What To Eat In Jeju

Jeju is famous for its stunning beaches and volcanic landscape, but it's also known for its cuisine. Being an island makes Jeju a great place to sample fresh seafood, and let's not forget about its delicious black pork.

Black Pork Barbecue (흑돼지고기)

So if you've spent some time in Korea you'll know that one of the most popular dishes for tourists and locals alike is Korean barbecue, in particular Samgyeopsal (삼겹살). This cut of meat is well-loved thanks to its layers of meat and fat which make it juicy and tasty once grilled. Jeju black pork (heukdwaeji, 흑돼지) gets its name quite simply due to the fact this the breed of pig is native to the island and it has black fur. It is said that the meat is quite unique and has a different appearance, taste and texture. Some say it is more 'meaty' in flavour and always has a chewier texture, whilst others find it hard to tell the difference between black pork and ordinary pork. However, what they can agree on is that it is delicious.

It's not hard to find a restaurant that sells this regional dish and there is even a 'Black Pork Street' in Jeju City. There are two black pork barbecue restaurants that I visited during my stay in Jeju and I can highly recommend both of them. The first restaurant I visited was in Aewol between Aewol Café Street and Gwakji Beach.

Goijeong Aewol Black Pork Bori Straw Fire Grill

Address: 2457-1, Aewol-ri, Aewol-eup, Jeju-si, Jeju-do

The restaurant was easy to find as it was on the main road and not far from a bus stop. The interior was modern and very clean, and staff were very friendly and provided good service. The menu is typical of most Korean barbecue restaurants but you do have to order soups like dwaenjang-jiggae or kimchi-jiggae separately. Whilst it's uncommon to see Koreans eat at a barbecue restaurant alone, it's some that us solo travellers have to do quite often! I mention this because not all barbecue restaurants serve individual portions, but this restaurant does offer 200g of meat on their menu which is generally the amount that is appropriate for an individual serving, so this is another plus!

The second restaurant I visited is in Seogwipo.

Daeyun Black Pork Seogwipo Olle Sijang Branch

Address: 306-4, Seogwi-dong, Seogwipo-si, Jeju-do

Again, the restaurant was quite easy to find and close to a bus stop. It's a large restaurant which is modern and clean. I also chose this restaurant not only because it already had some good reviews, but because it also offers a 200g serving of meat. Like the other restaurant I mentioned, you do need to order any soups separately, but all other side dishes are provided, including lettuce for wraps. Staff were very kind and friendly which made me feel at ease even though it can be a little nerve-racking eating alone sometimes.

Pork noodles (돼지국수)

Another must-try regional dish whilst in Jeju is pork noodles (dwaeji-guksu, 돼지국수). This particular dish consists of slice boiled pork served with noodles and vegetables, including carrots, spring onions and bean sprouts, in a savoury broth. It is a hearty and warming dish and tastes even better if you dip the pork slices into soy bean paste (ssamjang, 쌈), or add some kimchi.

If you'd like to give this dish a try and you are in Aewol, I recommend that you visit this restaurant:

Handam Noodles Gwakji Aewol Branch

Address: 2482-11, Aewol-ri, Aewol-eup, Jeju-si, Jeju-do

It's a small restaurant but it's easy to find as it's on the main road and close to a bus stop. It seems like a popular and has some good review, and rightly so because the food was delicious. There are three main dishes to choose from, including the dwaeji-guksu, bibim-guksu and gukbap, and there is a small side menu which includes dumblings and deokgalbi. The side dishes can be found at the self-service bar so you can choose what you would like and how much. Staff where very friendly and the food was served quickly, and of course it was really delicious.

Abalone porridge (전복죽)

On to seafood now and if you know a lot about this kind of food you've probably heard about abalone (jeonbok, 전복). Originally a dish reserved only for royalty, abalone is considered not only a delicacy but a health food. Across Korea it can be found as an addition to several dishes, such as the nutritious ginseng and chicken soup known as Samgyetang (삼계탕) for example.

In Jeju there are several dishes that incorporate abalone, and perhaps one of the most well-known is abalone porridge (jeonbok-juk, 전복죽). The name might appear a little confusing as to most Westerners, porridge is made from oats and something that we usually eat for breakfast. In Korea, porridge is made from rice to which vegetables, meat and or seafood can be added. I guess you could say that it shares some similarities with risotto. Korean porridge is generally considered to be a health food and is often eaten when a person is ill because it is easy to eat and digest. With the addition of a high quality ingredient like abalone it becomes even more nutritious.

