Best of Seoul
Where locals eat in Seoul
Start with Tosokchon Samgyetang in Near Gyeongbokgung Palace, Jongno for samgyetang with regular chicken or black silky fowl, Myeongdong Kyoja in Myeongdong for kalguksu and Andeok in Seochon, Jongno for beef naengguksu. Here are all 8, with what to get at each.
- Tosokchon SamgyetangNear Gyeongbokgung Palace, Jongno
Get: Samgyetang with regular chicken or black silky fowl; seafood and green onion pancake (haemul pajeon)
A ginseng chicken soup in a hanok.
- Myeongdong KyojaMyeongdong
Get: Kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) and mandu, with the garlic-heavy house kimchi
A Seoul noodle institution, now Michelin-listed.
- AndeokSeochon, Jongno · counter
Get: Beef naengguksu (cold noodles), mandutguk (dumpling soup), spicy pepper tempura
- OiljeYongsan · family-run
Get: Perilla-seed miyeok-guk (seaweed soup) with same-day rice cooked in a cast-iron cauldron, plus the banchan
- 3rd SamgyetangSeocho · institution
Get: Samgyetang with the mung bean and pine nut purées and mugwort paste
- Chanyang-jipJongno 3-ga, Jongno-gu
Get: Seafood kalguksu (knife-cut noodles), with the sour and fresh kimchi on the side
- EunjujungEulji-ro, Jung-gu (Bangsan Market alleys)
Get: Kimchi jjigae at lunch (about 10,000 won); grilled pork belly at dinner
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What are the local restaurants in Seoul?
Chef Amazing’s picks start with Tosokchon Samgyetang (Near Gyeongbokgung Palace, Jongno), Myeongdong Kyoja (Myeongdong) and Andeok (Seochon, Jongno). All 8 places are on this page with what to get, where they are and a map.
What should I order?
At Tosokchon Samgyetang, get samgyetang with regular chicken or black silky fowl; seafood and green onion pancake (haemul pajeon). At Myeongdong Kyoja, get kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) and mandu, with the garlic-heavy house kimchi. At Andeok, get beef naengguksu (cold noodles), mandutguk (dumpling soup), spicy pepper tempura. At Oilje, get perilla-seed miyeok-guk (seaweed soup) with same-day rice cooked in a cast-iron cauldron, plus the banchan.
How does Chef Amazing pick these?
From Chef Amazing’s city guide and lists for Seoul: the places critics, chefs and locals keep recommending, checked and kept current, with what to order at each. Nobody pays to be on them.
More in Seoul
Local restaurants in other cities
Places change: check hours before you go. Pins come from addresses and OpenStreetMap and can be a little off. Updated October 25, 2026.