Seoul’s culinary culture, shaped over thousands of years, is deeply rooted in seasonality, fermentation, and the belief that „medicine and food share the same origin.“ This tradition blends seamlessly with modernity, creating a vibrant dining scene from bustling market stalls to elaborate Michelin-starred restaurants. Locals embrace both decades-old neighborhood spots and innovative fine dining.
The city’s cocktail scene is also thriving, with bartenders actively collaborating and innovating. For an unforgettable experience, experts recommend exploring traditional markets for street food, enjoying communal barbecue, and experiencing high-end Korean dining. Drinking options range from traditional hanok bars to experimental cocktail lounges. Accommodation choices include luxury hotels like the Four Seasons and boutique art-forward properties.
Behind Seoul’s sprawling skyline of towering skyscrapers and neon lights lies a culinary culture shaped over thousands of years. Rooted in seasonality and fermentation, guided by yak-sik-dong-won—an ancient belief that “medicine and food share the same origin”—and practiced through communal dining, it influences nearly everything you can eat and drink in South Korea’s capital today.
“Seoul feels exciting because it’s a rare place where tradition and modernity are not in conflict, but constantly elevating each other,” says Ike Ryu, assistant food and beverage manager at the Four Seasons Hotel Seoul. This interplay is especially evident in the city’s dining scene, where locals are just as passionate about decades-old neighborhood spots and market stalls as they are about elaborate tasting menus. As Seongha Lee, the head sommelier of Michelin-starred Kang Minchul, puts it: “Many visitors are surprised by how many options there are, and how easy it is to get to them.”
While drinking has always been just as important as eating for South Koreans, the past decade has seen a notable shift in how locals imbibe. “Seoul’s cocktail scene, in particular, is thriving,” says Austin Kang, the Korean-American chef and owner of Mukjung, a fine-dining spot shining a spotlight on fermentation. “Local bartenders are actively collaborating, traveling, and working internationally, creating a culture of constant learning and innovation.”
To help map out an unforgettable trip to Seoul, we asked Ryu, Lee, and Kang for their recommendations for restaurants, bars, and hotels to add to your itinerary.
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Mukjang. Courtesy of Mukjang
Where to Eat in Seoul
Casual, affordable eats are central to everyday life in Seoul, so traditional markets offer one of the best introductions to the city’s food culture. Lee recommends Sunhui-ne Bindaetteok in Gwangjang Market, South Korea’s oldest traditional market, specifically to try one of the stall’s famous mung bean pancakes “hot and crispy right off the pan.” Other popular street foods worth trying include Namdaemun Market‘s vegetable japchae-stuffed hotteok and kalguksu (knife-cut noodles). Though you’ll spot tteokbokki just about everywhere, Kang’s pick for the saucy, spicy-sweet rice cakes is Norunsan Tteokbokki in Seoul’s Jayang neighborhood, where “dipping the sundae (blood sausage) into the tteokbokki sauce is a must.”
Korean Pancakes being made in Gwangjang Market. Courtesy of Clement via Unsplash
After a long day at work, Ryu finds comfort in a steaming bowl of gamjatang, a spicy pork neck stew, at Gwanghwamun Ttukgam, an unassuming restaurant just a short walk from the Four Seasons. A favorite among hotel staff, it’s “a great example of the kind of casual local restaurant that gives Seoul so much of its character,” he says.
Barbecue in South Korea is about far more than just eating—it reflects the country’s deep-rooted values of community and sharing. Kang recommends Gangnam’s 24-hour Chowon for Hanwoo beef, “a unique product that’s difficult to find at the same quality outside Korea.” His go-to order includes the garlic noodles, truffle egg soufflé, and Hanwoo beef tongue: “Even people who are hesitant about tongue should give it a try.”
For pork barbecue, Lee recommends Sindang’s Geumdwaeji Sikdang, a trendy spot known for specialty cuts such as neck and bone-in pork belly. She suggests ordering a variety and eating them simply to let the meat’s naturally clean, sweet flavor shine.
