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What you’ll do

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. 

  • Private experience, tailored to you

  • 4 hours

  • Matched to your ideal host

  • Walking tour (may use public transport)

  • Hosted in English (On request: Arabic, French, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Russian, Spanish)

  • Your hotel/apartment or any other central location

Experience outline

  • Join a local insider to eat your way around downtown Seoul, discovering the city’s authentic food scene
  • Visit the famous Namdaemun Market and immerse yourself in 600 years of Korean food culture
  • Try street eats like tteokbokki (sticky rice cakes), mung bean pancakes and mayak kimbap, seaweed-wrapped rolls stuffed with carrot, pickled daikon radish, and rice seasoned with sesame oil
  • Visit the food alley dedicated to grilled pollock and ice-cold beer - you won’t spot a tourist in sight!
  • Your host will take you to the food alley which specializes in whole chicken soup, and show you how it’s eaten
  • At a traditional tea house, sip tea and try sweet rice cakes - the ultimate symbol of Korean hospitality
  • Ask your host for their recommendations for where and what to eat during the rest of your trip

Things to know

What’s included

  • Private and personalised experience
  • 4 hours with a host
  • 2 - 3 samples of typical dishes and snacks at Namdaemun Market
  • A sharing dish from a local eatery in a food “town” of your choice
  • Walking experience
  • Meal (including food and drinks) at a Korean barbecue restaurant
  • Hotel meet-up (available on request for central location)

Meeting point

Your hotel/apartment or any other central location

What’s not included

  • Tickets to any attractions
  • Transportation costs
  • Gratuities (optional)

Cancellation

  • Cancel 14 days before the experience for a full refund
  • Worry-free cancellation terms: book with peace of mind knowing that you can cancel for free up to a day before the experience and receive a full refund.

Photos taken by our hosts and guests

Travelers having fun right now!

Travelers having fun right now!

Reviews

    Ben was perfect! He was engaging and kept us moving. He took us to Gwangjang market and surprised us with an impromptu walk along the stream. Our kids never complained once as he kept them entertained and taught us a lot about Korean culture, customs, and traditional foods. We visited Hongdae and had a very sweet ending with Sul-bing. This was the best tour, a great balance of food and fun! Cannot recommend enough!

    March 2024

    Hello u

    We had the pleasure of getting a food tour with Andrew during a long layover in Seoul. Such a great experience! He was very accommodating to having jet lagged kids and food allergies. We were able to get some history on Korea during our drive also. Besides him being knowledgeable, he was great to be around. I highly recommend!

    January 2024

    Lindsay S

    We had the pleasure of getting a food tour with Andrew during a long layover in Seoul. Such a great experience! He was very accommodating to having jet lagged kids and food allergies. We were able to get some history on Korea during our drive also. Besides him being knowledgeable, he was great to be around. I highly recommend!

    January 2024

    Lindsay S

    We had such a great day with Oki. So much fun and she looked after our big group really well. We learnt a lot from Oki about Korea.

    November 2023

    Emma A

See more reviews

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We’ll expertly match you to your best suited host based on your interests, personality and the experience vibe you’re after.

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