- 27hidden gems
- 2cities
Food tours and tastings to book
Best rated first, weighted by reviews, from the cities on this list. One per city.
All 27 hidden gems
Ranked by our editors.
Noryangjin Pre-Dawn Fish Auction
- ★ 4.8
- Dongjak-gu
- Seoul
Noryangjin Pre-Dawn Fish Auction is a fish auction at 674 Nodeul-ro, Dongjak-gu, Seoul, open daily 01:00-22:00.
Dongnae Halmae Pajeon
- ★ 4.5
- Dongnae and Oncheonjang
- Busan
Dongnae Halmae Pajeon has griddled Busan's definitive green-onion pancake for four generations, in the old district that gave the dish its name.
Pyeongsanok
- ★ 4.5
- Busan Station and Choryang
- Busan
Pyeongsanok has fed Choryang, Busan for more than a century, a family-run Michelin Guide noodle and suyuk house a short walk from Busan Station.
Miro Sikdang
- ★ 4.5
- Hongdae and Yeonnam
- Seoul
Miro Sikdang is a restaurant at 80 Wausan-ro 30-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul.
18beon Wandang
- ★ 4.4
- Nampo and Jagalchi
- Busan
18beon Wandang has folded feather-thin dumpling soup in Nampo-dong for about eighty years, one of the last keepers of Busan's Japanese-influenced wandang.
Euljiro Nogari Alley
- ★ 4.4
- Jung-gu and Myeongdong
- Seoul
Euljiro Nogari Alley is a pocha alley at 12 Chungmuro 9-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul.
Seongsu Seoul Forest Cafe Strip
- ★ 4.3
- Seongsu and Dongdaemun
- Seoul
Seongsu Seoul Forest Cafe Strip is a strip of cafes at Seongsu-dong 1-ga, Seongdong-gu, Seoul.
Cha Ae Jeon Halmae Kalguksu
- ★ 4.2
- Yeonje-gu
- Busan
Cha Ae Jeon Halmae Kalguksu has served morning kalguksu in Yeonsan-dong, Busan since 1982, a third-generation noodle house now in the Michelin Guide.
Pyeongyangjip
- ★ 4.2
- Buk-gu
- Busan
Pyeongyangjip folds North Korean-style mandu and fries nokdujeon in Deokcheon, Busan, a Bib Gourmand lunch room that shuts by mid-afternoon.
Sinchang Toast
- ★ 4.2
- Nampo and Jagalchi
- Busan
Sinchang Toast has buttered its griddle by Gukje Market for decades, a Busan breakfast counter of ham and egg toast from 2,000 to 4,500 won.
Usadan-ro Hillside Cafes
- ★ 4.1
- Itaewon and Hannam
- Seoul
Usadan-ro Hillside Cafes are cafes along Usadan-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul.
Gupo Noodle Experience Center
- ★ 4.0
- Buk-gu
- Busan
The Gupo Noodle Experience Center keeps Busan's wartime Gupo guksu alive near Gupo Station, part museum, part class, part cheap noodle diner.
Mangwon Market Banchan Counters
- ★ 4.0
- Hongdae and Yeonnam
- Seoul
Mangwon Market Banchan Counters are banchan counters at 27 Poeun-ro 6-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul.
Seongsudarak
- ★ 3.6
- Seoul
Seongsudarak is a Western-style restaurant on the second floor at 20 Ttukseom-ro 9-gil in Seongdong-gu, known for pasta dishes and its signature omurice.
Original Jobak House
- ★ 3.6
- Seoul
Original Jobak House at 313-1 Tojeong-ro has served pork ribs since 1979, for more than 40 years, and is named for its founders, Mr.
Dongdaemun Grilled Fish Alley
- ★ 3.6
- Seoul
Dongdaemun Grilled Fish Alley is the only grilled fish alley in Seoul, formed by restaurants specializing in charcoal-grilled fish, at 5 Jongno 40-ga-gil.
Cheongjinok
- ★ 3.6
- Seoul
Cheongjinok began in 1937 as Pyeonghwagwan, a small haejangguk (hangover soup) restaurant, and has specialized in haejangguk for nearly 90 years.
Room of Requirement
- ★ 3.6
- Seoul
Room of Requirement is a small cafe on the third floor at 192 Eulji-ro in Jung-gu serving chai, Swedish cardamom buns and cheddar cheese meat pies.
Teumari Cafe
- ★ 3.6
- Seoul
Teumari is a hanok cafe and wine bar at 107-1 Seosulla-gil in Jongno-gu, beside the Jongmyo Shrine Stonewall Path, remodeled from a Joseon-era hanok.
HHSS House
- ★ 3.6
- Seoul
HHSS House is a design studio and cafe on the third floor at 113 World Cup-ro in Mangwon-dong, with seats facing the trees outside large windows.
Public Garden
- ★ 3.6
- Seoul
Public Garden is a rooftop brunch cafe on the fourth floor at 199 Cheonggyecheon-ro, serving sandwiches, pasta, arancini and roasted chicken.
Coffee Hanyakbang
- ★ 3.6
- Seoul
Coffee Hanyakbang is a cafe at 16-6 Samil-daero 12-gil in a timeless Euljiro alley, filled with old mother-of-pearl cabinets, woodwork and tiles.
Pungnam Golbaengi
- ★ 3.6
- Seoul
Pungnam Golbaengi is the oldest restaurant in Golbaengi Alley in Euljiro, started by parents in 1984 and now run by their children, at 50-1 Supyo-ro.
Palpan Gimbap
- ★ 3.6
- Seoul
Palpan Gimbap at 36 Palpan-gil was featured on the TV show You Quiz on the Block, known for long lines and a menu of gimbap, toast and fish cake soup.
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