Experience the Tasty Specialties of Busan Cuisine

Located at the southeastern tip of the Korean Peninsula, Busan is South Korea’s largest coastal city with an abundance of fresh seafood and a hearty love for it. From luxuriant Michelin Star restaurants to folksy diners and street food stalls, Busan greets all visitors with a myriad of gastronomic seafood specials and unique delicacies like no other. Although a major metropolis, Busan has a more folksy, traditional vibe, with beautiful cultural sites and landscapes to experience. And, second only to the capital city of Seoul, Busan is fast becoming a world-renowned holiday destination and foodie haven!

So, what to eat in Busan? Here’s our top 10 recommends:

Cod Fish Stew (Daegu Jiri)

Warm, mild and savoury, this comforting stew simmers fresh cod fish, tofu and enoki mushrooms in a kelp, radish and anchovies’ stock with a dash of minced garlic for savoury aroma; and garnished with chilli and spring onions. Cosy as Busan can be. Try it with our easy authentic recipe.

Spicy Fish Stew (Maeuntang)

Cod fish in a spicy stew is also a Busan favourite. Made savoury with Doenjang soy bean paste and spicy with Gochujang chilli paste and Gochugaru chilli flakes, smoothened with light soy sauce, fish sauce and mirin. Zesty and satiating. Bring this sensational stew to your home-cooked enjoyment with our recipe!

Sliced Raw Fish (Hwareohoe)

Busan restaurants serve sliced raw fish as a course meal known as Hoe, with a tableful of side dishes that may include salads, steamed egg, corn cheese and more. To eat, the fish slices are dipped in Gochujang and wrap in lettuce. A typical Busan Hoe course meal is also rounded up with the spicy cod fish stew mentioned above.

Soy Sauce Crab (Ganjang Gejang)

Fresh raw crabs cleaned and marinated in a cooked sauce blend with soy sauce, ginger, garlic, onion, chilli peppers, dried kelp and rice syrup. The marinade accentuates the crab’s natural flavour. Richly savoury and scrumptious. Popular at Busan seafood markets and restaurants, served with rice and side dishes for a full meal.

Chilli Cold Sweet Potato Noodles (Bibim Dangmyeon)

Instead of rice or wheat, the most beloved South Korean noodles are made of sweet potato flour, with a clear hue, springy texture and mild sweet flavour. The classic festive dish Japchae is stir-fried sweet potato noodles with veggies. In Busan, however, the glassy noodles are savoured cold in a spicy sauce, with julienned carrot, spinach, pickled daikon, Eomuk fish slices and garlic chives. A popular Busan street food. Want a taste? Come grab Chef Heather Jeong’s authentic recipe!

Pork Rice Soup (Dwaeji Gukbap)

Umami pork broth with a mild spicy aroma, poured into a bowl of steamed rice and topped with pork slices, chives, salted shrimps and a zesty chilli paste. A sumptuous and soothing Busan special, served at folksy diners as well as a family dish. Come have a sip with our recipe.

Spicy Beef Soup (Yukgaejang)

Beef is also popular in Busan, most often enjoyed in the fiery Yukgaejang soup with slurpy sweet potato noodles. Flavoured with Gochugaru chilli powder, chilli oil, soy sauce and fish sauce. You can cook it too, with Chef Heather Jeong’s special recipe!

Bean Sprouts Soup (Kongnamul Gukbap)

This soybean sprouts soup with Kimchi and rice is Busan’s favourite veggie broth. The soup’s base savoury flavour comes from boiling kelp and dried anchovies. Kimchi and Gochugaru chilli flakes spice up the soup, with sesame oil for a tantalising aroma. Spicy, wholesome and warming. Try it with our easy recipe.

Fish Cake Corndogs

Eomuk fish cakes are a pride of Busan, thanks to their year-round fresh fish supply from the coast. While the fish cakes are enjoyed in many dishes, the deep-fried ‘corndog’ street snack is perhaps the most popular. There are even specialty stores that feature extra yummies in the filling such as cheese, sweet veggies and a mix of crab meat. Here’s our easy authentic recipe to make your own ‘basic’ Korean corndogs, savoured with a spicy mayo dipping sauce!

Ssiat Hotteok Pancake

Hotteok is a traditional pastry found all over Korea. The most common Hotteok has a soft crumbly crust with sweet nuts filling flavoured in brown sugar and cinnamon powder or one filled with noodles and veg. Busan’s special Ssiat Hotteok has a mixed seeds filling: sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, peanuts and almonds. Ssiat Hotteok is also larger, thicker, crunchier, and less sweet than the common version. A wholesome street snack to munch!