Hadongkwan 河東館 明洞本店 (Seoul, SOUTH KOREA) ★★☆☆☆

Hadongkwan (하동관) is an 80-year-old family-run institution in Myeongdong, renowned for its gomtang (곰탕) or traditional Korean beef soup since 1938. It has been recognized as a Michelin-selected restaurant since 2018.

Describing Hadongkwan as a one-trick pony wouldn’t be too far off.

Its food menu features just one standout item – the rustic beef bone soup, served in traditional brass bowls. 

The rice is already submerged in the clear broth adding to the dish's comforting nature.

While there’s only one version of the beef bone soup on the menu, they do have a version without beef offal for kids.

After a streak of heavily seasoned barbecued meat and fried chicken, I have to admit that I found Hadongkwan’s beef bone soup a little bland for my palate. And I thought the slices of beef were a little too rubbery for my liking.

The restaurant serves lunch only and closes daily at 4pm.

Food Rating: 3.8/10

Price: ₩₩₩

Address: 10-4 Myeongdong, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea

Closest Metro Station: Myeongdong

Tel: +82 2-776-5656

Website: http://www.hadongkwan.co.kr

Opening Hours: 7:00am - 4:00pm daily

The Spot Fabulous (Seoul, SOUTH KOREA) ★★★★☆

The Spot Fabulous was a place I have been wanting to check out for a while. Conveniently located right next to the currency exchange shop we used to get our Korean Won and directly across from the Chinese Embassy, this cozy dessert café offered the perfect sweet escape in the heart of Myeongdong (明洞).

The charming little café spans two floors with a take-out section on the ground level and a dine-in area upstairs.

Interestingly, we were supposed to place our order downstairs before heading up to the café but it was a small detail that I overlooked when I first got to the upper level.

So, back to the take-out counter I go. I've been here on a couple of occasions for my take-away late-night snacks so I knew this section pretty well.

I have already read a number of positive reviews about this place on Naver but to experience it in person was a totally different story. The café had a warm and inviting vibe, with soft lighting, comfy seating, and a peaceful atmosphere. Exactly what we needed for a sweet escape from the hustle and bustle of Myeongdong (or city life in general).

We have a pretty open schedule this morning so I took the opportunity to grab a drink and dessert to sit at a quiet corner to relax and chill. Life back in Hong Kong is always hectic and stressful, so this simple act of sitting still and doing nothing felt like a small luxury we could never afford.

Iced milk tea (₩7,500) – A refreshing choice. It reminded me of a royal milk tea which was mild on the tea flavor but rich and creamy thanks to the generous amount of milk. Smooth and satisfying.

Corn cheesecake (₩9,000) – The Spot Fabulous is known for its wide range of tiramisu (Fig tiramisu is a pretty good start) and cheesecakes, so I thought either one would be a good choice for my sweet breakfast this morning. 

Not surprisingly, my corn cheesecake was light and not overly cheesy. Instead, the natural sweetness of the corn really came through making it the star of the show.

Just when I was about to finish my sweet treat, I saw my team walking on the street right underneath me! I guess my Me Time was up. 😥😥 

Food Rating: 6.1/10

Price: ₩₩₩

Address: 105 Myeongdong 2(i)-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea

Closest Metro Station: Myeongdong

Tel: +82 507-1422-1981

Opening Hours: 10:00am - 10:50pm daily

Soil Gelato 소일 젤라또 (Seoul, SOUTH KOREA) ★★★☆☆

Apparently, none of us was ready to end the night early on our last evening in Seoul. So, after a quick stop at Tim Hortons, little nugget decided to check out another spot just down the road — Soil Gelato (소일 젤라또).

Soil Gelato is an artisan gelateria that crafts its gelato and sorbet in small batches to preserve freshness. 

Like Felt + Cole and Gelati Gelati, hey are clearly masters at incorporating local ingredients into their creations.

Salted milk and basil tomato – I went with the basil tomato sorbet while little nugget stuck with his usual favorite, milk gelato.

The milk gelato didn’t have the same rich, creamy texture we found in Japan, but it made up for it with a deeper, more nuanced flavor. As for the basil tomato sorbet, it was a pleasant surprise. Refreshing, savory-sweet, and unexpectedly complex. It had a bit of everything: a tangy base, balanced sweetness, and a herby, slightly peppery note from the basil. A flavor that really lingered.

Honestly, I can’t imagine anyone not enjoying a frosty scoop of gelato on a warm summer night. Not this guy.

