137 Best Restaurants in Seoul, South Korea

Both a flower shop and a café, Ver’s Garden is a green oasis owned and operated by plant-lover Kim Sung-soo. While floral design changes with the seasons, the two-story space is a constantly growing home to monsteras, ivies, and pilea that offers coffee, herbal teas, and desserts. The cafe’s quiet corners are ideal for studying or remote working, but if you’re coming on a warm day just to relax make sure to grab a seat outdoors. Shaded by overhanging white sheets billowing in the wind, the cafe has tables on the second floor terrace looking out onto the Gyeongui Line Railroad Park as well as seats in the garden on the first floor. 

Although the humble gimbap (rice and various fillings wrapped in seaweed) is not typically a dish that one would go out of the way for, Yeonhui Gimbap in its Yeonhui-dong headquarters is worth going the extra mile. Known for its creative fillings like the extra-spicy squid and braised beef in soy sauce, the hole-in-the-wall gimbap joint has locations all over the country thanks to its success here. There are several locations in Yeonhui-dong alone and no seating at the original location, but the gimbap here is one of the best cheap meals in the city.

Though Yri Cafe offers little of the minimalist design and photogenic, colorful drinks that hip, new cafés in the area have begun to specialize in, the venue is one of the few places to encapsulate the independent, down-to-earth spirit of the neighborhood. Offering a simple selection of coffees and teas, the café is strewn with hundreds of books and local zines and decorated with portraits of Korean activists and intellectuals. Film directors, novelists, and painters still come here to meet in groups and on weekdays, you can see writers hunched over their laptops until the wee hours of the night. The cafe hosts a wide array of events such as book talks, art exhibitions, and film screenings.

Often at the top of lists ranking the best fine dining in Seoul, this lauded French restaurant has a minimalist dining room that allows artfully prepared dishes to shine. Opened in 2018 by chef Lee Chung-hu, the restaurant is known for Lee's innovative use of ingredients and his emphasis on home-grown vegetables. The restaurant, with views of Namsan Tower, serves lunch and dinner and is reservation only.

Like many steak houses the world over, 37 Grill & Bar at Conrad Seoul has dark, plush interiors, an old-world vibe, and a traditional surf and turf menu. What sets it apart is the 37th-floor location that has panoramic views of the Han River, the Seoul skyline, and N Seoul Tower rising up from atop Namsan Mountain. It’s also notable for prioritizing sustainable seafood. Vegetarian and vegan options are also available.

Located a five minute walk from some of downtown Seoul's premier hotels, Arirang serves high-end kalbi (grilled meats) at a price to match. Though pricier than most other kalbi restaurants, the food here is top notch and the location makes it an excellent dinner choice for those staying at one of the nearby hotels. The restaurant is bright and airy—surprising considering that the main dish is beef grilled at the table. Customers can opt for tables or the more traditional floor seating. While a good for two people, like most Korean BBQ, Arirang in best visited in a group.

If you're in the mood for a juicy cheeseburger and a craft beer after shopping at nearby IFC Mall, head to this popular local chain that's bathed by neon lights. The trendy spot has a menu that aims to excite with experimental choices such as a wasabi mayo and shrimp burger and a Hawaiian burger loaded with bacon and pineapple.

The Beautiful Tea Museum offers guests a chance to not only sample a variety of Korean teas, but learn the history and properties of them as well. The interior is designed to look like a traditional Korean courtyard, albeit one lined with Western-style tables. The staff can also help customers decide which of the 130-some teas on offer is best for them. The museum part of the name comes from a gallery exhibiting ceramic works and a display about the traditional teas of Korea, which were once made from flowers rather than tea leaves.

This fine-dining outlet is the signature restaurant of the JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul hotel. The rich ambience, with its marble floors and coffered ceiling, underscores the steep menu prices, but it’s worth it to find a New York–style steak 7,000 miles away from the Big Apple. In addition to the USDA dry-aged rib eye, porterhouse and T-Bone, there are a few salads and limited seafood options. There are also prix fixe menus for two to four people that include starters, sides, and desserts. Try to arrange a table by the window for prime views of Heunginjimun Gate.

