Most of the time, my family and I couldn't resist sweet treats. The snacking frequency will normally increase when traveling to taste something different and local delicacies that hardly available in Singapore.
The other reason is to make sure that my two non-stop nibbling monsters will stay sweet and not become moody monsters. They eat more than me because they're in growing stage. My daughter even told me that she need to eat 3 meals and 3 snacks because she's underweight! Therefore, Korea is perfect place to bring my them along for holiday because you can easily find diversity of affordable and delicious snacks at almost every corner... a real food paradise~!
I started to buy and collect some of my favorite Korean beverages such as:
soju (소주), makgeolli (막걸리), 설중매, 오가자, 복분자, banana milk,
sikhye, milkis, vinegar, barley tea and others canned drinks.
While in Korea, do make sure to try various local food throughout the country, which the tastes and flavors entwined in its history, culture and regions. Here are some of the places awaiting you for tasty journey of street foods, snacks, desserts and drinks in Korea. Please click the link for more information:
1. Local Markets
Traditional Market is now a popular tourist attraction because not only you can purchase local products at cheaper price, it's also the best place to find the real taste of Korean local street food.
Traditional Market is now a popular tourist attraction because not only you can purchase local products at cheaper price, it's also the best place to find the real taste of Korean local street food.
88, Changgyeonggung-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Must-Try: Mugbean / Kimchi / Spring Onion / Seafood Pancake, Mayak Gimbap, Odaeng, Sundae, Jokbal, Bibimbap, Japchae, Tteokbokki, Mandu, Toast (토스트),...
34, Myeongdong-gil, Chuncheon-si, Gangwon-do
Must-Try: Tteokbokki, Mandu, Twigim, Sundae, Gimbap, Ramen, Kalguksu,...
Must-Try: Kongnamulbap (bean sprout rice soup), Bibimbap, Baekban (rice, soup with side dishes), sundae, patjuk and makgeolli.
63, Pungnammun 2-gil, Wansan-gu, Jeonju-si, Jeollabuk-do
1 Nonhyeon 1(il)-dong Namdong-gu Incheon
Must-Try: Fresh Sashimi (회 = Hoe), Chrysanthemum-shaped bread filled with red bean paste (Gukhwappang = 국화빵 ), Boiled Silkworm Larvae (번데기 = Beondegi), Sweet Potato Sticks, Hotteok,...
2. Shopping districts and Tourist spots.
Street vendors, carts, stalls, cafes are usually sprouting around crowded shopping districts such as Myeongdong, Sinchon, and high human traffics touristy area such as Hangang Park. It's actually awesome, because you can have 2-in-1 shooping and food paradise at the same place!
Street foods in Myeongdong - source of happiness from 1,000 won.
Must-Try: Tornado potato, Dokkaebi hotdog, 30cm ice cream cone, assorted meat skewers, egg bread, Korean sweet strawberry, fresh juice, and many more.
Insadong is the place for you to experience the traditional aspects of Korea
in the heart of the city. You can find traditional Korean food and
traditional cafes serving teas and snacks.
Must Try: Dragon beard candy (꿀타래 – kkultarae), Poop Bread (똥빵 = Ddong Bbang),
Mandu, Traditional confectionery such as Tteok (떡), Injeolmi (인절미),
Yakgwa (약과), Yeot (엿),...
Hongdae is known for its youthful and romantic ambiance, artistic and cultural
with art galleries, studios, theaters, design shops, and foods available at
cozy cafes, bars, restaurants along the streets.
Must-Try: Hotteok, egg bread, twigim, tteokbokki, odeng,...
I think it's impossible for snacking while strolling around Jeonju Hanok Village.
My production of saliva somehow increasing when smelling and
people munching delicious snacks.
This village is my ultimate bias because of its diversity types of traditional and fusion street food and the quintessential atmosphere.
Must-Try: PNB Choco Pie, Traditional Hotteok, Bibimbap Waffle, Handmade Mandu, Skewers, Dalgona (달고나 = caramelised candy), Bungeoppang stuffed with fillings or ice cream.
Pojangmacha is a small tented wagon (布帐马车) selling variety of popular and comfort street foods such as hotteok, gimbap, tteokbokki, sundae, dakkochi (Korean skewered chicken), gyeranmari omelette, odeng, ramen, dalkbal chicken feet, squid, and anju (dishes accompanied with drinking) at reasonable price.