We had one more destination to cover before calling it the night, Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) which little nugget paid a visit to when he was 5 months old. His first-ever trip to Seoul. I didn't think he remembered that one.

Food Rating: 6/10

Price: ₩₩

Address: 513-4 Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea

Closest Metro Station: Sinsa

Tel: +82 507-1493-0657

Website: https://www.instagram.com/soil.gelato/

Opening Hours: 12:00pm - 9:00pm (Mon - Sat)

Tim Hortons Sinsa (Seoul, SOUTH KOREA) ★★★☆☆

Last time I sat down at a Tim Hortons for a sip of coffee and a tasty donut, it was 2013 when I made my long overdue return to Canada. Over the past 12 years, I’ve walked past countless Tim Hortons locations in different countries including most recently in Shenzhen, but I have never felt the urge to go in (perhaps cuz Tim Hortons in Shenzhen only offers bagels but no donuts).

That changed today.

While wandering the relatively quiet streets of Sinsa, I unexpectedly stumbled upon another Tim Hortons. The moment I spotted their display of donuts, I didn’t hesitate to step inside.

Ah yeah, the unmistakable aroma of Canadian coffee! Too bad it was already 9pm so I didn’t exactly need more caffeine at this hour.

Maple dip donut (₩2,300) – Simple, unpretentious and satisfying. Exactly what I needed before bed time. 

Surprisingly, it wasn’t as sweet as I thought. 

Sinsa-dong used to be such an amazing spot for shopping and cafe hopping. Let's hope it starts to get busy again soon.

Food Rating: 5.5/10

Price: ₩₩

Address: 540-10 Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea

Closest Metro Station: Sinsa

Tel: +82 070-7450-1020

Opening Hours: 7:00am - 10:00pm daily

 

Refine Garosugil 리파인 가로수길점 (Seoul, SOUTH KOREA) ★★★☆☆

After having Korean barbecued meat, fried chicken, and fine dining over the past few days, I was ready for a change of pace. 

I decided to go on an exploration of fusion pasta dishes at Refine Garosugil (리파인 가로수길점), a place I didn't know much about before this trip. It describes itself as a "Korean fine-dining pub", a term that had me a little curious. Perhaps it’s a fancy name for gastropub?

Octopus salad (₩18,900) – This came with a generous mix of lettuce, tomatoes, octopus, and parmesan cheese. A pretty refreshing and healthy choice to kick off the meal.

Seafood and green onion pancake (₩21,900) – The texture reminded me of our Chaozhou-style oyster pancakes. se were looking a lot like the Chao zhou style oyster pancakes. Crispy on the outside and soft inside with a ton of green onion and guess what, octopus!

Scallop rose pasta (₩21,900) – I love Korean-style pasta dishes. My experience with them goes way back to my university days when there were a couple of pasta bars in Vancouver helmed by Korean chefs (on Robson Street), and I swear they made the best sauces in town. 

As always, our Korean-style pasta was a little soupy with the seafood bisque (infused by rose flavor?) coating the noodles nicely. Not surprisingly, little nugget loves it!

The food here was pretty decent but like most pubs, the noise level made it a little challenging to fully enjoy our family meal.

Food Rating: 5.6/10

Price: ₩₩₩

Address: 517-29 Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea

Closest Metro Station: Sinsa

Tel: +82 507-1381-4225

Opening Hours: 11:00am - 11:30pm daily

Café De Lyon 코엑스점 COEX Mall (Seoul, SOUTH KOREA) ★★★☆☆

I promised myself some Me Time on this trip — a quiet first evening alone in Cheongdam-dong (淸潭洞) while Jelloman and little nugget stay behind in Myeongdong. But that plan never materialized after our flight was delayed and traffic from Incheon International Airport slowed us down further.

Still, I never gave up on reclaiming my Me Time — and eventually, I did.

One of the main reasons I wanted to visit Cheongdam-dong was to explore Starfield Library, one of the area’s most iconic attractions. Although it was slightly out of the way, the nearby Bongeunsa Station made the journey much more effortless.

After snapping a few selfies at Starfield Library, I wandered through COEX Mall soaking in the atmosphere before it was time to meet my team in Sinsa for dinner. But before heading off, I made a quick stop at Café de Lyon (코엑스점), a charming French cake shop known for its authentic Parisian pastries and beverages. 

Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to check out their cozy café.