People dining on the Gwangjang Market one of the biggest food markets in Seoul. Getty Images
While Seoul is home to a bevy of high-end establishments, those reimagining traditional Korean techniques and ingredients stand out. Kang points to Onjium, led by Cho Eun-hee and Park Sung-bae, as offering “one of the most thoughtful traditional Korean dining experiences in Seoul.” The restaurant, which also functions as a culinary research institute, is acclaimed for its artistic interpretations of Korean royal court cuisine, including its seasonal baekhwaban (white bibimbap), offered in fall and winter.
Lee is a fan of Mingles, a three-Michelin-star restaurant that “focuses on seasonal ingredients and fermentation, presenting Korean flavors in a refined way.” Ryu’s pick for a special occasion is the two-Michelin-starred Evett, where Australian chef Joseph Lidgerwood—who spent years studying Korean fermentation—“reinterprets Korean seasonal ingredients and traditional flavors in a modern, elegant way” through tasting menus featuring signature dishes including the Meiji donut, a garlic- and anchovy-filled puff dusted with dried fermented soybeans.
Onijum Restaurant. Courtesy of Onijum Restaurant
Where to Drink in Seoul
Housed in traditional Korean homes built from natural materials such as wood, stone, and clay—or in contemporary spaces designed to evoke them—hanok bars have proliferated across Seoul over the past decade. Among those worth seeking out are Ryu’s pick, Cobbler, where bartenders craft whiskey drinks and other cocktails based on your preferences rather than a menu; Bar Cham, which Lee appreciates for its creative use of Korean ingredients, including soju; and the sustainability-minded Gong-Gan, which upcycles leftover cocktail ingredients into bar bites.
If you’re curious where industry insiders like to unwind, Ryu recommends Kissk. The laid-back bar, tucked at the base of Bukhan Mountain, serves playful yet technique-driven riffs on disco-era drinks such as Long Island Iced Tea and a mezcal-infused Midori Sour. (Ryu’s particularly fond of the Blue Hawaiis and Cosmopolitans). While the vibe is always free-spirited, Ryu says, “It’s an especially fun place to visit later in the evening.”
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For pitch-perfect classic cocktails, such as martinis and Old Fashioneds, Lee recommends two spots: Bar Sookhee in the hip Euljiro district and Le Chamber, a speakeasy hidden behind a bookshelf in the ritzy Cheongdam neighborhood across the Han River.
Pine and Co. Bansang. Courtesy of Pine and Co.
If you’re feeling adventurous, head underground to Apgujeong’s Pine & Co, where a nondescript stairwell leads to one of Kang’s favorite watering holes. Styled as a gourmand’s laboratory and equipped with gadgets including a sous vide machine and rotovap, the experimental bar serves imaginative creations such as the Ant Love Corn, a creamy tequila-and-corn-milk cocktail topped with edible ants.
Another standout is H. Bar, tucked away within Charles H., Four Seasons Seoul’s celebrated cocktail lounge. This intimate, eight-seat hideaway specializes in molecular mixology and offers an interactive tasting menu featuring eight miniature cocktails paired with savory small bites.
Four Seasons Hotel Seoul H Bar. Courtesy of the Four Seasons
Where to Stay in Seoul
Seoul’s hotel landscape is dominated by large, well-established brands—good news for travelers who like using loyalty points or prefer properties with lots of amenities. Kang suggests the Four Seasons Hotel Seoul for first-time visitors, noting that it’s well-situated in the heart of the city and offers easy access to shopping, dining, and major attractions. Ryu also recommends where he works: “Beyond its luxury, it captures modern Seoul while weaving in subtle Korean touches throughout, from the guest rooms to the spa.”
Four Seasons Hotel Seoul. Courtesy of the Four Seasons
JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul offers a more subdued but equally well-appointed stay, with spacious accommodations, a prime address directly across from Dongdaemun (also known as Heunginjimun Gate), and one of Seoul’s most impressive breakfast buffets. For a more boutique experience, check into RYSE, Autograph Collection, an art-forward, 272-room hotel in the vibrant, youthful neighborhood of Hongdae.
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