Seoul Food Guide 2025: Eat, Explore, Repeat

Welcome!

Our Seoul food guide walks you through the highlights from the 2025 Michelin Guide for Seoul & Busan — including Mingles’ promotion to three stars, Evett’s elevation, plus 77 Bib Gourmand picks and new Green Star honorees. Read on for street‑food must‑tries and how to pace a relaxed 3–4 day stay in Seoul.

The 2025 Michelin Guide for Seoul and Busan reaffirms South Korea’s place on the global culinary map. This year the Guide recognizes 40 starred restaurants across the two cities, with Mingles rising to three stars — a milestone for contemporary Korean cuisine — nine two‑star establishments (including newly promoted Evett) and 29 one‑star restaurants. The Guide also named 77 Bib Gourmand spots and expanded Green Star recognitions for sustainability. Below are the highlights, must‑try street foods, practical pacing advice, and a curated “Off the beaten path” section to inspire food‑minded travelers.

Michelin Snapshot — Stars & Notable Promotions

• Three‑star: Mingles (Seoul) — celebrated for blending traditional Korean flavors with modern technique.
• Two‑star: 9 — Evett (Seoul) promoted from one to two stars for Chef Joseph Lidgerwood’s seasonal, inventive menus.
• One‑star newcomers (2025): Tutoiement (French), Sosuheon (Sushi), Escondido (Mexican), Yu Yuan (Cantonese — regained), Y ’east (East Asian contemporary), Legume (Vegan), Gigas (Mediterranean).

Notable Changes & Awards

Several high‑profile movements shaped 2025: Mingles (2→3), Evett (1→2), and Yu Yuan regaining its one star after four years. Michelin special awards highlight industry leadership: Sommelier Award to Kim Min‑jun (Jungsik Seoul), Mentor Chef Award to Kim Sung‑il (La Yeon), and Service Award to Lee Eun‑joo (Sosuheon). These personal recognitions underline that service, mentorship, and hospitality matter as much as cuisine.

Bib Gourmand Picks to Try

The Bib Gourmand list (77 recipients in 2025, incl. 14 new entries) is a treasure map for high‑quality, budget‑friendly meals. Notable new Bibs include:

• Myeon Seoul (Chef Kim Do‑yun)
• Gomtang Lab and Neungdong Minari (beef‑bone soups)
• Nishimuramen (French‑style Japanese ramen)
• Mipildam (mandutguk — dumpling soup)
• Seokyonanmyunbang (noodle parlor) and Seoryung (North Korean‑style naengmyeon)
• Youhan (Thai bistro) and ALT.a (plant‑based Korean‑Chinese)

Bookmark the official Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand list for full details — these stops are perfect between tasting menus. MICHELIN Guide Bib Gourmand South Korea

Seoul Food Guide — Street Food Essentials

Street food is essential to understanding Korea’s flavor culture. Top five street snacks to sample:

1. Tteokbokki — spicy rice cakes in gochujang sauce (Sindang, Gwangjang Market). Pair with twigim (tempura) and ask for “mild” if needed.
2. Gimbap — hand rolls with varied fillings (Hongdae, Myeongdong). Try creative versions like bulgogi or cheese gimbap.
3. Hotteok — sweet or savory filled pancakes (university districts, winter markets). Eat carefully — fillings are molten hot.
4. Odeng / Eomuk — fish cake skewers in warming broth (Busan ports, market alleys). Sip the broth for extra comfort.
5. Bungeoppang / Gyeran‑ppang — fish‑shaped pastry or egg bread (Namdaemun, night stalls). Ideal in between Michelin meals.

Green Star & Sustainability Highlights

Sustainability is increasingly central to culinary excellence. A Flower Blossom on the Rice kept its Green Star for the fifth consecutive year; 2025’s first-time Green Star recipients include Gigas and Fiotto. Expect more restaurants linking local sourcing, reduced waste and seasonal provenance to high-quality dining.

How Long to Stay — Recommended Pacing

• Seoul (recommended): 3–4 days at a relaxed pace — ample time for one or two starred dinners, market visits, and neighborhood wandering (Insadong, Bukchon, Itaewon).
• First‑time in South Korea (recommended total trip): 7–10 days — ideal for combining Seoul, Busan, Jeonju or a southern coastal hub with minimal rush. 

Practical Tips for Dining Success

1. Book Michelin restaurants well in advance — tasting menus book up quickly, especially on weekends.
2. Mix a tasting menu with Bib Gourmand meals and street‑food market strolls each day for the full spectrum of Korean flavors.
3. Carry small bills for market stalls and aim for busy vendors to ensure freshness.
4. Time markets in the morning for produce and evening for lively street‑food atmospheres.

Off the Beaten Path — Coastal, Cultural & Culinary Stops

For readers who want more than Seoul’s Michelin scene, these quieter towns pair beautifully with food travel:

• Yeosu — a scenic southern port and island gateway. Noted for fresh grilled shellfish, evening seafood stalls, and harbor views (reachable by KTX in ~3–3.5 hours or by car ~4–5 hours). Great for a 2–3 day coastal detour.
• Tongyeong — “Naples of Korea” with markets serving Chungmu gimbap, grilled fish and spicy jjukkumi (stir‑fried baby octopus). Best as a 1–2 day stop paired with Busan/Geoje.
• Buyeo & Gongju — Baekje historic areas along the Geum River offering archaeological sites, riverside markets, and heritage dishes — easy 1‑day or overnight cultural stops about 1.5–2.5 hours from Seoul.
• Maisan / Tapsa — mountain temple with stacked stone pagodas; a serene day trip pairing well with temple cuisine, teas and contemplative walks near Jeonju.
• Jeonju — accessible by KTX (~1.5–2 hours), ideal for hwangnam‑ppang pastries and ssuk (mugwort) sweets like mugwort chocopies — a must for dessert hunters.
• Busan beyond Haeundae — Jagalchi Fish Market, Gamcheon Culture Village, Gwangalli Beach, Taejongdae and Haedong Yonggungsa Temple each tell a different seafood story and are easily added to a southern leg via KTX (~2.5–3 hours from Seoul).

Suggested local specialties to seek during these stops:

• Seafood: hoe (raw fish), galchi jorim (braised cutlassfish), haemul pajeon (seafood pancake), jjukkumi bokkeum (spicy baby octopus), milmyeon (Busan wheat cold noodles).
• Regional desserts: ssuk mugwort chocopies (Jeonju/Yeosu variations), hwangnam‑ppang (Jeonju), bingsu seasonal variations, hotteok and bungeoppang street sweets.
• Street food & small plates: Chungmu gimbap (Tongyeong), Yeosu grilled shellfish, Jagalchi eomuk stalls (Busan), local mandu and mandutguk at Bib Gourmand stalls.

Coming Next — Part III (Itineraries & Hands‑On Experiences)

In Part III we’ll move from tasting notes to planning: detailed 7–10 day and 3–4 day sample itineraries, Busan and Jeju highlights, day trips from Seoul, market tours, cooking classes, temple cuisine, tea houses, timing and budgeting tips, and sample daily schedules to visualize trip flow.

Two Ways to Take the Next Step

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