They are known for having some of the most authentic French pastries including mille-feuille and opera cakes.

Parisian chocolate (₩7,500) – This reminded me a bit of Angelina’s famous hot chocolate. Thick, indulgent, and absolutely decadent.

Vanilla mille-feuille (₩7,800) – I knew someone who’s a sucker for anything with vanilla.

I ended up sharing this with that 'someone' (who is fat and short).  The pastry was perfectly crisp and buttery, just as it should be, and the vanilla custard cream was rich, smooth, and spot on.

I also stumbled upon a few familiar names while cruising around COEX Mall. Remember DORÉ DORÉ? 

They were once a staple in Seoul’s dessert scene before quietly fading into the background during COVID. They’re still around offering the same old rainbow cakes, carrot cakes, and angel cakes. Honestly? A little boring.

While I didn’t find any gifts worth buying at COEX Mall, I didn’t leave the place empty-handed — thanks to that mille-feuille and Parisian-style chocolate drink.

Food Rating: 5.9/10

Price: ₩₩₩

Address: Starfield COEX Mall, 159 Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea

Closest Metro Station: Bongeunsa

Tel: +82 2-6002-3175

Opening Hours: 9:30am - 11:00pm daily daily

Deux Amis Café (Seoul, SOUTH KOREA) ★★★☆☆

Garosugil and the streets of Sinsa-dong (新沙洞) haven’t quite been the same since the onset of COVID-19. Many designer boutiques, cafés, and restaurants that once defined the area have since moved on. Still, a few stalwarts have remained and among them, Deux Amis Café, a dessert café known for its refined French pastries with a touch of Japanese influence.

It was a quiet Wednesday afternoon and not surprisingly, the café wasn’t too busy — the perfect setting to spend a slow, relaxing hour for me.

As always, their display counter was lined with a nice selection of cakes including some Japanese-style strawberry shortcakes and matcha creations sitting alongside traditional French classics like chocolate cake and mille-feuille in a variety of flavors.

Since I have a pretty light schedule this afternoon, I decided to come in and spend a lazy hour just chilling out.

Earl Grey milk tea (₩8,700) – I noticed the slightly reddish color in the drink while snapping a few photos. Just as I was about to take a sip, my server came over to apologize as they had mistakenly served me a strawberry milk tea instead. To their credit, they quickly offered to replace it with the correct order.

Praline mille-feuille (₩9,000) – Deux Amis is always known for its superb execution of French classics and I was pretty happy with my choice of the praline mille-feuille. 

The layers of pastries were textbook-perfect. Wonderfully flaky, buttery, and crisp. Sandwiched between them was a delicate praline cream, rich and silky with deep, nutty undertones that made every bite incredibly satisfying.

Honestly, with the calming atmosphere and beautifully crafted desserts, I could have easily spent a few more hours soaking in the ambiance. But the clock was ticking.

I had one more stop on my itinerary this afternoon, a place I had planned to visit on our first night if not for the flight delay — the iconic Starfield Library in COEX Mall. So, I better get going as my team’s expecting me in Sinsa in less than two hours!

Food Rating: 6.2/10

Price: ₩₩₩

Address: 535-9 Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea

Closest Metro Station: Sinsa

Tel: +82 2-3443-0030

Opening Hours: 11:00am - 9:30pm daily

Onjium (Seoul, SOUTH KOREA) ★★★★☆

I had the afternoon off from babysitting, and I’ve already made plans for a special treat for myself right in the heart of Seoul's Jongno district.

Onjium is far more than a typical dining destination. It’s a “culinary studio” housed within a prestigious cultural institute. Set between the historic Gyeongbokgung Palace and a lively modern residential neighborhood, the restaurant feels like a seamless bridge between Korea’s royal past and its contemporary present.

My journey began as soon as I was guided to a counter table directly facing the open kitchen, where I could see the chefs at work (including Chef Park Sung-bae himself) through the glass walls.

The kitchen here is helmed by Chefs Cho Eun-hee and Park Sung-bae, who treat the menu like an edible storytelling of Korea’s rich culinary heritage. Onjium meaning “creating in the right way”, reflects their belief in revisiting centuries-old recipes to bring back flavors that were once lost. Drawing on seasonal ingredients and re-imagining traditional dishes through years of careful study, the team behind Chef Cho and Chef Park reworks traditional dishes with modern refinement, so the spirit of the past lands perfectly with diners today.

