The Baker’s Table

This German-owned bakery is the place to go for good German bread and pastries in Seoul. They also have a brunch menu, a variety of sandwiches, and soups. It is located in a quiet, beautiful neighborhood, a short walk to Bukchon Hanok Village and Samcheong Park.

We were greeted by the smell of fresh bread when I entered the bakery. There was a mouthwatering display of bread by the counter. The staff was friendly, and we joked with the German bakers.

The Baker’s Table (Samcheong-dong)

Website: https://thebakerstable.co.kr/

Opening hours: Monday – Sunday 8:00 a.m. – 21:00 p.m.

Telephone: 02-725-0777

Address: 126 Samchong-dong, Jongro-gu, Seoul, Korea

Noryangjin Fish Market

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Noryangjin Fish Market is one of Korea’s largest seafood markets. If you are a seafood lover, this is the place to be. There is an old and new building. The new building is relatively clean and organized. The floors tend to be wet, so I recommend wearing closed-toe shoes. There is also a live fish auction at 3:00 a.m. every day.

A delicacy at the market other than sashimi is san-nakji – chopped-up live octopus. If you are an adventurous eater, do give it a go.

Many vendors have a restaurant or are connected with restaurants on the second floor. So if you want your seafood to be prepared in the restaurant, just talk to the vendor you’re buying from, and they will arrange for someone to escort you to the restaurant.

Tip: Bargain, bargain, bargain! Most vendors speak little to no English, but they are quite resourceful with the calculator and hand gestures. There are a few Chinese vendors; if you speak Mandarin, you can look out for them.

I bought a king crab, sole, and mussels, which cost me 200,000 won (around 184 USD). There were five of us, so I got a big king crab which cost over 100,000 won. We decided to have our seafood cooked at a restaurant.

The mussels were cooked in a mild broth, while the fish was accompanied by a sweet-spicy sauce. I loved the sauce; it wasn’t too spicy, with a hint of garlic, not overpowering the fish’s natural flavors.

Most shellfish are either steamed or grilled. Our king crab was steamed. It was my first time having king crab, and the meat was delicious! It was naturally sweet, not requiring any dipping sauce.

The restaurant bill came to around 48,000 won.

In the city where I’m currently residing, we don’t get a lot of fresh seafood, so this was a real treat!

Noryangjin Fish Market

Website: https://www.susansijang.co.kr/nsis/miw/en/intro

Opening hours: Daily 1:30 a.m – 22:00 p.m.

Address: 13-6, Noryangjin 1-Dong, Dongzak-gu, Seoul

Lusso lab, Jeongdong

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Lusso Lab is located in the quiet historical area of Jeongdong, not far from Deoksugung Palace. The quaint neighborhood is beautiful for a stroll after a meal. The interior is spacious with industrial-style decor. There is an enticing display of cakes by the counter. The staff was friendly but spoke minimal English.

The menu offers Western food such as french toast, American breakfast, eggs benedicts, etc. There are also brunch sets available.

I settled for the brunch set C, which consists of an American breakfast set, a cobb salad, and 2 cups of coffee. We opted for a latte and cappuccino. Also, I ordered a Tiramisu, brioche bread with bechamel sauce, ham, cheese, egg, grilled asparagus, and a Brioche French toast.

The brioche French toast came with homemade ricotta cheese, bacon, walnuts, blueberries, and maple syrup. The French toast was pillowy soft. The ricotta cheese was creamy and smooth with a hint of sweetness, and the bacon was not too salty – a good balance between sweet and savory. The tiramisu could be better. Some parts of the sponge cake were dry, and the taste of the coffee was weak.

Compared to the other dishes, I did not enjoy the American breakfast. It was a bit bland, and I would have preferred toasted bread. The brioche bread with bechamel sauce was good, and the creamy bechamel sauce paired with cheese and ham – was delicious!

Overall, an excellent spot for brunch!

Vanilla french toast 12,800 won.

Croque Madame 9,800 won

Brunch set C 25,800 won

Lusso Lab, Jeongdong branch

Website: https://www.lussolab.co.kr/main.do

Opening hours: Monday – Friday 8:00 a.m. – 20:00 p.m

Saturday & Sunday 9:00 a.m. – 20:00 p.m.

Telephone: 02-772-9935

Address: 17 Jeongdong-gil, Jeong-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul

Ibagu, traditional tea house

Tucked away in one of Insadong’s alleyways is a quaint traditional tea house – Ibagu. The tea house is housed in a traditional building. The soft lighting and background music added to the ambiance. Our server was friendly and spoke reasonably good English.

The menu consists of a variety of Korean teas, desserts, coffee, and western teas. There are also 4 set menus of different combinations of desserts with drinks.

We ordered a set menu and a roasted 5-grain smoothie.

The set menu we ordered included a long white rice cake, sweet red bean porridge, and a coffee. The red bean porridge had a smooth consistency and was unexpectedly savory with a hint of sweetness. The rice cake was interesting. Before this, I have only had Tteokbokki (spicy rice cake). The warm rice cakes were covered in soybean powder with a syrup drizzle. If you like the Japanese Kinako mochi, you will like this.

The roasted 5-grain smoothie was the highlight! It was rich, creamy, sweet, and nutty. It was one of those drinks where you have to have another after the first sip. The drink resembles a peanut smoothie but is more fragrant; my most memorable drink here in Seoul.

The prices here are a bit high but worth a visit.

Set menu 3 ( 2 desserts and a beverage) 19,500 won

Roasted 5-grain smoothie 8,000 won

Ibagu

Opening hours: Daily 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 a.m.

Telephone: +82 2-730-2088

Address: 5 Insadong 6-gil, Gwanhun-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea

Osulloc Tea House, Myeongdong

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Osulloc is a famous premium tea brand in Korea that has been selling tea (mainly green tea) from Jeju since 1979. The Osulloc tea house in Myeongdong has a cafe and a store. The contemporary design reminds me of Starbucks. The cafe offers teas, lattes, cakes, and ice creams. You can purchase gift sets or teas from the store. One interesting thing sold at the store is their green tea milk spread.

The hojicha latte was delicious. It’s like a mocha but with tea. It was creamy with a roasted nutty flavor. Jeju tangerine milk tea is one of Osulloc’s popular drinks. Both teas were not overly sweet.

Osulloc is a must-visit for green tea lovers.

Jeju Tangerine Milk Tea 7000 won

Hojicha latte 7000 won

Osulloc Tea House, Myeongdong

Website: https://www.osulloc.com/kr/en

Opening hours: Daily 10:00 a.m. – 22:00 p.m

Telephone: +82 2-774-5460

Address: 12 Myeongdong 7-gil, Myeongdong 1(il)-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea

Amiso Korean Restaurant

Amiso is a Korean BBQ restaurant located on the 5th floor of the Polaris building in Myeongdong. The place is spacious, with an outdoor seating area. The restaurant not only serves Korean BBQ but also traditional dishes such as Bibimbap, Ginseng chicken soup, and a variety of stews. The waitress who served us spoke very little English but could speak Chinese. Luckily, my family and I could speak Chinese so we could order with ease.

My family and I ordered dolsot bibimbap (bibimbap served in a hot stone bowl), Doenjang-jjigae (soybean paste stew), and Sundubu-jjigae (soft tofu stew). As customary at all Korean restaurants, we were served several side dishes before our main meal. They were all delicious!

The main dishes we ordered were all good but not spectacular.

dolsot bibimbap 12,000 won (10 USD)

soft tofu stew 12,000 won

soybean paste stew 12,000 won