You can judge any city by their street food. Okay, maybe that’s an overstatement. But they’re certainly a window into the place you’re visiting. There are the skewered kebabs of Chiang Mai, delicious takoyaki in Osaka, and… well, questionable fare you might find in the streets of Hollywood.
But Seoul? *Chef’s Kiss*
Here are a few of our favorites that are more than worth the price of a plane ticket. No matter where you’re coming from.
Chrysanthemum Bread
Similar to bungeo-ppang (붕어빵), chrysanthemum bread (국화빵) is a staple street food here in Korea. They are made with a pancake-like batter, traditionally filled with a sweet red bean paste and cooked in an iron flower shaped mold. They’re often enjoyed in the fall or winter, but some places make it year-round.
Our go-to place is Yeonhui-dong Gukhwa-ppang (연희동 국화빵). While you can always get the original flavor here, they also make special seasonal chrysanthemum bread that are definitely worth a try. During the summer they have a custard cream corn flavor that is absolutely to die for.
- Yeonhuimat-ro 17-21 (서울 서대문구 연희맛로 17-21 1층)
Kkwabaegi
Kkwabaegi (꽈배기) are a type of deep fried twisted donut. They actually exist in a lot of Asian cultures. In Korea, they’re usually made with glutinous rice flour, so you get a soft chewy interior with a crisp sugar covered exterior.
You can typically find them at traditional markets, but we like to get them at Kyungsung Kkwabaegi (경성꽈배기). They’re usually made in smaller batches here, so there’s always a fresh batch coming out.
- Seoul Mapo-gu Baekbeom-ro 16gil 1 (서울 마포구 백범로16길 1)
10 Won Bread
Originating in Gyeongju, 10 Won bread (십원빵) is relatively new to the Seoul snack scene. 10 Won bread is a thick pancake-like bread, usually served on a stick and made to look like… you guessed it, a 10 Won coin. It’s crispy on the outside, soft on the inside and filled with gooey mozzarella cheese.
There are a few locations around Seoul, but the most popular is probably Gyeongju Sibwon-ppang (경주 십원빵) located near Hongdae Station. It’s a pretty heavy snack, so it’s definitely worth sharing with a friend.
- Donggyo-ro 230 (서울 마포구 동교로 230)
Korean Hotdog
Whether you call them Korean hotdogs or corndogs, these are pretty much a staple of Korean culture. But what sets them apart from western style dogs is the rice flour batter, giving them a crunchy and chewy texture rather that a bready one.
Myungrang Hotdog is our favorite spot. They’ve got a good variety of hotdogs to choose from, plus it’s a chain so you can find one in just about every neighborhood. And if you’re feeling extra hungry, they also have tteokbokki!
- Daeheungdong 140-5 (대흥동 140-5)
Bungeo-ppang
If you’re familiar with Korean snacks, then you’ve definitely heard about bungeo-ppang (붕어빵). This fish shaped bread is crisp on the outside, fluffy on the inside and traditionally filled with a sweet red bean paste. Nowadays it’s really common to find carts that sell both red bean and custard filled, but you can also find them with a whole bunch of other fillings too (if you know where to look).
One of our favorite places to get them is Hongdae K Churros & Bungeo Dang (홍대K추러스&뿡어당). Not only do they have four flavors to choose from (red bean, choux cream, matcha, chocolate), but they’re also mini! Which makes them perfect to share and leaves you with more room to try other snacks.
- Donggyo-dong 152-1 (동교동 152-1)
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