K wave Guesthouse Only Female in Hongdae 1

Situated in Hapjeong-dong, Mipildam is an unpretentious little spot specialising in handmade mandutguk in North Korean style. This light-flavoured dish is made according to the young owner couple's family recipe. Diners cannot easily resist the perfect combination of plump, juicy dumplings and the delicate broth. In addition to the signature soup, the menu offers seasonally updated traditional dishes, which reflect the owners' passion for serving good food.

When one can hear the dull tap of a blade against a wooden board every time a customer places an order, it’s a telltale sign that the chefs are serious about their craft. At Kyodaiya, that craft is Sanuki udon. The thick noodles are always cut to order to preserve their characteristic elasticity and smoothness until the very last minute. In addition to the classic kake udon, flavored with dried and smoked sardines and seasoned with light soy sauce, the chef brothers also offer classics like tempura udon and chilled bukkake udon.

Okdongsik has defined its own refined take on dwaeji gukbap, offering a light, clean broth reminiscent of gomtang. Made from the ham and foreleg of native Korean black pigs raised on Jirisan Mountain, the broth is subtle yet elegant in flavour. Prepared using the toryeom method—repeatedly pouring hot broth over the rice—each grain comes alive, enhancing the dish's depth. The house dipping sauce complements paper-thin slices of pork beautifully. Delicately crafted kimchi dumplings complete the comforting dining experience.

Hapjeongok is a restaurant born of nostalgia. As they were reminiscing one day on the father-in-law’s beef bone soup and boiled beef slices, the latter suggested to his daughter-in-law that they should open a beef bone soup restaurant. The establishment stays true to the inspiration — deeply flavorful beef broth, rice rendered soft and sweet in the piping hot soup, tender slices of beef, and a generous serving of boiled offal. The restaurant’s cabbage soybean paste soup is also a must try. Only around 100 portions of soup are served daily, so go early.

Damtaek is a cozy little ramen haven nestled in a quiet alley near Hapjeong Station. Chef Jo Won-hyeon has purposefully adorned this quaint space with vintage artifacts. The restaurant’s shio ramen, and associated variations that use the same soup base, are in stark contrast to its homey, down-to-earth vibe. The refined and clean flavors of the soups are singular and inspire lingering addiction. With a passion for creating tastes unbound by culinary convention, the chef has persistently dedicated his craft toward perfecting the art of shio ramen, creating ramen that can delight any palate.

Chef Nak-young Kim, an expert on Italian cuisine, offers his unique take on noodle dishes at Seokyonanmyunbang. His nanmyeon is a unique, creative fusion of Korean and Italian culinary traditions. The chef delicately balances these two distinctive traditions to highlight the texture of noodles and the delectable flavours of broth. Signature dishes include gueomdak nanmyeon made from a Jeju breed of chicken and seokyo nanmyeon featuring a broth made from chicken and Hanwoo beef. The chef creates seasonal noodle dishes, making it worthwhile to make multiple visits for new experiences.

For over 40 years, Chef Wang Yuk-sung has been committed to popularizing Chinese cuisine in Korea. Unlike most generic Korean-style Chinese restaurants ubiquitous to Seoul, Chef Wang offers a limited menu of just ten dishes to ensure that the quality of the food he serves is consistently high. Some of the most requested dishes include shrimp toast, stir-fried crab meat with egg white, mapo tofu and stir-fried beef with gai lan.