Enjoy the best tteokbokki in these top-rated restaurants in Seoul on your next trip to Korea and you can taste the emotion in the classic Korean dish!
When you ask a Korean about which food makes him/her nostalgic, the answer will most probably be Tteokbokki. This simple yet tasty recipe is truly an emotion for the Koreans. The term is a combination of the words Tteok meaning “rice cake,” and bokki, meaning “stir-fried food.” So, Tteokbokki is basically a simple stir-fried rice cake dish that, over time, has evolved from humble street food to a fancy meal.
Tteobokki is found literally everywhere in Korea, and the capital of South Korea, Seoul, is no exception. Almost all restaurants in Seoul have Tteokbokki on their menu with their own twists and modifications.
However, if you are visiting Seoul for the first time and are eager to taste some of the best Tteokbokki, then we highly recommend you to go to the following 5 restaurants.
Hongdae Jopok Topokki
The term Jopok means “gangster” in English, and there is a rumor that this place was started by an ex-gangster. It has been running successfully for over 20 years and is very popular for its delicious delicacies. The menu is kept simple, and the Tteokbokki is just mouthwatering. You can have sundae (Korean sausage) and Odeng (fish cake) along with Tteokbokki.
All the dishes are under 3,000 KRW, and you are most likely to find the restaurant very busy during dinner time.
Mimine
Another popular restaurant in the Hongdae area is Mimine, and it is Tteokbokki and deep-fried shrimp that has made it so famous. You will also get squid, fried dumplings, ginger stems, and seaweed rolls here, and each item is worth every penny.
The Tteokbokki is also pretty affordable, not to mention authentic to the ‘T.’ The food is fresh here, and you will get to choose from 3 different salts- regular, garlic, and green laver.
Mukshidonna
If you are looking to taste authentic Tteokbokki, Mukshidonna is the place for you. When you break the word Mukshidonna, it becomes Muk (Eat), Shi (Rest), Don (Pay), and Na (Leave). So, the full term Mukshidonna translates in English as “Eat your food, rest, pay, and then leave.”
The restaurant serves this one spicy stew dish with Toppoki/ Tteokbokki (cylinder-shaped boiled rice cake) on a hot stove along with several other toppings. You can choose the main base, the type of noodles, and toppings as per your choice.
Mukshidonna has several branches in Seoul, with Samcheongdong being the most popular outlet. The other two are located in the Sinchon and Myeongdong regions of Seoul.
Yoo Ja Yoo Kimchi Tteokbokki
Yoo Ja Yoo means “citrus soju,” and so the name Yoo Ja Yoo Kimchi Tteokbokki means citrus soju with kimchi rice cake. The restaurant is located near Korea University, and the dish combining fruity soju with Korean rice cake is a hit. The place is very clean, and the food is even more delicious.
The prices are also reasonable given the quality, with soju costing around 12,000 KRW and the rice cake around 16,000 KRW.
Cheong-nyun Tteokbokki
Cheong-nyun Tteokbokki is the most famous restaurant in the Express Bus Terminal Shopping Center (Goto Mall).
They serve rice cakes with rice balls and fried shrimp, and that is very delicious. The cost of the rice is 3,000krw, while the fried shrimp and rice balls cost in the range of 2,000-7,000 KRW and 1,500-2,000 KRW, respectively.
A visit to Cheong-nyun Tteokbokki is a perfect way to end the day after having a shopping spree at the mall.
Conclusion
Although Seoul has a lot many places famous for their Tteokbokki, some of the places mentioned above offer an amazing ambiance for spending a beautiful evening with your loved ones. Each of the restaurants is amazing in its own way, and of course, the food is the main attraction over there. We recommend these places on the basis of most tourist reviews as these are the most-visited places by tourists who want to try out some authentic Tteokbokki.
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