Gangneung restaurant near Gangmun Beach for makguksu and sundubu

When you come to Gangneung, you always end up wondering: should I have makguksu or sundubu, right? Haha. This time, I refused to give up either and visited Gossi's Donghae Makguksu & Sundubu Kalguksu Main Branch (강릉 고씨네동해막국수&순두부칼국수 본점), right in front of Gangmun Beach.

Along with makguksu, they have a wide range of Gangwon-style dishes, including sundubu, buckwheat gimbap (seaweed rice rolls), and buckwheat jeonbyeong (filled pancakes), so it is great for visiting with a group and sharing a bit of everything. Best of all, it is right in front of Gangmun Beach, making it perfect for seeing the sea after a meal or slotting into the middle of a Gangneung itinerary :)

Right by Gangmun Beach, with parking

It is near Sotdae Bridge beside Gangmun Beach, so you can head straight over for a meal after looking around the beach. According to the restaurant, you can get 90 minutes of free parking at Gangmun Beach Public Parking Lot.

It is also fairly close to Gyeongpodae, Gyeongpo Beach, and Gyeongpo Lake, so it works nicely on a Gangneung travel route. And it is listed as pet-friendly, which is lovely for anyone looking for somewhere to eat while traveling in Gangneung with their dog!

A table full of orders

There were just too many things I wanted to eat this time, so I practically ordered a whole tableful haha.

• Pollock sikhae bibim makguksu
• Spicy sundubu
• Avocado buckwheat gimbap
• Soy-sauce pork buckwheat gimbap
• Gondeure buckwheat jeonbyeong
• Fresh pumpkin makgeolli

It was fascinating that a makguksu restaurant had several kinds of buckwheat gimbap, and the presentation was so distinctive that I could not not order them.

How was the pollock sikhae bibim makguksu?

The star was the pollock sikhae bibim makguksu.

It arrived thoroughly coated in bright red seasoning, and just mixing up the noodles made my appetite kick in from the look of it. The nutty buckwheat noodles went so well with the spicy-tangy sauce, while the pollock sikhae (fermented seasoned pollock) added texture and savory depth. It has a charm that is different from regular bibim makguksu!

Especially when I had a glass of the fresh pumpkin makgeolli I ordered alongside it, then a bite of bibim makguksu—the pairing worked surprisingly well haha.

Add a hot bowl of spicy sundubu

And then there was the spicy sundubu, which I think about again just looking at the photos. It came bubbling hot in an earthenware pot, absolutely packed with soft, pillowy sundubu tofu. The red broth looked warming just by itself, and spoonfuls of the hot soup between bites of cold makguksu made for a really good combination.

Gangneung is famous for Chodang sundubu, too, right? If you want makguksu but do not want to give up sundubu, ordering both here seems like a great idea! It was especially good when I wanted to find great Gangneung sundubu and have makguksu at the same time.

The light, clean combination of avocado buckwheat gimbap

And personally, this was the menu item that photographed the prettiest haha: avocado buckwheat gimbap! Big pieces of avocado sat on top of the gimbap, finished with a sprinkling of sliced almonds, so it looked completely different from ordinary gimbap from the start.

There were vegetables inside the gimbap too, giving it a nice texture, and the avocado made it soft and clean-tasting. Since the bibim makguksu was on the spicy side, having a piece of avocado buckwheat gimbap here and there felt like clearing my palate. The makguksu is great here, of course, but the buckwheat gimbap is something I really hope you try alongside it!

Soy-sauce pork buckwheat gimbap for something filling

I also ordered the soy-sauce pork buckwheat gimbap, which was a completely different style from the avocado one.

You can tell from the photo, but there was seriously a generous pile of soy-sauce pork on top of the gimbap haha. I recommend this one for meat lovers! The buckwheat gimbap itself was mild, but the salty, savory flavor of the pork made it much more substantial.

The avocado version was mild and soft, while the soy-sauce pork version was hearty and loaded with meat, so if two of you visit, I recommend ordering one of each and sharing.

Gondeure buckwheat jeonbyeong and fresh pumpkin makgeolli

For a side, I had the gondeure buckwheat jeonbyeong! Once I cut it with scissors, I found the thin buckwheat pancake was packed with filling. The outside was a little chewy and went nicely with the gondeure (Korean thistle) filling inside, making it a good side for makguksu. Especially, you have to have this with makgeolli haha.

And the finishing touch to the meal that day was fresh pumpkin makgeolli. Coming to Gangneung, with buckwheat jeonbyeong in front of me and a glass of makgeolli too, suddenly made it feel properly like a trip haha.

A sip of makgeolli while eating something spicy like the pollock sikhae bibim makguksu was a great pairing too, but personally I would recommend the gondeure buckwheat jeonbyeong plus fresh pumpkin makgeolli combination.

Of course, drivers should skip it!

Why it was an easy stop on a Gangneung trip

Having eaten there myself, this felt less like a place where you pop in for just one bowl of makguksu and leave, and more like a place to set out a whole spread of Gangwon-style dishes—makguksu + sundubu + buckwheat gimbap + buckwheat jeonbyeong—and enjoy the variety.

Plus, being right in front of Gangmun Beach makes it great for a seaside walk after eating, and it is easy to include as a meal stop on a day exploring the Gyeongpo area.

It is listed as pet-friendly, so if you are traveling around Gangneung with your dog, that is another detail worth keeping in mind :)

If you are visiting Gangneung and torn between makguksu and sundubu, you do not have to choose just one here haha. If I go back, I personally want to have the pollock sikhae bibim makguksu, avocado buckwheat gimbap, and gondeure buckwheat jeonbyeong combination again.

If you go with a group, I also recommend adding the spicy sundubu and soy-sauce pork buckwheat gimbap to share even more dishes!