Busan is South Korea's second-largest city and a vibrant port metropolis on the southeastern coast, where dramatic mountains meet stunning beaches and a world-class seafood scene. Known for its colorful hillside villages, dynamic film festival, and lively beach culture, Busan offers a compelling alternative to Seoul with its own distinct identity. The city seamlessly blends urban energy with natural beauty, from the neon-lit streets of Seomyeon to the serene temples of Beomeosa.
Busan's culinary identity is shaped by its coastal geography and wartime refugee history. The city is synonymous with the freshest seafood in Korea - from the raw fish (hoe) and crab of Jagalchi and Gijang markets to the unique stews and soups born from Korean War-era ingenuity. Signature Busan dishes include dwaeji gukbap (pork and rice soup), milmyeon (wheat cold noodles), ssiat hotteok (seed-filled pancakes), and an extraordinary range of seafood preparations unique to the city.
Must-try dishes
Iconic dishes that define Busan.
Dwaeji Gukbap
Busan's most iconic dish: pork and rice soup with milky bone broth, served with pickled kimchi and chili paste. A staple since the Korean War era.
Where to try: Halmae Gukbap, Gijang Daege Gukbap
Price: ₩8,000-12,000
Milmyeon
Chewy wheat noodles in cold anchovy broth with toppings of sliced pork and vegetables, invented by Busan refugees who had no buckwheat for traditional naengmyeon.
Where to try: Yoongyung Milmyeon and similar restaurants in Dong-gu
Price: ₩7,000-10,000
Ssiat Hotteok
Busan's version of the beloved Korean fried pancake, stuffed with seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, sesame) rather than just sweet syrup. The most famous snack at BIFF Square.
Where to try: BIFF Square street vendor, Nampo-dong
Price: ₩1,500
Hoe (Raw Fish)
Thinly sliced raw fish served with kimchi, ssamjang dipping sauce, and vegetables for wrapping. Busan hoe uses the absolute freshest local catch.
Where to try: Jagalchi Market restaurants, Millak Waterfront
Price: ₩20,000-50,000
Galchi Jorim
Braised hairtail fish in a spicy, sweet sauce with tofu and vegetables. A Busan favorite tied to the city's fishing heritage.
Where to try: Galchi Jorim Golmok alley, Nampo-dong
Price: ₩10,000-15,000
Nakji Bokkeum
Fiery stir-fried baby octopus with vegetables in a sauce made fearsomely spicy with gochugaru. Busan's version is notably hotter than versions elsewhere in Korea.
Where to try: Wonjo Halmae Nakji Bokkeum, Choryang
Price: ₩10,000-13,000
Top restaurants
Handpicked picks for the best dining experiences.
Gijang Daege Gukbap
One of Busan's most legendary dwaeji gukbap restaurants, serving the city's signature pork and rice soup that has sustained locals since the Korean War era. The milky broth is rich and deeply flavorful, served with kimchi and condiments.
Known for: Busan's iconic pork and rice soup
Jungang-daero, Jung-gu, Busan
Halmae Gukbap
A legendary family-run gukbap restaurant that has been serving the same recipe for decades. The grandmother-style cooking yields an exceptionally clear but flavorful bone broth, beloved by generations of Busan locals.
Known for: Authentic grandmother-style gukbap, open 24 hours
Bujeon-dong, Busanjin-gu, Busan
Jagalchi Market Restaurant Row
The second floor of Jagalchi Market is lined with restaurants where you can bring fish purchased downstairs and have it prepared to your liking. The raw fish (hoe) and grilled options are incredibly fresh and at market prices.
Known for: Market-fresh seafood cooked to order
Jagalchihaean-ro 52, Jung-gu, Busan
Wonjo Halmae Nakji Bokkeum
Famous throughout Busan for its extremely spicy stir-fried baby octopus, this no-frills restaurant serves a dish that perfectly encapsulates Busan's bold flavors. A true local institution that has been feeding fire-food lovers for decades.
Known for: Busan-style spicy stir-fried octopus
Choryang 1-dong, Dong-gu, Busan
Gijang Haemul Pajeon
Located in Gijang on Busan's eastern coast, this restaurant near Gijang Market is renowned for making the finest seafood and green onion pancakes (pajeon) in Korea. The pancakes are loaded with fresh local seafood.
