4 Best Restaurants in Jamsil and Eastern Seoul, Seoul

While this old-school eatery advertises itself as a boribap (barely rice) establishment, it's most famous for its bossam (steamed pork) set menu. If you're not in the mood for pork, you can also order courses of duck or kodari (semi-dried pollack), along with sides of ddeokgalbi (beef and onion patties), dotori mook (acorn jelly salad), and much more. When it comes time to order drinks, a bottle or two of the milky Korean rice wine known as makgeolli will do wonders to complement this rustic-style meal in the middle of the capital.

On the 81st floor of the Lotte World Tower, this highly lauded fine dining restaurant serves elegantly prepared contemporary Korean fare with sky-high views. Multi-course lunch and dinner menus highlight local ingredients in everything from stuffed abalone to dry-aged striploin, every bite better than the last.

This restaurant situated along the Bangi Matgol (Food Alley) is one of the few places in Seoul where you can get a proper bowl of dwaeji gukbap, a savory pork and rice soup that's the specialty of Busan, South Korea's second city. The broth is milky and rich, and they don't skimp on the meat. Make sure to eat plenty of the kimchi and kkakduki (sliced radish kimchi) provided, and to complete the experience, order a bottle of Busan "C1" brand soju to wash it all down. 

This popular cold noodle restaurant in the Lotte Mall has an appropriately limited menu. You're best off ordering mul naengmyeon (cold noodles in ice water) with a side of mandu (dumplings), though if you're in the mood for a hearty bowl of soup, try their mandu galbitang (beef short rib dumpling soup). There's often a line, though for good reason: this place, despite its mall location, really nails it.