Category: Hongdae & Yeonnam
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Samgyetang in Mullae: Neungi-Mushroom Ginseng Chicken Soup
Most samgyetang looks the same — a whole chicken in a milky white broth. This one is different. For samgyetang in Mullae, Neungi Beoseot Baeksuk (능이버섯백숙) serves a version made with neungi mushroom, so the broth comes out a deep, aromatic brown instead of the usual white. It’s rich, fragrant and genuinely restorative — the…
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Chicken Ramen in Hapjeong: Ramura, Where You Build Your Own Bowl
Mapo is one of Seoul’s ramen battlegrounds, and my pick for chicken ramen in Hapjeong is Ramura (라무라). Where most ramen shops lean on pork (tonkotsu), Ramura is all about chicken — a rich chicken broth, chicken-leg toppings, even dumplings wrapped in fried chicken skin. You build your own bowl by choosing a topping and…
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Things to Do in Hongdae and Yeonnam: A Local’s Food & Cafe Guide
Hongdae, Yeonnam and Hapjeong sit right next to each other on Seoul’s west side, and together they make one of the best areas in the city to just eat and wander. Hongdae is the buzzy university-and-nightlife hub, Yeonnam is the leafy, café-lined neighborhood along the old railway park, and Hapjeong is the quieter, foodie edge…
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Coffee Roastery in Hapjeong: Belief Coffee Roasters, a Bunker-Like Cafe
Mapo — Hongdae, Hapjeong, Sangsu — is full of cafes, but big ones are surprisingly rare, so a group of you can struggle to find seats. That’s why I like Belief Coffee Roasters (빌리프커피로스터스): a proper coffee roastery in Hapjeong spread over two floors, with a huge bunker-like basement, coffee roasted in-house, and the warm…
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Pasta in Yeonnam: Yeonnam Toma and Its Smoky Chinese-Style Cream Pasta
Hongdae and Yeonnam are packed with restaurants, but for a proper sit-down bowl of pasta in Yeonnam, Yeonnam Toma (연남토마) is a favorite. It’s a Korean-fusion spot in a converted brick house, best known for a smoky, Chinese-style beef cream pasta you won’t find elsewhere. There are several Yeonnam Toma branches around the city, but…
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Dessert Cafe in Yeonnam: Parole & Langue and Its Square Pies
Yeonnam-dong is full of cafes, but if you want a proper dessert cafe in Yeonnam, Parole & Langue (파롤앤랑그) is a lovely pick. It’s a cozy spot in a converted house, known for its distinctive square pies — including a beautiful bonuibam (chestnut) pie that tastes as good as it looks. If you love pretty,…
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Burger in Yeonnam: Nikuking Burger and Its Famous Rosé Burger
Yeonnam-dong is packed with places to eat, but if you want a proper Korean-style burger in Yeonnam, this is my pick: Nikuking Burger (니꾸킹버거). It’s a small handmade-burger spot just off Hongdae, best known for its rosé burger — a Korean flavor that’s been a big hit with young diners here. The burgers are genuinely…
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Hambak Steak in Hapjeong: Hamban, a Charcoal Grill Made for Solo Diners
If you’re travelling alone and want a proper, satisfying meal, this is my pick: the best hambak steak in Hapjeong. Hamban (함반) is a charcoal-grilled hambak (hamburg steak) specialist just off the Hongdae area, and it’s built for eating well by yourself — a charcoal hearth in the center ringed by bar seating, so a…
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Mandu in Hongdae: Deoki Son Mandu, a Pyongyang-Style Local Classic
For the best handmade mandu in Hongdae, skip the tourist strip and head to Deoki Son Mandu (덕이손만두) in Hapjeong. It’s a Pyongyang-style handmade dumpling specialist — the kind of unpretentious, long-running local spot where the food is mild, clean and comforting rather than flashy. At weekday lunch it fills with office workers from nearby,…
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Pork Gomtang in Hongdae: Okdongsik, the Netflix Chef’s Michelin Bowl
If you watched Netflix’s Culinary Class Wars (흑백요리사), you may already know this one. Okdongsik (옥동식) is the original Seoul shop of the chef who took his pork gomtang all the way to New York — and it’s listed in the Michelin Guide too. It sits in Hapjeong, right on the edge of the Hongdae…
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Salmon Sushi in Yeonnam: Yeonhadong’s Giant Salmon Bites
Yeonnam-dong is packed with pretty cafes and trendy restaurants, but if you’re after something a little different, here’s my pick: salmon sushi in Yeonnam done big. Yeonhadong (연하동) is a salmon specialist whose signature is daewang (“giant”) salmon sushi — a huge slab of salmon draped over rice that melts in your mouth. Pair it…
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Mippodong Yeonnam: Salmon “Noodles” With No Noodles — and Seoul’s Prettiest Seafood Bowl
Yeonnam-dong’s food scene specializes in one thing: dishes you’ll photograph before you taste. Mippodong is the rare place where the taste beats the photo. Its signature “salmon noodles” went viral for a simple reason — there are no noodles. Ribbons of fresh salmon are the noodles. I finally went to see if it’s a gimmick.…