Known for: Gijang-style seafood pancakes
Gijang Market, Gijang-gun, Busan
Yoongyung Milmyeon
Milmyeon (wheat noodles in cold broth) is a beloved Busan specialty invented during the Korean War when refugee women created new noodles from wheat flour. This renowned restaurant has served the dish to generations of locals.
Known for: Authentic Busan-style milmyeon
Beomil-dong, Dong-gu, Busan
The Bay 101
An upscale waterfront dining and entertainment complex on the Marina at Haeundae, The Bay 101 offers stunning views of Marine City's skyline reflected in the water. The restaurant serves refined Korean and Western cuisine in an elegant setting.
Known for: Waterfront fine dining with Marine City views
Dongbaek-ro 52, Haeundae-gu, Busan
La Yeon
A celebrated fine dining Korean restaurant at The Westin Chosun Busan, La Yeon offers an elevated take on Korean cuisine using premium seasonal ingredients. The restaurant has received accolades as one of Asia's finest Korean dining destinations.
Known for: World-class elevated Korean cuisine
Haeundaehaebyeon-ro 67, Haeundae-gu, Busan
Restaurants by cuisine
Browse picks grouped by cuisine type.
Korean
Busan Amso Galbijip
A beloved Korean BBQ institution in Busan specializing in premium beef short ribs (galbi) and brisket grilled over charcoal. The restaurant uses Hanwoo (Korean native cattle) beef known for its exceptional marbling and flavor.
Known for: Charcoal-grilled Hanwoo beef ribs
Jungang-daero, Dong-gu, Busan
Hwangso Gobchang
A Seomyeon institution that has popularized gobchang (beef small intestines) as a Busan street food staple. The charcoal-grilled intestines with sesame oil and salt are unexpectedly delicious and extremely popular with locals.
Known for: Busan-style grilled beef intestines
Seomyeon, Busanjin-gu, Busan
Goejeong Maeuntang
A famous restaurant near Gwangalli Beach specializing in maeuntang (spicy fish stew), a Busan classic made with fresh whole fish, vegetables, and gochugaru paste that results in a beautifully spicy and warming broth.
Known for: Traditional Busan spicy fish stew
Gwanganhaebyeon-ro, Suyeong-gu, Busan
Galchi Jorim Golmok
An alley in Nampo-dong dedicated to galchi jorim (braised hairtail fish in spicy sauce), a dish so strongly associated with Busan that this street is nicknamed the Busan fish alley. Multiple restaurants line the alley each offering their own recipe.
Known for: Busan's famous braised hairtail fish
Nampo-dong Alley, Jung-gu, Busan
Oimari Soondae
A legendary Nampo-dong institution selling soondae (Korean blood sausage) stuffed with glass noodles and served with rice and dipping sauce. This humble eatery has been feeding locals since the 1970s.
Known for: Classic Korean blood sausage since the 1970s
Nampo-dong, Jung-gu, Busan
Pohang Mul Hoe
Mul hoe (raw fish in cold broth) is a refreshing summer dish from the southeastern coast of Korea. This restaurant near Jagalchi serves some of the best in Busan, with fresh thin slices of fish in an icy, sweet-and-spicy broth.
Known for: Refreshing cold raw fish dishes
Jung-gu, Busan
Cafe Bora Haeundae
A branch of the famous Korean cafe chain known for its purple charcoal ice cream cone and beautifully presented Korean desserts. The Haeundae location draws long lines but the unique matcha and charcoal flavors are worth the wait.
Known for: Instagrammable Korean desserts
Haeundae-ro, Haeundae-gu, Busan
Seomyeon Food Street
The underground food alleys beneath Seomyeon station are a street food paradise with dozens of vendors serving tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), odeng (fish cake skewers), fried chicken, hotteok, and other Korean snacks.
Known for: Concentrated Korean street food in underground alleys
Seomyeon Underground, Busanjin-gu, Busan
Budnamjip Bokkeum Ganjang Gejang
A legendary restaurant for ganjang gejang (raw crab marinated in soy sauce), a dish so popular in Korea it is nicknamed 'rice thief' because the sauce makes you eat endless bowls of rice. This Busan institution uses fresh local crabs.
Known for: Premium soy-marinated raw crab
Dadae-dong, Saha-gu, Busan
Millak Waterfront Restaurant
Perched beside the Millak Stream inlet with views across to Gwangan Bridge, this seafood restaurant is cherished by locals for its remarkably fresh hoe (raw fish) and exceptional haemul pajeon (seafood pancake) served alongside makgeolli.