Many of these establishments serve alcoholic beverages such as soju, makgeolli and beer in the evening. It's a popular place to have a snack or drink late into the night.
In Seoul, you can find pojangmacha tents lining around Jongno 3-ga outside subway station.
You probably seen a lot of scenes of the main characters went there, ordered food and soju.
22-1, Gunam-ro 41beon-gil, Haeundae-gu, Busan
Must Try: Busan Fishcake (어묵 = Eomuk), Seafood, Sundae, Tteokpokki, Twigim, Gimbap, Ramen, Pajeon,...
Jeonju Pojangmacha at the backstreet near JIFF Street.
Jeju Must Try: Skewers, tteokbokki, corndog, twigim.
4. Food Trucks
Recently the food truck leads new trend of food culture. In Korea now the food truck is the most popular form of street food. On the basis of proving food truck's real worth as a form of street food in park and culture-art space and so on
100 years Traditional Hotteok available from food truck near Unhyeongung Palace.
The food trucks parked at the colorful Market Ground in
Wide selection of menus ranging from drinks, desserts, local food and also foods from different countries such as Hamburgers, churros, hamburgers and onigiri can be purchased from these fancyly decorated food trucks near Konkuk University.
5. Traditional drinking Houses / Taverns.
Makgeolli is the oldest alcoholic beverage in Korea. Nongju is another name for Makgeolli, which means “farmer’s liquor.” It's considered as healthy form of alcohol because consist of lactic acid bacteria and dietary fiber. It is made from grains such as sweet rice, regular rice, barley, wheat and malt, which gives it milky off-white color, sweet and slightly fizzy from the fermentation process.
It's long popular among the older generation, now gaining its popularity and trendy drink for younger generation. There are a lot of places like bars or taverns serving makgeolli and anju.
I asked my friend to recommend good restaurant around Garosugil when I participated in Psy Wiki Korea Contest. Although I didn't win the contest, but I went there because I like to drink Makgeolli.
Chez Maak (셰막) is a Makgeolli House that famous for their Baekryun White Lotus Makgeolli and Makgeolli Cocktails. They also serve Fusion Korean foods that matched well with Makgeolli.Pajeon is the best dish to accompany makgeolli.
월매네 Traditional Folk Pub with Korean painting covered the whole walls.
Drinking Dishes such as Octopus Rice Cake (낙지 떡뽂이),
Omelette Egg Roll (계란말이),...
Omelette Egg Roll (계란말이),...
.JPG "Our table almost full with all sort of seafood")
35-1 Pungnamdong 2(i)-ga Wansan-gu, Jeonju-si, Jeollabuk-do
We only ordered Rice makgeolli + Stir-fried squid, but
the table was full with side dishes including exotic dishes:
Silk worm pupa (번데기) and Fermented skate (홍어).
the table was full with side dishes including exotic dishes:
Silk worm pupa (번데기) and Fermented skate (홍어).
6. Food Themed Streets
Korea has many food-themed street throughout the country, where numerous restaurants lining a long the streets or alleys where visitors can conveniently taste and experience unique or special delicacies.
10-18, Dasan-ro 33-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
If you think, a small cup of tteokbokki is not enough, head to tttekbokki town where you can have a large portion because this spicy dish is served as full meal with lots of ingredients such as dumplings, boiled eggs and glass noodle, cheese and ramyeon.
Joyang-dong, Chuncheon-si, Gangwon-do
You can find cafes almost everywhere in Korea. I think Korea really like to drink coffee after their meals. Well, I'm not drinking coffee, but somehow there are a lot of unique and interesting themed cafes in Korea where serving wide varities of beverages and desserts. Here are some of the themed and popular cafes I visited:
It's the first themed cafe I visited during my second trip to Korea in year 2013. It's actually Hanbok photostudio where you can rent beautiful Hanbok and take snap photos. Then you can enjoy a few sips of different Korean traditional teas and practice your Hangul brush calligraphy skill.
364-14 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu.
Hongik University Station (Exit 5 or 9).
All Hello Kitty fans will definitely love to spend a lovely afternoon in this pretty cafe and pretend to be a princess of the day here.
This cafe serve eye-catching and cute cakes with cute and fun 'nicknames' such as: 기분좋아 케이크 (Feel Good Cake) is the pleasant nickname for 'Rainbow Cream Cheese Cake' and 'Oh My God' (오마이갓 케이크) for M&M 'Choco Choco Choco Cake',..
