After a two year absence from Korea, my mom recently came to Seoul for a visit. Since my mom loves food almost as much as I do, I prepared a mini tour of 6 of my favorite snack spots for her to try.
Each location is located in or close to the Yeonnam-dong area which is just east of Hongdae station, so they’re all really easily accessible as long as you don’t mind a bit of walking.
Whether you’re living vicariously though our photos or you’re looking for some food inspo for your next Korea trip, this itinerary is a great place to start. Let’s go!
YHD Kukhwabbang (연희동 국화빵)
First up on the list is gukhwa-ppang (국화빵) or chrysanthemum bread. These little flower shaped breads are actually quite similar to bungeo-ppang. 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 are one of my go-to Korean snacks, especially during the colder seasons. They’re crispy on the outside, warm and fluffy on the inside with a creamy filling and a little kick of cinnamon in the batter. This particular spot makes them with all sorts of delicious fillings, but I always recommend to start with OG red bean first.
Address:
- 연희동 189-4 (Naver Map)
Umai Dango (우마이 당고)
Dango is a traditional Japanese dumpling made with a combination of regular rice flour and glutinous rice flour. It makes for this amazingly gooey chewy texture, with just a hint of crispiness on the outside, that I can’t get enough of.
I hadn’t had dango since my last trip to Japan, but this new snack spot does not disappoint. They have a few options to choose from, but if you have a sweet tooth like me, I recommend the less traditional Lotus Dango. It comes lathered in a warm caramel and topped with lotus cookie crumbs. Completely addictive!
Address:
- 연남동 382-29 (Naver Map)
Jayeondo Salt Bread (자연도소금빵)
Salt bread is a must on any Korea itinerary nowadays and Jayeondo Salt Bread is definitly the most popular place to get them at. They only sell their bread in bags of four, but honestly it’s not that hard to finish an entire bag in one go.
The bread is made fresh throughout the day so it always comes out fluffy and nicely salted with a crisp bottom. And the butteriness is off the charts, like the butter was still melting inside the roll when we bit into it. Needless to say they definitely won my mom over.
Address:
- 동교동 152-9 (Naver Map)
Seoul Hotteok (서울호떡)
There are a lot of places to get hotteok at in Korea. It is definitely one of the most common street snacks you will come across and each vendor makes them a little different. But if you’re looking for something beyond the original honey and nut type, this is the place to go.
We got their adorable heart shaped hotteok with a nutella filling and a cream cheese hotteok with a condensed milk drizzle. They come fresh hot off the griddle, you can even watch them preparing the food which is my favorite part… well next to actually eating it of course.
Address:
- 동교동 152-1 (Naver Map)
Bottari Bakery (보따리제과점)
Mocha Buns are my absolute favorite bread in Korea! They come in and out of popularity here in Korea and luckily they’re getting popular again. This bread is insanely fluffy and buttery on the inside with a hard mocha flavored shell on the outside. When they come fresh out the oven they are pure perfection. And you can smell them down the block.
Aside from the signature mocha bun they also have a mocha bun with two slabs of butter in it and a salt bread mocha bun hybrid. Pro tip: there are no wrong choices here. If you can, I recommend trying one of each. This particular spot is a temporary popup so if you have the chance to visit, run don’t walk.
Address:
- 연남동 255-20 (Naver Map)
Xishi Tanghulu (씨씨 탕후루)
Last but not least is Tanghulu, which is a traditional Chinese candied treat where fresh fruit is coated in melted sugar. I usually prefer to get mine from local street vendors, but they have become a little harder to come by lately.
This shop specializes in mini Tanghulu which is perfect if you’re on a food binge like this. They also have a wider variety in fruit. We got strawberry, muscat grape and this apple mango cherry hybrid. They were so flavorful and the perfect way to end our little snack adventure.
Address:
- 연남동 255-20 (Naver Map)
I hope you enjoyed the list. Most of the locations are less than a 10 minute walk from each other. The only outlier is YHD Kukhwabbang which sits outside the border of Yeonnam-dong in Yeonhui-dong, but believe me it’s worth every step!
Let me know what you think in the comments below! Which one are you excited to try the most? Or are there any snacks you think I missed?
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