Newly crowned No. 14 on Asia’s Best 50 Restaurants list and No. 57 in the world, Onjium offers one tasting menu — and one only — built around seasonal ingredients and the team’s creative minds.

Corn porridge — The porridge features different kinds of corn, peas and seafood. The seasoning is next to non-existent here to let the natural flavors of the ingredients to shine.

Summer cucumber dumpling — The mandu (만두), shaped like sea cucumber, came stuffed with sea cucumber, beef, and mushrooms. 

Again, the seasoning was very light, allowing the ingredients to carry the dish on their own.

Next up was a platter full of one-bite items.

Potato rice cake — Soft and packed with potato flavors.

Abalone jelly — Brushed with sesame oil.

Korean white melon — In-season Korean white melon with savory tofu sauce for a nice savory-sweet balance.

Corn chip — Who doesn't like Korean corn, raise your hand!

Steamed eggplant — Decorated with five-colored vegetables on top. I was told by my server that this used to be a snack served inside the palace walls. Very nice crunch.

Cherry jelly, crab meat, pine nut sauce — A mille-feuille of crab meat and cherry jelly, layered with summer vegetables and watermelon, served on a chilled pine-nut sauce blended with sesame. I didn’t expect such a lovely symphony of flavors and textures — refreshing yet comforting. Easily the best dish I had this afternoon.

Deep-fried sweet fish, Gochujang pancake — A chili-paste-and-soy-marinated pancake made with summer vegetables, served with a deep-fried sweet fish topped with a vegetal cucumber sauce. Not bad.

An off-menu seasonal fish platter came next. This was not on the original lunch menu.

Local red snapper sashimi with sesame oil — Came with some serious crunch.

Deboned Herring with fresh chives — Surprisingly fatty resulting in a nice, velvety texture.

Three-year-old kimchi — Another one that was crunchy and satisfying.

Sweet shrimp — This came with some really serious extra kick thanks to the homemade gochujang. 

Muneo-jeolyuk — Pressed octopus and beef. Thought this was a thin slice of blood sausage at first glance. Pretty nice.

Crispy pork belly — Topped with some shredded spring onion. The amaranth was pretty spicy.

I got the chance to enjoy a small cup of tea before another wave of dishes arrived.

Traditional cold soup — The soup came with acorn jelly, kimchi, pickled cucumber and clam. 

Grilled eel and beef — My main dish was inspired by the American surf and turf style.

The thin grilled beef patty was actually topped with smoked eel to resemble a slice of steak. It came with green pepper and deep-fried garlic on the side, with an umami-rich shrimp-head sauce providing the finishing touch. 

The texture pairing of beef patty and smoked eel worked surprisingly well.

There was a side dish served with my main dish: a piece of perilla leaf with pear purée and juice.

Cold marinated noodles, summer vegetables — The cold marinated noodles were served with thin strips of summer vegetables, beef and pear. Pretty refreshing.

The palate cleanser was a peppery bean sprouts soup with small pieces of squid.

Peach punch — I was admiring the orange-colored container when they came over and started pouring the peach punch into it.

Peach punch is all about peach. It was based on Sujeonggwa (수정과), a traditional Korean juice made with cinnamon stick and herbs. 

Inside were fresh peach slices, dumplings flavored with peach flour, and jelly made with different types of peaches. It was a very refreshing reset after the meaty main course.

A pair of traditional Korean snacks as mignardises following my dessert.

This looked like the palm of a hand. 

A pot of hot bamboo shoot tea to wrap up the meal that lasted just a little over an hour.

So this was the semi-private dining room featured in the photos posted on Asia’s Best Restaurants’ website.

This was a relaxing meal that felt just as much like a story about Korean heritage as it was a culinary experience. There were intriguing Korean dishes reinterpreted through the lens of modern cooking, and I felt genuinely entertained by the learning process. It’s just that there were way too many local ingredients I hadn’t tried before, and I needed time to process and get familiar with. So it took me a while to finally finish this write-up after the meal.

Food Rating: 7.2/10

Price: ₩₩₩₩

Address: 4/F, 49 Hyoja-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea

Closest Metro Station: Gyeongbokgung

Tel: +82 02 6952-0024

Website: https://www.instagram.com/onjium_restaurant/

Opening Hours: 12:00pm - 3:00pm, 6:00pm - 10:00pm (Tue - Fri)

S. Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants: 57th (2025)

S. Pellegrino Asia's 50 Best Restaurants: 14th (2025)