Known for: Scenic waterfront seafood dining
Gwanganhaebyeon-ro, Suyeong-gu, Busan
Tosokchon Samgyetang
A Busan branch of Korea's most famous samgyetang restaurant, serving whole young chickens stuffed with rice, ginseng, garlic, and jujube in a rich restorative broth. Perfect fuel after a day of exploring.
Known for: Nutritious ginseng stuffed chicken soup
Haeundae-gu, Busan
Mansei Pojangmacha
One of Busan's beloved pojangmacha (orange-tent street drinking stalls), Mansei is a local favorite near Gwangalli Beach for late-night fried chicken, odeng, and makgeolli. The atmosphere is quintessentially Korean.
Known for: Authentic Korean street drinking culture
Gwangalli, Suyeong-gu, Busan
Biff Square Hotteok Vendor
The most famous street food stall in Busan, this vendor outside BIFF Square sells ssiat hotteok - a Busan invention stuffing the traditional syrup-filled pancake with seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, sesame) instead of just sweet filling. The queue forms daily.
Known for: Busan's iconic seed-filled sweet pancake
BIFF Gwangjang, Nampo-dong, Jung-gu, Busan
Beomeosa Sansongheoui
Located near Beomeosa Temple, this restaurant specializes in Korean Buddhist temple cuisine - vegetarian dishes using mountain vegetables and fermented ingredients that have been prepared near temples for centuries.
Known for: Buddhist temple vegetarian cuisine
Beomeosa-ro, Geumjeong-gu, Busan
Gajin Noodle House
A local favorite in the back streets of Nampo-dong serving hand-pulled noodles (sujebi) and thick noodle soup (kalguksu) in a deeply flavored anchovy and clam broth. The humble setting belies the extraordinary bowl.
Known for: Traditional hand-made noodle soups
Nampo-dong, Jung-gu, Busan
Daeyeon Soju Bang
A beloved anju (drinking food) restaurant near Busan National University where locals pair small plates of spicy stir-fries, seafood snacks, and meat dishes with soju and beer. Essential to experience Korean drinking culture.
Known for: Korean anju food and social drinking culture
Daeyeon-dong, Nam-gu, Busan
Oncheon Hanyak Galbi
Near the Oncheonjang spa area, this restaurant serves galbi (beef short ribs) marinated in an herbal medicinal blend that produces an unusually complex and deeply savory flavor. A local favorite with a storied reputation.
Known for: Herbal-marinated Korean beef ribs
Oncheon-dong, Dongnae-gu, Busan
Gijang Daege Haesanjmul
Near Gijang on Busan's northeastern coast, this renowned restaurant specializes in daege (snow crab) and king crab, sourced fresh from the adjacent Gijang Market. A destination restaurant for serious seafood lovers.
Known for: Premium fresh crab from Gijang fishing port
Gijang-gun, Busan
Dongnae Pajeon Alley
Dongnae-gu is historically famous for its distinct style of green onion pancake (Dongnae pajeon), made with abundant Welsh onion, mussels, and oysters in a crispy batter. Several traditional restaurants line the alley and have served this dish for generations.
Known for: Historic Dongnae-style seafood green onion pancake
Dongnae-gu, Busan
Yeongdo Bokguk Town
Yeongdo is famous in Busan for its bokguk (puffer fish soup) restaurants, where licensed chefs prepare the potentially lethal fish into a clean, delicate, and deeply warming broth. This cluster of restaurants maintains traditional preparation methods.
Known for: Licensed pufferfish cuisine, a Korean delicacy
Yeongdo-gu, Busan
Haeundae Eel Street
A cluster of restaurants in Haeundae specializing in grilled freshwater eel (jangeo gui), considered a stamina food in Korea and especially popular in hot summer months. The charcoal-grilled eel is tender and smoky.
Known for: Charcoal-grilled Korean freshwater eel
Haeundae-daero, Haeundae-gu, Busan
Itaewon Chicken
A Busan institution for Korean-style fried chicken, served glazed or plain with beer (chimaek). The crispy double-fried chicken and variety of sauces represent Korea's most beloved night-out food.
Known for: Korean-style fried chicken and beer
Haeundae-gu, Busan
Centum City Food Court
Shinsegae Centum City department store (the world's largest) houses an exceptional food court and restaurant floor with dozens of options from Korean home cooking to international chains, ideal for a meal between shopping.