This trendy coffee label from Oakland, California, has percolated into South Korea, with its popular location on the fifth floor of The Hyundai Seoul shopping complex. The light-and-tree-filled space with no walls or windows was designed by a landscape architect to give it an outdoor feeling. The crew of well-trained baristas grind and brew each cup by hand to create a bespoke coffee experience.

With a seating capacity of 14 to 16, Bokdeokbang is a cozy restaurant that pairs every dish with makgeolli (rice wine). Bokdeokbang’s owner, Kang Sang-gu, handpicks only natural makgeollis (without artificial additives), coming to each table to explain the flavor profiles of each drink; he operates the restaurant with his head chef and mother, who takes a similar organic approach in the kitchen. Kang even handwrites the menu, which is seasonal. The bossam (sliced, boiled pork) paired with oysters and fresh kimchi is an early winter favorite.

This highly praised restaurant serves Pyeonyang naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles), which is a must-try dish during any visit to Korea, especially during the blistering summer months. Chef Kwon Hee-sung prepares the beef bone broth every day, and uses only the freshest, local ingredients to elevate this beloved yet humble dish into something really special.

"Good times" are had by all who order hand-twisted donuts and dessert-like coffee from this trendy shop on Songridan-gil. Choose from flavors like Oreo mint, tiramisu, lotus, or almond chocolate and multiply the sweetness with a caramel salted latte while you sit on the outdoor patio.

Up until a few years ago it was impossible to get proper New York–style pizza in Korea, but Brick Oven, along with a few other upstarts, helped change that. This establishment set the standard for crispy thin crust pies in town, and are widely considered to be the best in the game. They also offer a number of nice craft beers on tap, so if you'd like a change from Korean food, consider stopping by. 

Since 1984 Buil Galmaegi has been serving up galmaegisal (pork skirt meat) to hungry Jamsil residents, and decades later it's still going strong. This is Korean barbecue in its purest form: hearty, unadorned, and deeply delicious.

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. 

What this diminutive, hole-in-the-wall café lacks in size, it more than makes up for in flavor. The European-style shop produces scrumptious handmade chocolates in flavors like matcha, basil, and ginger, plus an array of decadent cookies and breads. There's also a sizeable lineup of tea and coffee options.

Located along the Seoul Fortress Wall, this café in the Ihwa Mural Village has breathtaking views of Seoul’s skyline. The menu offers a range of caffeinated and non-caffeinated drinks as well as cocktails and beers, cakes, and snacks. Formerly attached to a small museum, the café keeps up its cultural history with art exhibitions and book talks. On a clear day, its outdoor space is a great place to take photos and sit down after the long climb up.

Just a short walk from the main Myeongdong neighborhood, Cafe Guhalgu is a charming four-story café at the foot of Namsan Mountain. The café serves coffees, teas, and ice cream-topped waffles. Some seats have a bit of greenery and blue skies, but climb up the narrow stairs to the rooftop and you will be rewarded with panoramic views of Namsan Tower. 

Tucked in a small alley near Namdaemun Market, Cafe Stairs is a two-story coffee shop that's been built into a house dating back to 1935. The structure was remodeled in 2019 and has been a mainstay of the Hoehyeon-dong neighborhood since. In addition to a decent coffee menu, their black sesame latte is worth trying for those with a sweet tooth. Upstairs, the café offers both table and floor seating reminiscent of an older time in Korea.

Often at the top of lists ranking the best foreign food in Seoul, Casablanca is a Moroccan sandwicherie that serves ​​shakshuka, salads, and soups in addition to sandwiches. Although all of their sandwiches are delicious, the lamb chili with spiced lamb, tomato, and lettuce served on a baguette is a neighborhood favorite. Across the street, Casablanca has a second location better for longer stays called Cafe Morococo. The latter serves tangines, lemon chicken, and perfect-for-everyone chicken over rice. Wahid Naciri, who owns both of these establishments, was a professional chef in Rabat before his life in Korea and is simply the nicest person.

