Food & Drink
What to know about the 10 new Bib Gourmand establishments in Seoul
haps Magazine Korea
February 23, 2025
Neungdong Minari (Michelin Guide Korea)
The MICHELIN Guide Seoul & Busan 2025 recently unveiled a total of 77 Bib Gourmand restaurants, with 58 in Seoul and 19 in Busan.
The Bib Gourmand selection includes 10 new entries in Seoul and 4 in Busan, with a notable increase in Korean, Thai, and vegan cuisine establishments.
Bib Gourmand indicates inspectors’ favorites and highlights establishments that offer exceptional value-for-money gourmet experiences.
Restaurants featured in the Michelin Guide Seoul & Busan Bib Gourmand selection offer meals for under 45,000 won per person.
Here’s a look at the 10 new offerings in Seoul:
Gomtang Lab
True to its name, Gomtang Lab is dedicated to studying gomtang (beef bone soup) and developing diverse new recipes. Chef Yim Jung-sik has relentlessly pursued this culinary journey since the days when he helped Pyeonghwaok. His signature dish is collagen beef bone soup, made by simmering beef leg bones, tendons, feet and oxtail for more than 10 hours until thick. Once you finish the bowl brimming with chewy, tender meat and savory broth that make a perfect meal, you’ll find your lips sticky with gelatinous collagen. To cater to different tastes, the menu offers several variations of gomtang, including a clear, meat-only version and a spicy version with added beef tripe. One last note: The signature soup is limited to only 20 bowls per day, so be sure to visit when the eatery opens.
Neungdong Minari
The gomtang at Neungdong Minari is topped with a pile of minari so tall that at a glance, it doesn’t look like a tang at all. The clear, clean broth is made from fresh hanwoo beef that was slaughtered on the day, which is topped with piquant minari that was grown in clear fresh water for added freshness. You should expect a wait, but you will think it is well worth it once you take your first bite.
Nishimuramen
Nishimuramen, a famed restaurant in Fukuoka known for its unique marriage of Japanese ramen and French cooking, has finally opened its doors in Seoul. The culinary offspring of Chef Takahito Nishimura born out of his unparalleled enthusiasm for ramen, this noodle joint flaunts his distinctive style by bringing out the rich, multifaceted flavors of ramen through an intriguing union of toppings, sauces and oils. While maintaining the authenticity of ramen, the kitchen has successfully localized its fare, for instance, by using laver oil, Cheongyang chili pepper, and tsukemono (Japanese pickles) in the style of white kimchi. Freshly cooked pot rice mixed with cheese and ramen broth (like risotto) is another standout dish that asserts this eatery’s unique role in the gastronomic universe.
Myeon Seoul
Myeon Seoul is Chef Kim Do-yun’s second restaurant following the success of his Yun Seoul. The inspiration came from a stream of customer requests at the original spot for a separate offering of its housemade noodles, which are made exclusively with whole wheat, mung bean, dried pollack, and without chemical additives. For a perfect flavor composition, the chef blends whole wheat varieties sourced from Korea, France and Turkey. Highlights include perilla oil noodles imbued with fresh, nutty flavors; spicy noodles glazed with a piquant sauce; and bracken whole wheat noodles flavored with bracken and perilla seeds. Also recommended is a pairing of traditional Korean alcohol sold as an accompaniment.
Mipildam
Tucked in a quiet yet youthfully vibrant alley in Hapjeong-dong, Mipildam is an unpretentious little spot specializing in handmade mandutguk (dumpling soup) in northern Korean style. The recipe for this lightly flavored dish is based on the home recipe of the young owner couple’s grandmother, who was born and raised in Hwanghae Province, now in North Korea. The perfect combination of plump dumplings packed with juicy filling and the broth infused with subtle flavors (and without any additional artificial flavors) is not something a diner can easily resist. In addition to the signature soup, the menu offers seasonally updated traditional dishes that reflect the couple’s passion for serving good food. The seating layout accommodates solo diners as well as couples and friend groups.
Seokyonanmyunbang
Chef Kim Nak-young, an expert on Italian cuisine, offers his unique take on noodle dishes at Seokyonanmyunbang. The nanmyeon, or egg noodles, crafted by a chef specializing in pasta and lasagna, are a unique, creative fusion of Korean and Italian culinary traditions. The chef delicately balances these two distinctive traditions, showcasing the unique appeal of nanmyeon. Signature dishes include Gueomdak nanmyeon made from a Jeju breed of chicken and Seokyo nanmyeon that features a broth made from a mix of chicken and hanwoo beef, which highlight the delectable flavors of the broth and the texture of the noodles. The chef creates seasonal noodle dishes, making it worthwhile to make multiple visits for new experiences.
Seoryung
The couple, Lee Gyeong-hee and Jeong Jong-mun’s Seoryung, began its journey in Hongcheon, moved via Ganghwa, and finally settled in Namdaemun, Seoul. The restaurant has drawn foodies, especially those who appreciate noodle dishes, wherever it relocated. After putting down roots in Seoul, they secured more tables, created a comfortable dining space, and expanded their connection with customers by preparing noodles and broths with dedication and authenticity. All of their noodles are made purely from buckwheat which is lovingly sourced and prepared by noodle master chef Jeong. This is the secret to the fragrant buckwheat flavor that shines through in all their variations of noodle dishes, like the Seoryung noodles, bibim noodles, and perilla oil noodles. The mandu and jeyuk, made from the most tender part of the pork shoulder served alongside the neatly presented noodles, provide an even more satisfying experience.
ALT.a
ALT.a is a Korean-Chinese restaurant that uses all plant-based ingredients including plant-based alternative meats. That’s right. It’s a vegan Chinese restaurant. Chinese food made without any meat piqued my curiosity. They create incredible flavors that are sure to entice even diners who aren’t familiar with vegan food. The food is also low-fat so it’s easy on the stomach. They serve vegan jjamppong and fried dishes like tangsuyuk and yurinyuk that are so delightfully bouncy and chewy that no one will notice that they aren’t made from real meat. It is both a great vegan and a great Chinese restaurant.
Okdol Hyeonok
Taste the deeply savory broth and the nutty flavor of the noodles made from 100% buckwheat that intensifies the more you chew at Okdol Hyeonok. The restaurant is fairly new, but it has gained a solid following among Pyongyang naengmyeon connoisseurs. Some of their most popular dishes are mandu with a nuttiness that comes from plenty of tofu in the filling, eobok jaengban, and gajami shikhye. You can also have your favorite wine with your meal for a corkage fee. Enjoy the mild flavors with incredible depth.
Youhan
Youhan is a small, chic Thai bistro. It can be difficult to find for first-time visitors, as it is hidden deep in the alleys of Hannam-dong. Established by Chef Kim Yu-han, who attended culinary school in Thailand, the restaurant offers familiar dishes with a creative twist. Diners can experience diverse flavors, including Thai sausages, jerky made in-house, grilled duck breast, seasonal sashimi, and dishes topped with Thai green sauce. The restaurant also offers natural wines and sake recommendations that perfectly pair with the dishes.
The complete restaurant selection of the MICHELIN Guide Seoul & Busan 2025 will be unveiled on February 27, 2025 through the MICHELIN Guide website and the MICHELIN Guide mobile application, available for download on iOS and Android.