Puzzlestay House

For over two decades, this restaurant has been attracting diners with a rustic dumpling recipe passed down from the owner’s mother and her grandmother. Although humble by nature, dumpling dishes are always elegantly presented. Their signature dish is mandutguk: plump pork, bean curd and vegetable dumplings nestled in a delicate beef broth, seasoned with homemade soy sauce. The main dining room offers a spectacular view of nearby Inwangsan Mountain.

At this humble diner situated in Bukchon Village, the pork and rice soup comes in two sizes: medium and extra-meat. A special oil made with Cheongyang chilli pepper and kale is drizzled on top of the clean soup, creating a unique visual appearance and rich, harmonious flavours. The Spanish Duroc baby pork ribs and thin slices of pork butt that complement the dish are exceedingly tender and boast delicate flavours, further elevating the gastronomic experience.

Hwangsaengga Kalguksu is a beloved noodle and dumpling specialist known for its long queues throughout the day. At the entrance, staff work swiftly to handcraft oversized mandu using fresh market ingredients, resulting in dumplings that are both generous and notably fresh. The soft kalguksu noodles and deeply comforting beef bone broth remain the highlights, while old-style boiled pork and seasonal kongguksu are also popular choices. Open all day, it is best visited outside peak hours for a more comfortable meal.

Sooksoodoga carefully selects the finest premium hanwoo beef, which is matured using proprietary methods for anywhere from 46 to 720 hours; the aim is to offer only the very best in aged meat. The tasting menu offers diners a choice from three different cuts, accompanied by small Korean dishes. À la carte options are also available. The reasonable pricing, designed to make aged beef more accessible, is reason enough to visit.

Set inside a converted traditional hanok, this restaurant is built around its signature gaeseong-style dumplings, a recipe passed down from the owner’s grandmother. The dough, fermented for three hours, yields wrappers with a pleasantly elastic texture and a subtle wheat aroma, while the filling—pork blended with generous vegetables—offers a clean, harmonious flavour. The clear, milky broth is simmered for eight hours with beef and ten kinds of fresh vegetables, resulting in a naturally savoury depth without heavy seasoning. The accompanying mul-kimchi and kkakdugi pair beautifully with the du

Andeok is known for its beef naengguksu and mandutguk. The mulguksu here is similar to Pyongyang-style naengmyeon, though the noodles are softer and springier thanks to the higher buckwheat content. The clean, mild broth is complemented by lightly seasoned beef, delivering a deep, savoury flavour with each bite. Fried peppers are also popular; the meat-and-vegetable filling, encased in a crisp batter, is unexpectedly flavourful. Arriving at opening time is recommended to avoid long queues at lunchtime.

Since 1932, Yonggeumok has been offering piping hot bowls of loach soup, a popular local dish believed to boost energy, especially during the summer months. This restaurant serves two different versions of the hearty and comforting soup: the chunkier Seoul style with whole loach, and the smoother Jeolla province style with ground loach. Everything on the menu as well as the complimentary side dishes are prepared daily by the longtime owner and chef Han Jeong-ja.