Known for: Wide variety under one roof in world's largest department store
Centum South-daero 35, Haeundae-gu, Busan
Busan Jeonju Kongnamul Gukbap
A beloved 24-hour restaurant serving kongnamul gukbap (soybean sprout soup with rice), a popular hangover and comfort food that is especially popular in the early morning hours after a night out in Seomyeon.
Known for: 24-hour restorative Korean breakfast soups
Seomyeon, Busanjin-gu, Busan
International Pub Food
Oswald's Pub Busan
A popular expat-friendly pub in Haeundae serving hearty Western comfort food alongside a wide selection of craft beers and cocktails. A reliable choice for burgers, fish and chips, and watching sports.
Known for: Western comfort food and imported beers
Haeundae-ro, Haeundae-gu, Busan
Thai
Thai Kitchen Haeundae
A well-regarded Thai restaurant in the Haeundae tourist district offering authentic Thai flavors at reasonable prices. Popular with international visitors craving a break from Korean food.
Known for: Authentic Thai food in tourist area
Haeundae-ro, Haeundae-gu, Busan
Western
Sun at Six
A highly-regarded western fine dining restaurant in Marine City offering carefully crafted tasting menus with French-influenced cuisine and an extensive wine list. One of Busan's top destinations for a special occasion dinner.
Known for: Western fine dining, special occasion meals
Marine City, Haeundae-gu, Busan
Food tours & tastings in Busan
Eat your way through Busan with a guide.
Browse food experiences in BusanWe may earn a commission from bookings made through these links.
Street food
Local flavours at affordable prices.
Ssiat Hotteok
Seed-stuffed sweet pancake, Busan's most beloved street snack
Find it at: BIFF Square, Nampo-dong
Tteokbokki
Chewy rice cakes in sweet-spicy sauce
Find it at: Seomyeon Underground Food Street
Odeng (Eomuk)
Fish cake skewers in broth, especially popular in winter
Find it at: Markets, street carts citywide
Dakgalbi
Spicy stir-fried chicken with vegetables and rice cakes
Find it at: Nampo-dong, Seomyeon
Twigim (Fried Items)
Deep-fried vegetables, shrimp, and dumplings
Find it at: Gukje Market, street vendors citywide
Gyeranppang
Oval-shaped bread with whole egg baked inside, a sweet-savory snack
Find it at: Haeundae Beach promenade
Food markets
Where locals shop and graze.
Jagalchi Market
Korea's largest seafood market with hundreds of vendors selling live and fresh seafood, plus 2nd floor restaurants
Hours: 5:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Gukje Market
Massive traditional market with food alleys serving bindaetteok, gukbap, and snacks amid stalls selling goods of all kinds
Hours: 9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Gijang Market
Northeastern Busan fishing market famous for crab, seaweed, and haemul pajeon restaurants surrounding the market
Hours: 7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Bupyeong Kkangtong Market
Night market and food market in Nampo-dong area with vendors from 9PM until late
Hours: 9:00 PM - 3:00 AM
Dining etiquette & tips
Navigate the local food scene confidently.
Many traditional restaurants open very early (from 6AM) for breakfast soups like gukbap
In Korea, side dishes (banchan) are refilled for free - do ask for more
Menus in smaller restaurants may be Korean only - photos help, or point to what other tables have
Koreans typically don't share plates but share stews and grills at the center of the table
Service is not expected to be slow - Korean dining culture moves quickly
- Vegetarian
- Challenging but improving. Buddhist temple food restaurants near Beomeosa and dedicated vegetarian restaurants in Seomyeon/Haeundae offer options. Many dishes contain fish or meat broth.
- Halal
- Limited halal-certified restaurants. A few in Haeundae near the tourist area. Check HalalTrip app for current options.
- Gluten free
- Korean cuisine uses a lot of soy sauce (containing wheat). Inform staff of allergies. Rice-based dishes are generally safer.
Food budget guide
What to expect at different price points.
| Level | Price | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | ₩5,000-15,000 per meal | Street food, pojangmacha, gukbap restaurants, and food courts |
| Mid-range | ₩20,000-45,000 per meal | Sit-down seafood, Korean BBQ, and mid-range restaurants |
| Upscale | ₩70,000+ per meal | Fine dining tasting menus and premium seafood restaurants |