Want to taste the authentic food culture of Seoul and not the tourist version? With a local insider to show you how to eat dak hanmari whole chicken soup, take you to two of Seoul’s meokjagolmok - alleys dedicated to a single dish - and the oldest market in Korea, where hundreds of years of culture are distilled into chaotically organized lanes, you’ll discover exactly that.

Try dishes like soondae (blood sausage) and tteokbokki (sticky rice rolls lavishly coated in a spicy sauce). At Euljiro Nogari Alley, join the locals in ice-cold beers and this alley’s signature dish: dried, then grilled pollock. Finally, you’ll go to a generations-old cafe for traditional tea like yum-cha and sweet rice cakes, the Korean symbol of hospitality to guests. 

Your host will lead the way on your food adventure in Jongno-gu, one of Seoul’s most central districts. But don’t let its high-profile location fool you - between futuristic edifices like the Dongdaemun Design Plaza are tiny alleyways packed with old-school cafes, and street eat joints.

You’ll explore Gwangjang Market, a cornucopia of fresh seafood, traditional produce, and stacks of mayak gimbap (rice rolls) piled high on almost every street food stall counter. Just a few streets away is Dak Hanmari Alley.

It’s a quick hop on the subway to Euljiro Nogari Alley, a curious street buzzing every night of the week with hipsters, grandparents, office workers, and students all fighting to nab a plastic chair and tiny table.