My Korean friend introduced Caffe Bene and patpingsu to us when we're in Busan. This Korea coffee chain is mostly available everywhere and most of the time we just resting and enjoyed one or 2 servings of Patpingsu.
Sulbing (설빙)
Sulbing is another dessert cafe chain in Korea. Don't care whether it's scorching hot or snowing outside, kids still want to have their favorite Korean Bingsu.
Savoureux (샤브르)
154, Sogyeok-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Savoureux is famous for its shaved layered ice cream sorbets. Originally, sorbet was a dessert made in France to eat frozen juice to refresh the mouth after the meal. Savoreux introducing new concept sorbet ice cream dessert made with the creamy softness of premium milk.
Traditional tea house offer teas like Sipjeondaebotang (traditional Korean medicinal tea with 10 different ingredients), Jujube tea, Citron tea, Ginger tea, Sikhe and Sweet Red Bean Soup (단팥죽 = danpatjuk).
I was craving danpatjuk after ate this, and I ordered Chestnut Sweet Red Bean
Porridge (밤단팥죽) from Gmarket Korea but it tasted salty instead of sweet.
Therefore I learned to cook it (click here for the recipe).
Grandma's Best Desserts Factory (외할머니 솜씨)
This traditional hanok-style cafe also serve danpatjuk which the taste is similar to what I had in Seoul. It also serves various types of teas and patbingsu.
54-44 Wansan-gu, Jaman Mural Jeonju-si.
Duimo cafe is owned by CLC (씨엘씨) Yoojin's (최유진) mother and auntie at Jaman Mural Village. A perfect cafe to stop by for a cup of traditional fruit tea, bingsu and healthy bibimbap waffle after strolling charming Jaman Mural Village.
137, Kkotbadyangji-gil, Pyeongchang-gun, Gangwon-do
The best ice-cream that they've ever tasted. It's because this was their fruit of labour... first time ice cream making experience at Wind Village using Samyang premium milk produced from the dairy farm in this village.
8. Convenience Stores / Stalls / Marts
Need quick bites, to occupy your mouth and munching on the go, or buy Korean snacks for your own stocks or as gifts before traveling back to Seoul or your home sweet home...
Convenience Stores : GS25, 7-Eleven, CU, MiniStop, StoryWay.
Dosirak, Ramyeon. breads, snacks and banana milk are some of the items that we usually grab from the convenience stores in Korea. Cheap food and easy to prepare a simple hot meal as you need to add boil water for ramyeon or just reheat using microwave provided there. You can also dine there as they usually provided tables and chairs inside or outside the stores.
Gimbap rolls: our must buy which mostly available at train stations.
Regional delicacies such as Hwangnam bread (황남빵), Chalboribbang (찰보리빵),
Choco Pie, and others available at chained-stores at train / bus stations.
Bought local snacks and corn makgeolli from peddlers at Chujeon Station.
Minimart and stalls at bus resting areas.
Ginseng and MarketO Real Brownie: Must buy from Lotte Mart.
Food courts is easier to taste various local delights at one stop at affordable price. However, it might quite difficult to get seats during lunch or dinner time.
As you know I have a sweet tooth, and that's explained why I love to go to buffet restaurants to indulge myself in yummy cakes, desserts and ice cream. Just can't stop myself for sweet temptation!
Ashley Queens Buffet (애슐리퀸즈)
Must-try: Brownie, Carrot cake, Cheese Cake, Mango Fresh Cream Roll, Milk Cke, Oreo Pudding, Passion fruit jelly, Lemon Jelly, Walnut Tartae, Chocolate Cookies, French Crêpe, Patpingsu, Gelato, teas, coffee and more.
Must-Try: Brownies, Hokaido cupcake, macaroons, green tea rolls, mango cheese mouse, and cookies. Korean Traditional Fruit Punch: Mulberry Punch (오디 화채), Sweet Pumpkin Rice Punch (단호박 식혜 = Sikhye), Persimmon Punch (수정과 = Sujeonggwa), Jelly (젤리).
Must-try: Danpatjuk, Colorful Tteok and Sweet Pumpkin Sikhye.
Must-try: Assorted Korean Traditional Crackers (센베), Omija, Green Plum Tea and makgeolli.
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