There are many places you can try Jeonbok-guk, but if you're in Seogwipo I recommend that you try it here.

Seogwipo Meat Noodle Soup

Address: 30-1, Seogwi-dong, Seogwipo-si, Jeju-do

The restaurant is quite small and kind of tucked away behind the main food street that runs along the sea front. It was very quiet but I liked that it was a restaurant that seems more popular with locals. The owner was kind and he changed the language to English on the order screen at the table. This is great if you don't speak Korean or you're not very confident. Aside from the dishes or drinks you order on the order screen, everything else is self-service which includes water and side dishes. The food seemed to be freshly cooked and tasted even better with some kimchi.

Abalone hot stone pot rice (전복돌솥밥)

This is a very simple but delicious dish and it's definitely worth trying when in Jeju. This dish gets its name from how it is cooked and quite simply it is rice cooked in an earthenware pot which retains its heat and at the bottom creates scorched rice. This dish was accompanied by abalone but there are many variations and ingredients that can be added. Usually, once you have finished the rice, you can add some water to the bowl and leave it for a few minutes until it makes a scorched rice soup.

I tried this dish in a restaurant in Aewol which is very close to the Aewol Café Street.

Aewol Eunhye Abalone Jeju Aewol Main Branch

Address: 2528, Aewol-ri, Aewol-eup, Jeju-si, Jeju-do

This restaurant also serves abalone porridge, seafood ramyeon and a variety of other seafood dishes, but I decided to try the rice dish. The restaurant is just a short walk from the bus stop and is so close to the seafront and cafes. It's fairly large and modern and you can also use the order screen to place your order and pay at your table. Staff are kind and welcoming and they serve side dishes immediately after you've placed your order. I liked the abalone with rice but in my opinion it is a very mild dish so can be a little plain, so for me the side dishes were a very important addition to the meal. I really liked the variety of side dishes served at this restaurant and they weren't too spicy.

Abalone Gimbap (전복김밥)

Gimbap is a popular snack in Korea and these days there are so many variations. Of course, with abalone being an ingredient that is synonymous with Jeju Island, there is in fact a restaurant that sells abalone gimbap. There is one brand that is particularly famous for this so I was eager to try it, and there are a few branches around the island, but I chose to visit the branch in Jeju City.

Jeju Gimmanbok Gimbap Main Branch

Address: 2250-1, Ora Sam-dong, Jeju-si, Jeju-do

This branch is actually pretty close to the airport and as it's a main branch it's quite large with a lot of seating space. You can order at the counter or at the order screen at the front of the store. Looking at the menu, you'll see that there are a variety of dishes available aside from gimbap. What I noticed is that each dish seems to have a unique twist. For example, as green tangerines are common in Jeju, they have a green tangerine soba dish as well as raw salmon gimbap with green tangerine mayo. Overall, I think it's a fun and slightly quirky menu.

The signature dish is the abalone gimbap which is served with a slice of egg in the centre. Whilst I liked the dish, I think it reminded me a lot of the flavours in the abalone stone pot rice dish so the taste was very mild and perhaps a little plain. But luckily, the egg added some moisture and flavour to it, and you can always dip it into the soy sauce. So why not try it for yourself and see what you think?

Seafood Ramyeon (해물라면)

As I mentioned, Jeju is well-known for its fresh, local seafood so unless you don't eat seafood, you must try it when you visit the island. One dish that I really enjoyed was seafood ramyeon which I tried in Seogwipo.

Jeju Got Seogwipo Seafood Ramyeon

Address: 280-3, Donghong-dong, Seogwipo-si, Jeju-do

This restaurant is in a great location as it's located directly at the top of the steps you climb after exiting from Jeongbang Waterfall. It's a small restaurant but it is clean and modern inside and has a great view of the sea. The restaurant specialises in seafood so there are several seafood dishes to choose from, but I chose the seafood ramyeon that had shellfish, including mussels and scallops. Honestly, I have quite a low tolerance of spicy food (I've improved since I've been in Korea, but still...) so I asked if they would make it mild and I was so pleased that they did! The flavour from the broth was tasty and the seafood was cooked well. Eating hot food on a hot day may seem counterproductive but I realised that it was exactly what I needed.