Seoul is a foodie kingdom! Forget about the thousands of restaurants that line the streets of the capital of South Korea, it's all about the unique and independent street carts and pop-ups that really offer you flavour and something different! A wander through Seoul can turn into a taste test tour of the delicious delicacies and goodies on offer. Make sure you leave room for dessert; the sweet treats on offer here are a must to try!
Calling All Foodies! 🍲🍡🍥🦑
The number of dishes on offer when going for a night-time stroll through these illuminated markets is mental! Tourists are in for a real treat when trying dishes from each stall, whether that is traditional dishes that are adored by the locals or unique family recipes that you won’t find anywhere else. The food on offer here is cheap, hearty and delicious. If you're planning a trip to South Korea, street food is a must-try on any visit to Seoul or the rest of the country.
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Savoury Choices🍴
Gimbap - Gimbap is available to try more or less everywhere in South Korea. A national beloved favourite dish. Packed onto street carts, often accompanied by tteokbokki, gimbap begins with a sheet of seaweed that’s filled with rice, a few pickled vegetables and a slice of egg.
Tornado Potato - One of the most popular go-to snacks at these markets is the tornado potato. An impressive snack made up of potato, twisted cut into a spiral, spread out on a long stick, deep fried until crunchy and sprinkled with a delicious powder.
Korean French Fry Hot Dog - As seen on TikTok and reels, this snack blew up on the internet recently! With new Korean Corn Dog shops popping up everywhere across the world now, this treat is becoming super popular. But, why not try one from its place of origin! A hot dog wrapped in french fries, and deep fried. A greasy treat that sometimes has cheese and other delicious toppings.
Squid & Octopus - Seoul street food would just not be the same without tentacles of fried and dried octopus and squid. Unique but definitely a crowd pleaser, these are a favourite of many. With their distinctive texture and delicious flavour, these are worth a try!
Sweet Treats 🍡
Massive Ice Cream Cones - Korean’s LOVE their ice cream and the cones found out here, especially in Seoul, are massive. A famous ice cream cone located in Myeongdong is about as impressive as ice cream cones come. This small handheld cone is piled high with about a foot of ice cream on top.
Dalgona Candy - If you haven’t seen the popular K-Drama Squid Games, then you may not know what dalgona is! As seen on the show, this is a super popular candy/snack in Korea made with melted sugar and baking soda. FInd something sharp like a safety pin to poke away the shape - good luck if you pick the umbrella!
Strawberry Rice Cake - Strawberry Rice Cake is a Korean Glutinous Rice snack stuffed with red bean paste and a strawberry. A super sweet and yummy treat found at sweet stalls across the markets. Myeongdong Street is a great place to look for this mochi treat.
Where To Go? 👀
Gwangjang Market - If you really want to dive into Korea’s cuisine then, you don’t want to miss out on Seoul’s century-old Gwangjang Market. One of the capital’s oldest functioning markets its a great place to soak in culture as well as the food and drink on offer. Of all the foods the market is famous for, mayak kimbap has to be the crowd favourite.
Seoul Bamdokkaebi Night Market - Food, festivities and fun! Held on Friday and Saturday evenings from March to October at the Yeouido Hangang Park and Banpo Hangang Park along the Han River, this market hosts 50 trucks serving up tasty treats ranging from Koreanised tacos and steak-in-a-cup to lobster rolls and Cuban sandwiches, you’re sure to find something to please your palate.
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https://theculturetrip.com/asia/south-korea/articles/the-best-places-to-try-street-food-in-seoul/
