A Gastronomic Guide to Seoul

The new Korean table

Seoul’s modern restaurants start from jang, the fermented soy and chilli pastes, from kimchi in its regional forms, and from grains, wild greens and seafood. In the 2026 Michelin Guide, Mingles in Cheongdam-dong is Seoul’s only three-star restaurant, a contemporary table that reinterprets traditional Korean flavours with a modern twist. It held two stars for seven years before earning the third.

The next tier at two stars shows how broad the movement has become, from Jungsik, a pioneer of contemporary Korean tasting menus, to Japanese and European rooms led by Korean chefs.

Court cuisine and temple food

For a formal expression of Korean cooking, La Yeon at The Shilla serves hanjeongsik, the banquet-style meal with a view over Namsan, and teaches the structure and rhythm of a traditional menu. It is a meal to plan early in a trip.

Temple cuisine is the quiet counterpart. Balwoo Gongyang, which holds a Michelin star, cooks in the Korean Buddhist temple tradition and is the easiest place in the city for a strictly vegan meal. For the experience rather than the meal, a night in a Buddhist temple follows the same logic.

Markets and specialists

Seoul’s everyday food is as rewarding as its starred rooms. Gwangjang Market is known for mung-bean pancakes, knife-cut noodles and yukhoe, seasoned raw beef. Across the city, restaurants devoted to a single dish, whether cold buckwheat noodles, gomtang beef soup, dumplings or barbecue, are often the most memorable meals of a visit and are well represented in the Bib Gourmand list.

Where to stay

Four Seasons Hotel Seoul puts the palaces within walking distance, and The Shilla Seoul offers gardens and calm on the slopes of Namsan, with La Yeon on site.

Signiel Seoul, high in Lotte World Tower, is the choice for panoramic views.

Sources: Korea JoongAng Daily: Mingles three stars; Seoul Tourism: Seoul Michelin restaurants. Check the official websites for current information.