Our family was able to visit Busan, South Korea a few years back. We took the KTX train down with our toddler and 2 month old baby and had a great long weekend exploring this coastal city (read our full guide HERE)! There are TONS of delicious foods to try in Busan, South Korea!
As you’d expect from a destination that is literally up against the ocean, you can find a lot of fishy options. But it’s a large city (the second-most-populated in Korea behind Seoul), so you can also find tons of global chains, as well as a nice variety in types of cuisines.
Although there are probably dozens that could be listed, I’ve highlighted here 5 foods I think you should try while in Busan, South Korea.
#1: Dwaeji Gukbap (Korean Pork Bone Soup)
Before our trip, we’d read all about this soup that is specific to Busan. The base of it is a milky (bone) broth, rice, green onions, and thin slices of pork. Then you can add all of these sides into your soup to amp up the flavor the way you’d like.
The tiny tiny shrimps were salty, and delicious in the soup. Game changer. Since I was sharing mine with the toddler I didn’t add much gochujang (the spice red paste) but that would’ve made it even better, I think.
I’d recommend this casual restaurant if you’re looking to eat some dwaeji gukbap! The service was quick, and it’s conveniently located near the KTX Station.
Bonjeon Dwaeji Gukbap: 3-8 Jungang-daero 214beon-gil, Dong-gu, Busan, South Korea
Hours: 9 am- 8:30 pm
#2: Fresh Sashimi at Jagalchi Fish Market
The downstairs portion of Jagalchi Fish Market is brimming with freshly caught seafood that you can walk around and check out. If you head to the upstairs area, you can find tons of casual stalls to order and eat the fresh fish!
My husband is a big fan of fresh fish and enjoyed this sashimi! The butcher even showed him the fish and let him watch while he skinned and prepared it. Very cool experience if you are a big seafood fan.
Jagalchi Fish Market: 52 Jagalchihaean-ro, Jung-gu, Busan, South Korea
Hours: 10:30 am – 8 pm.
#3: Ssiat Hotteok at Biff Square
If you’ve spent any time in Korea you’ve probably heard of hotteoks: a beloved dessert/snack you can find sold on the streets in the colder months.
These specific SSIAT hotteoks are unique to busan. The base of the dough is different and a darker color, and instead of the simple brown sugar filling there are also chopped nuts & seeds mixed in (ssiat means seed). I loved the added texture. We went back for these our last night, too…they were so so good.
Biff Square has tons of other street foods offered here, too. It’s a great atmosphere!
BIFF Square: 58-1 Gudeok-ro, Jung-gu, Busan, South Korea
Hours: Open 24 hours according to the internet, BUT stalls are most likely to be open between 5 pm – 8 pm!
#4: Choryang Milmyeon (Noodle & Dumpling Eatery)
There are 2 major foods featured at this restaurant: colossal-sized dumplings (mandu) and long, thin noodles in sauce (milmyeon). You can get the noodle dish SPICY or NOT. The noodles were cold and surprisingly delicious. The milmyeon is unique to Busan!
This casual family restaurant was very busy when we were there. But it’s a very efficiently-run space, so it won’t take long to get in & out of there.
A nice bonus? These dishes are SUPER cheap! Less than 5000 won per dish.
Choryang Milmyeon: 225, Jungang-daero, Dong-gu, Busan South Korea
#5: Korean Fried Chicken
Fried Chicken is a popular meal throughout all of Korea. Geoin Tongdak is the most famous of the chicken restaurants in Busan and has been around for years! Currently it’s only available for take-out.
Geoin Tongdak: 34 Junggu-ro 47beon-gil, Bupyeong-dong, Jung-gu, Busan, South Korea
Hours: Noon- 10 pm (Closed Sundays)
Bonus: Get Your fix of Indian Food!
This food is obviously not unique to Busan, but I couldn’t help but mention it!
I was pleasantly surprised to see multiple highly rated Indian restaurants in Busan. There are quite a few throughout Seoul (my favorite is Luna Asia near COEX), but they are very overpriced and often a let-down as far as flavors go.
We really enjoyed eating at Punjab Indian Restaurant on the main street near Hyundae Beach (but potentially everything tastes better after a long day of swimming so ??). While the prices there are higher than you’ll pay for Korean foods, they were more reasonable than we’d find in Seoul.
Namaste Haeundae also looks fantastic and has really great reviews. So if you’re like me and enjoy Indian food (but are living somewhere that makes it difficult to eat often!) then take advantage while in Busan!
That’s it for foods to try in Busan!
What foods do you love to eat in Busan? What did I miss? Let me know in the comments!
If you’re planning a trip to Busan (especially with a young family!) be sure to check out:
And don’t miss our other articles about all things Korea! Here are just a few of them:
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