Korean in Jongno and Insadong

Onjium ★ 4.7

49 Hyoja-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul 03043

One Michelin star for a cultural research institute disguised as a restaurant: chef Cho Eun-hee studies Joseon royal court recipes and reinterprets them.

Imun Seolnongtang ★ 4.4

38-13 Ujeongguk-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Korea's first registered restaurant, open since 1904 in Jongno, still serving a single dish: 17-hour ox bone seolleongtang with sliced brisket.

Tip: Season the broth yourself with the salt provided; adding too much at once is the only mistake you can make.

Imun Seolnongtang ★ 4.4

38-13 Ujeongguk-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Korea's first registered restaurant, open since 1904 in Jongno, serving one dish unchanged: 17-hour seolleongtang. Michelin Bib Gourmand recognised.

Tip: The breakfast crowd is small; a morning bowl before the palace opens is one of the best starts to a day in old Seoul.

Imun Seolnongtang ★ 4.4

38-13 Ujeongguk-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Seoul's oldest continuously operating restaurant, first licensed in 1904: ox bones boiled for 17 hours, broth poured over sliced beef and soft wheat.

Vegan Insa ★ 4.3

33-18 Ikseon-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Vegan Insa in Ikseon-dong Hanok Village serves fully plant-based Korean food in a traditional courtyard house, including vegan bibimbap and banchan spreads.

Tip: The outdoor courtyard seats fill quickly on warm evenings; weekday lunch is the quietest window.

Vegan Insa ★ 4.3

33-18 Ikseon-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Vegan Insa in the hanok lanes of Ikseon-dong is consistently rated one of Seoul's best vegan restaurants: purely plant-based Korean food in a traditional.

Tip: Ikseon-dong is a 10-minute walk from Insadong and worth the detour for its traditional atmosphere.

Insa Dodam ★ 4.2

5-1 Insadong 16-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Insa Dodam is a renovated hanok off Insadong-gil that runs a lunch-only bibimbap programme, capping bowls per day to lock in same-morning vegetable delivery.

Tip: Bibimbap is lunch-only; arrive before 14:00 to be sure of a dolsot order, and ask for the vegan build if you want the no-egg version.

Jongno 3-ga Pojangmacha Street ★ 4.2

Jongno 3-ga, Jongno-gu, Seoul

The 200-metre stretch in front of Ikseon-dong from Exit 5 to Exit 6 at Jongno 3-ga Station is Seoul's most concentrated pojangmacha (street food tent).

Tip: Arrive by 19:00 or earlier to find a free stool; cash only at most tents.

Maru Jayeonsik Kimbap ★ 4.2

3-20 Insadong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul

A traditional Korean lunch counter in Insadong serving plant-based kimbap and banchan, rated 4.5 stars across 400+ HappyCow reviews for consistent quality.

Tip: Arrive early; the seating is limited and the queue forms quickly at lunchtime.

Insadong Geu Jib ★ 4.1

3 Insadong 12-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul 03146

Insadong Geu Jib is a hanok-style Korean restaurant set in a narrow Insa-dong alley, serving dolsot bibimbap, beef-tartare bibimbap and bulgogi-and-vegetable.

Tip: The bulgogi yachaemari rolls (pick beef, pork or chicken) are the house specialty: thin meat with vegetables, hand-rolled at the table.