₩Kalguksu
Since 1982, this establishment has faithfully served local diners with simple yet hearty kalguksu. Though this dish can be found anywhere, the eatery's variant has distinctive old-fashioned charm derived from its unpretentiousness. The broth is mild and light, and a unique spicy garnish made of kimchi and onion slowly builds up a pleasant spiciness in the noodle soup. The menu features several varieties of kalguksu; you can even select the portion sizes that suit your mood.
₩Unagi / Freshwater Eel
Perched on a quiet hillside in Cheongsapo, Unaju features a sleek black exterior. It brings to Korea the recipes of Shirakawa, a restaurant founded in Nagoya in 1948. The eel is grilled twice to enhance the springy and crispy texture. Served with a special tare sauce, it pairs perfectly with rice. For a different experience, try it as ochazuke by adding wasabi, green tea, and shredded gim. The lunch special includes sides of cold udon and tempura. Do plan ahead as only 30 portions are available by reservation each day.
₩₩Barbecue
A landmark of Busan’s culinary scene, Haeundae Rib Barbecue Restaurant has preserved its rich legacy since 1964. Now run by the third generation, it serves fresh beef ribs and marinated beef ribs. The fresh ribs, made from prime cuts, often sell out early, and the marinated version offers a subtle sweetness. A bowl of hearty bean paste stew completes the satisfying experience. Fresh ribs can be reserved up to a week in advance to avoid missing out on this speciality.
₩₩Fugu / Pufferfish
Kumsu Bokguk in Haeundae is the flagship of a chain with branches across Seoul and Busan. For over 50 years and across generations, it has delighted seafood lovers as a specialist in pufferfish. Four varieties are offered: brown-backed puffer, prized for its chewy texture; globe puffer, often prepared in spicy stew; yellowfin puffer, sweet and suited to steaming or boiling; and ocellate puffer, the largest type, firm enough to serve raw. With dozens of licenced chefs, safety is paramount, making Kumsu Bokguk a trusted destination for pufferfish.
₩₩Korean Contemporary
Sogonggan, a name that plays on the dual meaning of “small space” and “a place for beef,” offers a menu full of heartfelt dishes rooted in Korean cuisine. The chef, who previously cooked Western food, eventually transitioned to Korean cuisine. He says that he now cooks with the joy of someone wearing a perfectly tailored suit. That ease is reflected in his cooking: elegant plating, inventive recipes, and refined Korean dishes such as gomtang simmered for 48 hours and rice cooked in a traditional pot. A small bowl of gomtang for children is also available, making it a family-friendly dining opt
₩₩Japanese
The chef crafts the omakase around daily-sourced seafood, highlighting a spectrum of nuanced flavours. Staying true to the seasonality central to Japanese cuisine, he incorporates Korean ingredients at their peak. Local seafood takes centre stage in dishes rooted in simple, authentic recipes. Among the chef’s signatures are somen dishes, served either in the surinagashi style or with sauces made from seasonal ingredients. Despite its compact size, the bar-centred layout creates a comfortable, relaxed atmosphere.
₩₩₩₩Chinese, Cantonese
Situated on the fifth floor of Signiel Busan, Chaoran serves authentic Cantonese cuisine, with a focus on Hong Kong-style flavours shaped by the city’s diverse cultural influences. Its dim sum showcases refined craftsmanship with elegant combinations of seafood, vegetables, and mushrooms. The signature dishes, pork barbecue with honey sauce and crispy pork belly, feature juicy, well-seasoned meat and crisp skin. Enhanced by decor reminiscent of Hong Kong in the 1920s and sweeping Haeundae views, the restaurant provides a memorable dining experience.
₩₩Korean Contemporary
This restaurant showcases bold contemporary flavours derived from classic French and Korean cuisine. The dish names are Korean, yet the sauces and plating are distinctly French. The chef's remarkable ability to balance sauces suggests even more promising work to come. Cosy carpets and minimalist tables create an atmosphere that is warm, calm, and refined, much like the food. This is a lovely, quiet place to unwind over good food and wine.
₩₩₩₩Steakhouse
Premium-grade hanwoo is now served in Busan. Only top-grade female cattle (1++BMS9 grade) are hand-picked daily by highly experienced staff, aged and trimmed to a perfect thickness to create a multi-faceted flavor profile. Born and Bred also offers an omakase-style experience where diners can taste 15 to 19 different cuts of charcoal-grilled beef. The menu is filled with creative dishes like beef sashimi and beef tacos. Make sure you arrive ready to indulge yourself.
₩₩₩French Contemporary
Yulling—named after the character signifying harmony and the suffix ‘-ing’ denoting continuity—is evolving under its new chef toward contemporary French cuisine. Simple yet precise cooking techniques are combined with diverse local ingredients of Busan to create dishes that feel both familiar and refreshingly new. Thoughtfully composed pairings further enhance the dining experience. Guests seated at the long counter can enjoy sweeping views of Dongbaekseom and Gwangan Bridge; reservations for sunset hours offer an especially memorable setting.
₩₩Japanese
The chef, who holds a patent for fish ageing, carefully determines the optimal ageing period for each fish according to its characteristics and condition. This meticulous approach, combined with a diverse range of selections, produces a consistent yet varied dining experience. Depending on the ingredients available and the chef's approach, the proportion of sushi, sashimi, and other dishes in the omakase can vary. At Iwa, guests can enjoy a wide range of dishes made with flavourful aged ingredients in one sitting, with reasonable prices adding to the appeal.
₩₩Asian
Meerok Super is a small six-seat restaurant that serves outsize creativity. The vegetables grown in the on-site vegetable patch, aged fish and meat, and seasonal ingredients are transformed into the day’s tasting menu. The grilled meat course, cooked over charcoal for aroma, texture, and juiciness, and served with rice, creates a seamless transition from Western to Korean flavours. Expect to be delighted by unexpected yet harmonious flavour combinations that change daily.
