Exploring a city is hungry work so if you find the need to refuel here’s some of the best dishes to try and where to find them.
Korea’s most popular snack dish is probably tteokbokki in which rice cakes are cooked together in a spicy sweet sauce. You can find street stalls that sell them near just about any popular area or near subway stations like Hongdae, Gangnam, Jongno, and more. Pair them with other popular dishes like twigim (various battered and fried food), soondae (blood sausages), and eomook (fish cakes). Sit-down chain restaurants that specialize in this dish are also found throughout the city in various styles and even different sauces.
In terms of street food Myeongdong is probably the best known area for it. Common staples and now infamous dishes include the French fries encrusted hot dogs, foot-long ice cream cones, and chicken skewers but you can now find even “fancier” treats like grilled scallops, chopped steak, and even lobster! Insadong also has some famous snacks such as ggultarae, or dragon whiskers (a spun candy treat), and hotteok in which a cake with sweet filling is cooked on a griddle.
Over in Noryangjin, there is a section known for the inexpensive cup baps. Originally created as a cheap and filling meal for the many students around, rice is topped with various ingredients of your choice such as bulgogi, dakgalbi, cheese, sausage, etc and usually for less than 3 or 4 thousand Korean won! At Gongdeok, one can enjoy various jeon, or battered and fried dishes at the jeon alley which pairs perfectly with makgeolli or Korean rice wine.
Jeon is also famous at the enormous Gwangjang Market but particularly their bindaetteok, which are made with ground mung beans, are well known. Don’t forget to also try the mayak kimbap here in which mini kimbaps are served with a simple mustard and soy sauce side. For adventurous eaters, Gwangjang Market is also well known for their yukhoe or beef tartar.
Korea’s convenience stores ares also a snack-lover’s paradise. You can pick up every day favorite Korean chips, sweets, and other snacks but most are also equipped with hot water and microwaves to heat up packaged meal trays, hot foods, and cup noodles. Some, particularly many along the Han River, even have actual ramen noodle cooking machines which will give you hot Korean noodles in just a few minutes. Some stores even offers and sells fried chicken and pizza!
If you’re more of an adventurous eater, some of the more unique items include bbeondaegi or cooked silkworms which are found in just about any traditional market. At these markets you can also find soondae, or blood sausages, in which they are often served with cooked liver, lung, and other parts. Restaurants specializing in spicy chicken feet and cooked pig hocks are also found around the city which have fervent followers. Of course, perhaps most infamous as an unusual snack is sannakji or live chopped baby octopus which comes still wriggling on a plate and accompanied by salt and sesame oil to the side. Find these at a fish market or at a pojangmacha.
Seasonal snack items for summer include pahtbingsoo or shaved ice. Many pahtbingsoo shops are found throughout the city offering various toppings and flavors to customize to your preference. Some cafes and stalls even sell cup-sized mini pahtbingsoos that are available to take on the go. Don’t forget to sample fresh juices at juice stores and cafes offering seasonal fruits such as watermelon, grape, strawberry, and more. In winter time, boongeobbang in which sweet bread shaped like fish and stuffed with sweet red beans are popular as are hobbang, or steamed buns with a sweet or savory filling. For many Koreans, winter is also when people will pick up roasted chestnuts or sweet potatoes both as a snack and to keep their hands warm.