), tebanaka meat jjamppong (₩15,000) and handmade shrimp har gow (₩9,000), and was impressed by the clean interior and the private rooms. A good spot for a group meal with Chinese dishes that are anything but ordinary.
Aori’s Whereabouts Unknown Uijeongbu Branch is a Japanese ramen restaurant five minutes from Exit 4 of Uijeongbu Station in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi. I added garlic and Aori sauce to Aori Ramen, alongside ₩3,500 fried sides. Verdict: a satisfying choice for rich yet spicy, clean-tasting pork-broth ramen.
Dami Sik is a fusion Korean restaurant in Nueup-dong, Osan, serving stone-pot jjajang and pollack soup. We ordered the stone-pot jjajang and dongpo pork set, mixed the free rice into the sauce, and enjoyed the tender pork with wasabi. Verdict: a generously filling meal for two.
Neopttakjip Samsong Branch is a Korean barbecue restaurant in Samsong, Goyang, Gyeonggi. On a second visit, the fresh pork ribs, perilla oil buckwheat noodles, and cheonggukjang were all just as satisfying, with roomy seating and private rooms for weeknight work dinners. Verdict: a great pick for pork ribs with a full meal on the side.
Mandong Jegwa Yeonnam Branch is a bakery in Seodaemun, Seoul, with a wide selection of large breads for takeaway. On a return visit, I picked garlic baguette, basil tomato bread, shrimp baguette, and corn cheese after a tasting. Verdict: a great stop for sharing several kinds of bread.
