Ultimate Busan Food Guide: Pork Soup and Seafood

Busan’s vibrant culinary landscape reflects its unique history, coastal geography, and lively market culture. Following enthusiastic reader responses to curations of regional dining, two travel journalists set out to review local eateries recommended by native Busan gourmets. This definitive collection covers twenty outstanding food destinations, spanning historic local specialties, fresh ocean treasures, and beloved alleyway street snacks across the port city.

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Culinary History in a Bowl: Iconic Busan Classics

When discussing essential Busan dishes, pork soup (*dwaeji gukbap*) and cold wheat noodles (*milmyeon*) take center stage. Because countless eateries claim original status across the city, finding authentic, high-quality establishments requires careful selection.

For pork soup, two establishments stand out for their distinct broth preparation methods:

* Ssangtwin Dwaeji Gukbap: Prepares a rich broth using pork leg bones packed generously with tender pork neck meat (*hangjeongsal*).

* Halmae Gukbap: Focuses exclusively on pork belly (*samgyeopsal*). The kitchen simmers whole pork belly blocks in a primary broth extracted from pork leg and spine bones, producing a deeply savory, concentrated broth.

For wheat noodles, a pair of historic shops situated just three minutes apart by car have represented Busan’s noodle culture for over forty years across two generations:

* Gaya Milmyeon: Known for chewy noodles and a crisp, well-balanced broth combining sweet, sour, and spicy flavors.

* Gaegeum Milmyeon: Features a similarly refreshing broth profile but with a distinctly stronger herbal aroma and a slightly saltier taste.

Regional names also define several famous dishes in the area. *Dongnae Pajeon* (green onion pancake) derives its name from Dongnae, which referred to the entire Busan area prior to the annexation of Korea, rather than modern-day Dongnae-gu district. At Wonjo Halmae Pajeon, a 70-year-old establishment operated by fourth-generation owner Kim Jeong-hee, the tradition remains intact. Historically, this rich seafood pancake was considered a luxury dish presented directly to the king by the local magistrate.

Unlike crispy street-style pancakes, Dongnae Pajeon is soft, tender, and savory. It uses a batter made from bone broth mixed with glutinous rice flour, non-glutinous rice flour, and wheat flour, layered with scallions, beef, shrimp, oysters, mussels, and clams. Diners traditionally dip pieces in red chili paste with vinegar (*chogochujang*) and pair the dish with Geumjeongsanseong makgeolli.

In Sirang-ri, Gijang-eup, Gijang-gun, a cluster of eight specialized eateries serves straw-fire grilled hagfish (*jipbul gombuk-eo*). At Oegajib Jipbul Gombuk-eo, 74-year-old native resident Lee Hong-suk has maintained local traditions for twenty years. Live hagfish caught off the coast of Gongsu Village are placed directly onto wire grills over blazing straw fires. Once the charred outer skin is peeled away, tender white meat is revealed underneath.

Pufferfish soup (*bokguk*) offers another quintessential seaside meal. Opening in Haeundae in 1970, Geumsu Bokguk expanded even into Seoul with its clean, refreshing earthenware broth. Diners typically wrap tender pufferfish meat in crisp bean sprouts and dropwort before enjoying the clear broth, adding a splash of vinegar right before eating to enhance the flavor.

Ocean Treasures: Fresh Seafood Delicacies

Busan’s coastal positioning provides an abundance of fresh marine delicacies served straight from local ports.

Located in the Millak-dong Fish Village, Sujeonggung offers fresh, high-quality raw fish (*hoe*) caught directly at Millak Port. The Suhyang lunch set features flounder and red sea bream, while evening set menus feature wild red-spotted grouper (*kkotneungseongeor*) and parrotfish. Proprietor Yum Yu-taek notes that the prized red-spotted grouper—a close relative of the sawtooth grouper—can be enjoyed here at roughly a quarter of Seoul prices, alongside prime views of the Busan Fireworks Festival.

In the Cheongsapo clam-barbecue alley, Suminine is widely regarded as the original staple. Local dining customs for clam barbecue (*jogae gui*) involve a unique multi-step cooking process:

1. Clams, scallops, and pen shells arrive topped with butter, onions, Cheongyang chili peppers, and enoki mushrooms.

2. The seafood is lightly grilled until the meat easily separates from the shell, then transferred into an aluminum foil tray filled with sliced vegetables.

3. The tray is covered with a scallop shell to trap heat, allowing liquids from the clams and onions to create a rich, boiling broth.

4. Once simmering, the tender clam meat absorbs the savory, slightly sweet broth, offering a ideal pairing for evening drinks along the coast.

Traditional eateries across the city also preserve decades of local history:

* Wonjo Gogalbi Nam Madang: Located in Gwangbok-dong, Jung-gu, 67-year-old owner Lim Ae-sun has grilled mackerel (*gogalbi*) for 37 years. Salted mackerel is soaked in water for two to three hours to remove all blood, eliminating any fishy taste. The result is a crispy exterior with meat as tender as ribs.

* Anyang Haemultang: A favorite among local baseball fans for two decades, offering a single menu item: seafood stew. Pots are filled with shrimp, blue crab, squid, octopus, conch, and over twenty types of shellfish. Ingredients often sell out by early afternoon on weekends.

Street Food Specialties: Alleyway Gems

Nampo-dong’s Gukje Market developed as refugees gathered to trade following the Korean War, birthing street foods unique to Busan.

Among local market stalls, traditional fishcake skewers (*Busan eomuk*) are served alongside rice cake skewers (*tteok-odeng*), where thick cylinder rice cakes are simmered in savory broth until soft on the outside and chewy inside. Glass noodle salad (*bibim dangmyeon*) is another specialty, mixing boiled sweet potato starch noodles with spicy seasoning sauce, kimchi, spinach, pickled radish strips, and sliced fishcakes.

Along the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) Street, vendors line the road serving seed-stuffed sweet pancakes (*ssiat hotteok*). Glutinous rice dough is fried, split open, and stuffed with sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and crushed peanuts mixed with sweet syrup.

For dessert, Halmae Patbingsu Danpatjuk in Yongho-dong, Nam-gu, serves traditional shaved ice (*patbingsu*) for just 2,000 KRW. Operating for thirty years, 71-year-old owner Lee Song-ja prepares the sweetened red beans, stewed peaches, and apples by hand daily. From October through May, the shop also serves warm, smooth red bean porridge (*danpatjuk*).

Practical Tips

* Timing for Popular Venues: High-demand venues like Anyang Haemultang often run out of fresh seafood stock by 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM on weekends. Arrive early in the afternoon to secure a table.

* Ordering Seafood Sets: When dining at Sujeonggung in Millak-dong, opt for lunch sets for classic flounder and bream choices, or book dinner seatings to sample premium wild-caught species like red-spotted grouper.

* Seasonal Offerings: Halmae Patbingsu Danpatjuk transitions between seasons; cold shaved ice is available year-round, while warm sweet red bean porridge is served exclusively between October and May.

* Local Condiments: Remember to adjust soups and regional dishes according to local customs—add a splash of vinegar to pufferfish soup (*bokguk*) to clarify the broth, and dip Dongnae green onion pancakes into red chili vinegar paste (*chogochujang*) rather than soy sauce.

Source

Original article: https://www.joongang.co.kr/article/6359106