Essentials
Money in Korea
Best exchange rates, ATMs & how to pay
Read guide →Western food has been localized in Seoul over decades, emerging as something distinctly Korean in the process. Demi-glace pork cutlets, cream pasta with kimchi, and French-style brunch menus sit alongside Italian pizza and American burgers in Seoul's eclectic restaurant landscape. Many younger Korean chefs trained abroad and returned to open restaurants that blend European technique with Korean ingredients and sensibility.
Gangbuk-gu includes the scenic Bukhansan National Park foothills and is known for hiking culture and the restaurants that serve hikers before and after their climbs — hearty soups, makgeolli, and Korean pancakes have been the fuel of choice for generations of weekend walkers.
