Korean in Jung-gu and Myeongdong

La Yeon

• ★ 4.7
• 2 MICHELIN stars
• Korean
• ₩₩₩₩

On the 23rd floor of the Shilla Seoul, La Yeon serves royal-tradition Korean tasting menus against a panorama of the Han River basin, holding two Michelin.

Woo Lae Oak

• ★ 4.4
• North Korean
• ₩₩₩

Order Pyongyang naengmyeon: hand-pulled buckwheat noodles in cold hanwoo bone broth.

Open since 1946, Woo Lae Oak is Seoul's canonical address for Pyongyang-style naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles), the broth made from hanwoo foreshank.

Hadongkwan

• ★ 4.3
• Korean Traditional
• ₩

Order Seolleongtang: ox-bone broth cooked until milky-white without additives.

Hadongkwan has been open since 1939 in Myeongdong and is in the Michelin Guide for a bowl of seolleongtang that has not changed: slow-cooked ox bone.

Ojangdong Hamheung Naengmyeon

• ★ 4.2
• North Korean Noodles
• ₩₩

Order Bibim naengmyeon: chewy starch noodles in a sweet-spicy sauce with cold beef slices and a halved boiled egg.

Family-run since 1953, Ojangdong serves Hamheung-style cold noodles: the noodles are made from potato starch and are notably chewier than Pyongyang-style.

Vegan Kitchen

• ★ 4.1
• Vegan Korean
• ₩₩

Order Vegan Korean set meal: the full spread of plant-based banchan with rice and a warming jjigae (stew) made.

Vegan Kitchen in Jung-gu serves Korean cuisine free of meat, fish and dairy in the temple food tradition, rated 4.5 stars across over 400 HappyCow reviews.