Foodporn in Korea: What To Eat When in Busan

My recent visit to Busan has, once again, shown how big of a foodie I am. Luckily traveling with Jeongsu, he was able to find the local specialty restaurants and places where to try the most authentic food. We even stumbled upon a great snack opportunity by pure chance. The variety of food you can eat when in Busan is simply amazing!

Here’s a collection of what you absolutely must try when in Busan:

돼지국수 (Duechi Guksu) Pork Soup

This soup is the most famous food in the city. You can find numerous restaurants offering this specialty but you should probably choose the oldest location to eat it. Right near Haeundae beach on the “strip” towards the beach, also one of the best places to stay in Busan, lies this wonderful restaurant. A bowl of these delicious noodles is 7,000 KRW ($7). The soup is served not spicy but you should add some spicy powder into it and mix. Then, you mix in your rice and eat it! It’s super delicious!

Haewol Plaza, 542-5, U 1-dong, Haeundae-gu, 612-819 Busan, South Korea

밀면 (Mil Myeon) Cold Noodles

These type of noodles are similar to the traditional cold noodle dish (naengmyeon) but made with a different type of noodle, home to Busan. If you don’t like spicy, remove some of the spicy sauce from the top of the noodles and then mix thoroughly! The cold dish is a treat in summer and winter alike and shouldn’t be missed when in Busan!

생선회 (Saengseon Hoe) Sashimi

Certainly one of the most popular dishes in Busan is sashimi. Jeongsu looked up one of the most popular Sashimi places in town in Haeundae. We went for dinner and ordered the popular couple set which included several courses of delicious raw fish and other seafood. The last course even included the traditional cut-up live octopus as well as a spicy stew. All of this for only 40,000 KRW  ($40) per person. The chefs would prepare the fish fresh in the kitchen and serve it right away to the customers. Be sure to check out this incredible experience.

outside of the restaurant

Nampodong Food Street

Wandering through the streets of Nampodong, one of the busiest shopping districts in the city, we came across two amazing street food places. One of them was the famous Gukje street market and the other one a smaller version where you actually get to sit down and enjoy a variety of bibimbap dishes for as low as 2,000 KRW per bowl. Even Jeongsu had never seen a food market like that before and we just had to stop and grab a bite! On the other side, we bought various snacks at the well-known food street, such as tear-drop pudding, BBQ sticks, or green tea ice-cream!

Hotteok

Popular all over Korea, hotteok is also a specialty of Busan. Hotteok is a Korean pancake filled with a sweet sauce and makes the perfect street snack, especially in winter! These little treats are sold all over the city for as low as 1,500 KRW per piece. They are so popular that you can even buy pancake mixes at local supermarkets and reproduce them at home. However, they won’t be as good as the ones from the professional hotteok ladies in Busan.

See how they’re made, click the video:

Tip: Busan City Tour Bus Discount Ticket

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Busan is one of my favorite places to visit in Korea. Each time I go there, I discover a new place where you can eat delicious food. Whether it’s seafood, ice-cream or pancakes, Busan has something to offer for everyone!