Must-Try Korean Food You'll Love

Korean entertainment and fashion have been sweeping across the West in recent years, but what about cuisine? While you might have tried a recipe or two at home, Korean food is at its absolute best when you try authentic dishes - and it's a no-brainer as to where you will find the tastiest cuisine!

Several of us have been to Korea and back many times, and it's safe to say we've built up a menu of favourites we think you'll want to check out should you be planning a trip of your own out East. So, in this guide, we'll take you through the best food to eat in Korea and what you can expect, along with some essential tips on how to make the most of your culinary journeying.

At the same time, always make sure you have an eSIM South Korea travelers use to make sure they're covered for mobile data wherever they go nationwide. That way, if you want to look up any restaurants or bars close by, you won't have to worry about running up huge roaming bills or having to hunt around for WiFi hotspots.

Why Korean food is loved worldwide

“K-Food” is something of a new phenomenon in Western kitchens, with fermented dishes such as the classic kimchi flying off shelves in territories such as the UK. What's more, palates are opening up more and more to Korean cuisine thanks to its keen focus on complementing sweet and salty - while at the same time, being packed full of lean protein and nutrients that won't leave you wanting.

From crispy seaweed to doenjang, gochujang, kimchi, dalgona, and hotteok, there are plenty of savoury, sweet, salty, and crunchy dishes that are turning taste buds out West - but, as mentioned, the absolute best way to sample all of these treats for yourself is to head out to Korea! There is a burgeoning street food scene here alongside traditional restaurants, meaning if you're looking for a foodie adventure that breaks free from fast food joints and the same old boring lunches, you need to make Korea a priority for your travel bucket list.

Best food to try in Korea

After checking in with the Korea travelers among the SIMOVO crew, we narrowed down our favorite Korean food to five key dishes or dining styles you'll want to prioritize when you visit. Our picks cover Korean BBQ, bibimbap, tteokbokki, kimchi, and japchae.

Korean BBQ

Korean BBQ, as you'd probably expect, is quite a lot different from what you'd normally fire up on the grill in your own backyard, especially if you live in the US, UK, or Australia. Korean BBQ is a shared experience where you'll get to choose a variety of meat from a central hot plate.

Korean BBQ restaurants usually have hot plates built into the tables you sit at, meaning you won't have to go too far to fill up your plate. Beef ribs, pork, veggies, you name it - at most restaurants, chefs will even come over and cook your food for you while you wait.

Bibimbap

Bibimbap is a classic rice-based dish that's famous across Korea and beyond, typically made up of veggies, beans, seaweed, and occasionally meat. If you're sampling a traditional bibimbap dish, you might even find that there is a raw egg on top! Honestly, give it a try - it's a tasty addition that surprised even a few of us “weathered” travelers!

Vegetables and meat are mixed into the warm rice, which is typically served super-hot as it arrives at your table. You'll also find it mixed in with chili pastes or sesame oil, or you can add these to taste as you wish.

Tteokbokki

Tteokbokki is a type of rice cake that you will usually find sold out in Korea's famous street food scene, or as part of a soup. It's a chewy, pasta-style snack that can also be cooked in sauce - a little bit of an acquired taste for some palates, but a few of the SIMOVO team absolutely swear by it.

Rather than trying to make it yourself, we recommend making it a must-try at any street food vendor you come across. You'll find it popularly sold at many stalls, meaning that's certainly something in the rice that people love so much! 

Kimchi

The Korean classic - kimchi has already made its way overseas to the point where it's super-easy to buy a pot or two ready-made from Western supermarkets. Of course, that's hardly the best way to enjoy it!

Kimchi is a fermented vegetable dish that comes with tons of health benefits, particularly when it comes to your gut. It's actually considered a side dish rather than a main meal, though you can enjoy it as part of a stew (though warming, this can sometimes taste quite sour!).

If you're a fan of cabbage, radish, ginger, and garlic, you'll probably get on famously with a hearty dish of kimchi. And yes, this is certainly one you can try before you go.

Japchae

Japchae is a curious-looking dish that's actually known as “glass noodles” - take one look at them online and you'll see what we mean! Typically served with various meats as a side dish of sorts, this stir-fry staple is typically made from sweet potato starch, or dangmyeon./p>

Like most of the tastiest Korean dishes, japchae is best served with a stack of veggies and some toasted sesame oil. You'll get a real warming, nutty taste!

Street food culture in Korea

If there's one thing that the SIMOVO team agrees on when it comes to Korean food, it's that you should always make room for street food in your Korea itinerary.

Mark Wiens' guide to Korean street food is a fantastic starting point if you're looking to sample the best cuisine that vendors across Seoul and beyond have to offer. Street food here tends to lean into the “snacky” side of things, meaning you can usually expect a few filling bits and pieces to munch on the go as opposed to full meals.

That just means you'll have more of an excuse to try a few different things at once! From deep-fried dumplings to tteokbokki, tornado potatoes to Korean hot dogs, be sure to map out a journey through the streets across a week or so here.

Food tips for travelling in Korea

Before we close our guide, we've put together a few must-dos when you go looking for food to eat in Korea on your next trip abroad. Alongside our recommendation that you load up an eSIM for Asia before you travel, we insist you put these tips into practice to ensure you make the most of the cuisine here.

• Don't worry about tipping! Regardless of where you eat in Korea, you'll pay for the service in the final bill.
• Trust the crowds. The busier the stand or restaurant, the better quality the food will be.
• Be prepared to compare prices between different stands, stalls, and restaurants. While many are affordable, some native eateries are priced highly.
• Naver, as Korea's main search engine, is more likely to give you accurate reviews and up-to-date information on eateries compared to Google - so, always make sure you check there first!
• That said, we recommend you use Google alongside so you can get a good balance in terms of ratings and opinions.