Located in the Bukchon Hanok Village, this traditional teahouse and hanok offers seating that looks out onto Bugaksan mountain and serves an extensive menu of Korean teas. The staff, accustomed to tourists, can answer any questions you might have about the beverages and can recommend drinks based on your preferences. While the view outwards is undoubtedly the draw, and many prefer to sit on that end of the house, don’t be too disappointed to be seated elsewhere as all seats have a view of the charming little garden in the hanok’s madang (courtyard). Avoid early afternoons, especially on the weekends, as the teahouse fills up quickly. If you’re not too fussy about the hour you have tea, your best bet will be after 6 pm when most tourists are out for dinner.

A well-known name in Korea’s coffee industry, Champ Coffee has several locations in Seoul, including this small café in the backstreets of Itaewon. Their standard Americano is perfect for anyone who appreciates medium-dark beans without any acidity, but they are best-known for their rich and creamy lattes. They have a solid flat white and their signature, the Queens Coffee, is an odd but addictive espresso topped with a bit of berry syrup. Tack on a macadamia-cranberry cookie to your brew as all the baked goods are delicious. The space, unlike many in Seoul, isn’t great for sitting for long periods of time.

Situated in a wooden hanok house along the Samcheong-dong café street, Chez Simon delivers classic homemade French cuisine in an intimate 20-seat setting. The menu changes frequently, with each dish using only the freshest local ingredients. The quality and artistry of the food would fit a fine-dining establishment, making Chez Simon an excellent value. Just be sure to book ahead as the restaurant is reservation only.

Opened in 2009, Coffee Libre is an independent coffee shop owned and operated by Korea’s first Korean Q-grader, Seo Pil-hoon. Many in the local barista community credit Mr. Seo for being one of the first to introduce specialty coffee into the country and consider it a coffee lover’s rite of passage to visit the café. While it's grown out of its original location, it's resettled in a much brighter and more spacious venue in the same neighborhood.

The very definition of Gangnam luxury is this brand-new seafood buffet on the 52nd floor fo the World Trade Center Seoul. Gaze out at the cityscape below as you dine on king crab, lobster, shrimp, prawns, tuna belly sashimi, and more. The interior is modern and classy without feeling stuffy, and the restaurant also boasts an impressive wine list to go with all of that top-notch seafood. Just bring a powerful credit card, because for a meal like this you've got to pay to play.

Bulgogi is one of the most popular foods in Korea, and this industrial-style, hole-in-the-wall eatery is the perfect place to give it a try. The word bulgogi translates to “fire meat” and the dish is comprised of thin, marinated slices of beef grilled DIY-style on a tabletop griddle. One order of bulgogi is enough for two people and comes with side dishes such as acorn jelly, kimchi, radishes, and lettuce leaves in which you roll it all up. Order a side of rice and a cold beer or soju to counteract the spiciness.

For meat and spice-lovers only, Dongin-Dong serves a delicious bowl of beef ribs cooked on the bone with a heaping amount of garlic and chilies. It's the kind of meal worth breaking out in a sweat for and customers often order bowl after bowl of rice to soak up the last of the sauce (not to mention mitigating the spiciness). Also recommended are the mercifully less-spicy pork pancakes and other pan-fried delicacies. Just be sure to remember your breath mints.

A traditional Korean eatery compacted into a little house on a dead-end street, Doorumi serves elevated Korean liquor with a playful take on anju (food served with alcohol). The kimchi jeon (savory pancake), for instance, is made with white kimchi (instead of the more common red) and punctuated with a red pepper. While it’s hard to go wrong with the food here, a few highlights include the bossam (boiled, sliced pork), buckwheat noodles topped with perilla oil, and cheddar-sweet potato jeon. The bar changes its liquor offerings seasonally, but they are reliable for makgeolli (Korean rice wine) and Korean-style highballs made with soju. Larger parties can call in advance and book a private room adjacent to the rest of the tables. 

Bukchon may have no shortage of cafes, but thanks to its funky and laid back feel, fresh baked bread, and coffee roasted on premises, Double Cup Coffee stands out. Stop by around lunch and the shop offers satisfying vegetarian or pastrami sandwiches. While it makes for a good stop in the middle of a day wandering Bukchon, Double Cup is also one of the few coffee shops in the neighborhood open at 8 in the morning, making it a good place for coffee-lovers to fortify themselves before a day of sightseeing.