₩₩European
Now renamed Outro by Vito, the restaurant relocated near Gwangalli Beach and revamped its exterior and decor with contemporary elegance. Despite these changes, its signature pasta dishes have remained the same—only with enhanced flavours. The house-made pasta now features higher flour content and undergoes fermentation. Its glutinous texture and seamless pairing with the sauces make the dishes even more appetising. The menu also includes salads, meat, and other well-crafted offerings. To complete the experience, diners can enjoy a glass of natural wine in a relaxed, stylish setting.
₩₩Yakitori
In an alley of a quiet residential neighborhood is a pink building with an unexpected tiny little sign that reads “Haegong.” This Japanese eatery specializes in yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) made with native Korean chicken. As part of the relocation to its present location in October 2022, some upgrades were made to its space to ensure a more sophisticated dining experience. Grilled hagfish, another gem of this establishment, is not a dish to miss, with each mouthful piece brimming with juice, oceanic minerality, and delightfully firm texture. Yakitori Haegong is a rare gem in Busan to sa
₩Contemporary
With its sleek, modern façade, Ultra bite stands at the end of a small Gwanganri alley. Run by young chefs trained in Australia and Seoul, the restaurant offers refined, imaginative yet approachable dishes and wines. Highlights include whole grilled squid served with anchovy cream, lardo, and fermented tomato pickles, as well as deep-fried whole king oyster mushrooms coated in a sweet and spicy ginger sauce. The lime juice and seaweed flakes served on the side add a distinctive twist to the dish.
₩₩French
Devotedly crafted charcuterie is the soul of Delibong. The chef incorporates it into flavourful, visually striking dishes as main elements or garnishes, and highlights the character of each ingredient by skilful pairing techniques. Guests seated at the counter can watch the open kitchen at work, as charcuterie in the ageing cabinet patiently awaits its moment at the table. Set in calm Millak‑dong, the bright, white‑toned dining space adds to the restaurant’s serene atmosphere.
₩₩₩Japanese
The chef at Zero Base offers reimaginations of traditional Japanese cuisine. Each visit brings new delights, with dishes that vary depending on the seafood available that day. The chef pushes the boundaries of Japanese cuisine and shares his achievements with the diners. The meticulous balance of dashi and katsuobushi, along with rice cooked from grains grown by the chef’s father, reflects the restaurant’s distinct ive philosophy. The clean, modern interior contrasts with the classic dishes, creating an intriguing ambiance, while the easy conversation with the chef adds to the enjoyable experi
₩Noodles, Taiwanese
Situated near Gwangalli Beach, Yongkangzzie is a Taiwanese restaurant best known for its beef noodle soup. Cohesive design and thoughtful decor throughout the space evoke the atmosphere of Taiwan. The warmth of the signature soup goes well with the eatery’s casual and exotic ambience. The broth, which offers subtle sour flavours and umami, and the thick, pleasantly textured noodles make this iconic soup a comforting choice in any season. In addition to this signature dish, Yongkangzzie serves other noodle and side dishes that are guaranteed to please the palate.
₩Gomtang
Since opening in 2024, this spot has quickly become a favourite among Busan’s younger crowd. Its charming space centres on a U-shaped counter, creating an atmosphere that feels both lively and intimate. The signature dweji gomtang is made with Berkshire K black pork from the Jirisan region, prized for producing a clean, delicate broth. Another highlight is the suyuk nengchae, featuring precisely sliced pork belly with tender lean meat and fat that melts in the mouth, leaving a satisfying finish.
₩₩Japanese
This intimate restaurant offers authentic kaiseki omakase by the chef who trained at a renowned culinary institute. The petite yet cosy space is decorated with fine tableware and glassware, along with paintings by the chef’s mother. The meal opens with a flavourful soup, followed by a beautifully composed hassun of seasonal bites, and concludes with a nabemono of freshly cooked rice, vegetables, and fish—Japanese cuisine that remains faithful to its fundamentals.
₩₩₩Modern Cuisine
Ramsey presents a refined vision of “New Korean French,” reinterpreting regional Korean ingredients through a modern French lens. The tasting menu follows a classic French progression—from elegant, multi-layered amuse-bouches to precisely cooked fish and meat courses—each dish defined by balance, restraint, and beautifully articulated sauces. Floor-to-ceiling windows open onto sweeping views of Gwangandaegyo Bridge and the sea, creating a serene, almost floating dining experience that enhances the restaurant’s sophisticated culinary narrative.
₩Italian
Vigneto is the very first restaurant by an owner-chef couple who settled in Busan after studying Italian cuisine at ALMA, the renowned culinary school in Italy. The building is both their home and restaurant, with the wooden ceiling and furniture in the interior creating a cozy and warm vibe. An Italian wine bar, Vigneto combines authentic Italian cuisine with a rare Italian natural wine pairing. In particular, its pastas and hams, all housemade, boast exceptional textures and flavors. For foodies who seek to revel in food and wine amidst Vigneto’s snug ambiance, we recommend reservations (whi
₩₩Bulgogi
Commonly known as just Busanjip, this popular eatery has always bustled with customers waiting to get in. Unlike the broth‑based, sweeter Seoul version, Eonyang bulgogi is grilled on a gridiron or over a fire, with the savoury taste of Korean beef sirloin enhanced by a refreshing acidic sauce. In addition to its namesake dish, Busanjip serves a variety of special beef cuts. Each bite of grilled beef over rice can be enjoyed alongside views of the coastal waters off Gwangalli.
₩Dim Sum
Dim sum