Travelling on a budget makes you think twice of spending more for food. It might be the last thing on your budget list but it's quite impossible not to try local delicacies especially when you saunter at the night market of Myeongdong.
It's cheat day! You can't say no to the mouthwatering street food of Seoul. While all these are found in Myeongdong market, most of these are also found in some other parts of Seoul.
Here are the toothsome Korean delicacies yet most affordable for the hungry traveler on a budget.
Kimbap or Gimbap
₩5,000 - 8,000 (depends on the quantity)
It's a Korean trademark, something you can't miss even if you're not a rice-eater. This is an all in-one food pack that could include meat and vegetables aside from rice. It's neatly rolled in laver that's going to spice up your taste buds.
Fishcake (odeng / eumok)
₩1,000 - 2,000 per stick/serving
This is the ultimate Korean street food. It's everywhere and it's one of the most budget-friendly food that can surely satisfy the growling stomach. It's served in a stick soaked in a hot brew.
Korean-style Fried Chicken
₩5,000 - 6,000 per serving
Fried chicken has never been the same with this sweet and spicy treat, the Korean way! Sometimes it comes with rice cake (topokki) so it's as good as one full meal!
Rice cake (topokki)
₩3,000 - 4,000 per serving
It can be taken a la carte or as sidekick for any dish like chicken or your favorite ramen.
Seafood Ramen
₩6,000 - 7,000 per serving
This is perfect for the nippy weather. If you've been eating the packed instant ramen, this authentic Korean noodle topped up with a variety of seafood would make you think about eating instant noodles again.
Bibimbap
₩5,000 - 7,000 per serving
Hot rice bowl mixed with assorted greens and spicy sauce - perfect for a budget lunch!
Egg bread
₩3,000 per piece
Cheese Corn Dog
₩3,000 per piece
The all-time fave hotdog is wrapped in a dough with melted cheese inside. Since it's fried,some versions could get a little greasy but the cheese and hotdog could very well compensate the taste.
Seaweed
₩1,000 - 3, 000 per pack
Crispy Tempura
₩6,000
This breaded shrimp delight is an ultimate treat for the seafood lover.
Dumplings
₩5,000 - 6,000 per serving
Whether it's meat or vegie dumpling, it's the steamed ones that are truly delectable.
Nutella Banana/Strawberry Crepe
₩6,000 - 7,000
Not only that it looks good, it definitely is a rewarding treat for a sweet tooth! There is nothing better than chocolate taste and the sourish strawberries or the sweet banana filling colliding in your mouth.
Strawberry Mochi
₩2,000
Samgyeopsal
There are a lot of restaurants in Seoul that serve the all-time Korean fave, samgyeopsal. It's grilled pork belly that should be wrapped with lettuce and all other side dishes such as kimchi along with other spices and greens.
Galbi
The best tasting grilled ribs should be part of your food trip in Seoul. It's juicy and perfectly tender! If you are in a budget yet salivating for Korean taste, you should try the unlimited galbi. Buffet restaurants in Seoul are not gonna rip you off. They could definitely offer something more than what you paid for so trying at least one buffet meal would be worth it.
Kimchi
Kimchi is a classic in every Korean meal. It's more popular as a side dish but you can surely munch on them without the main dish.
Pork Stew
₩7,000 - 9, 000 per serving
It's not the tastiest dish there is but it is surely satisfying especially on rainy days or the cold spring nights of Seoul. It would make a good combo with any rice meal.
Triangle Kimbap
₩3,000-4,000
It's basically a to-go kimbap which you can usually get from convenience stores. When you're in a rush to go see some tourist spots and you're not sure if there would be food stalls in there, this should be your best buddy. What's special about this is how it's wrapped that you had to make sure you perform steps 1 to 3 in peeling the plastic pack so the laver won't shatter. Also, it comes in different flavors and spices. The red one is the tastiest.
Banana Milk
₩1,000 - 1,400
Literally, it's a kind of drink unlike the foodies mentioned above. As the name suggests, it does sound like it's full of nutrients so aside from the fact that it's a trademark drink of Korea, you definitely would need this to power up.
Fruit Juices
₩5,000 - 6,000
After all the carb loading and greasy street food binging, try detoxifying with these freshly squeezed juice in different fruity flavors like orange, pomegranate, cherry, mango, blackberry and a whole lot more!
Noodle Snack
₩1,000
Bonus! This snack food shouldn't really be part of the list but because munching it is uniquely enjoyable, I've included it here. It's a personal fave and I hope it's worth-sharing. You'd know once you try it. Somehow, it brings me a bit of nostalgia of my childhood years when I used to sneak out uncooked instant noodles just before my grandma would cook them and munch them secretly. But the taste of this snack is not even close to the instant noodles you know, trust me! *wink
Myeong-dong night market is overwhelming! It has a wide variety of street food along with beauty shops and boutiques. Your feet might numb before you could explore every nook and cranny of Myeong-dong.
Here are some other food stalls in Myeong-dong night market:
Disclaimer: I'm not a food blogger (that's why my photos are not that great) but I just thought that food would always be part of travelling especially when it's a strange land and culture you're exploring. Even if you're on a tight budget, never deprive yourself from trying out something delicious and indigenous. Eat some, travel more!
It's cheat day! You can't say no to the mouthwatering street food of Seoul. While all these are found in Myeongdong market, most of these are also found in some other parts of Seoul.
Here are the toothsome Korean delicacies yet most affordable for the hungry traveler on a budget.
Kimbap or Gimbap
₩5,000 - 8,000 (depends on the quantity)
It's a Korean trademark, something you can't miss even if you're not a rice-eater. This is an all in-one food pack that could include meat and vegetables aside from rice. It's neatly rolled in laver that's going to spice up your taste buds.
Fishcake (odeng / eumok)
₩1,000 - 2,000 per stick/serving
This is the ultimate Korean street food. It's everywhere and it's one of the most budget-friendly food that can surely satisfy the growling stomach. It's served in a stick soaked in a hot brew.
Korean-style Fried Chicken
₩5,000 - 6,000 per serving
Fried chicken has never been the same with this sweet and spicy treat, the Korean way! Sometimes it comes with rice cake (topokki) so it's as good as one full meal!
Rice cake (topokki)
₩3,000 - 4,000 per serving
It can be taken a la carte or as sidekick for any dish like chicken or your favorite ramen.
Seafood Ramen
₩6,000 - 7,000 per serving
This is perfect for the nippy weather. If you've been eating the packed instant ramen, this authentic Korean noodle topped up with a variety of seafood would make you think about eating instant noodles again.
Bibimbap
₩5,000 - 7,000 per serving
Hot rice bowl mixed with assorted greens and spicy sauce - perfect for a budget lunch!
Egg bread
₩3,000 per piece
 |
| Snack bites on-the-go? Grab an egg bread! It's protein and carb in one. Perfect when hot! |
Cheese Corn Dog
₩3,000 per piece
The all-time fave hotdog is wrapped in a dough with melted cheese inside. Since it's fried,some versions could get a little greasy but the cheese and hotdog could very well compensate the taste.
Seaweed
₩1,000 - 3, 000 per pack
Crispy and seasoned laver makes it a great match to your kimbap or simply as a crunchy snack. One stall in Myeong-dong sells the handmade version which is so crispy, fresh, and tasty. It's a must-try.
Crispy Tempura
₩6,000
This breaded shrimp delight is an ultimate treat for the seafood lover.
Dumplings
₩5,000 - 6,000 per serving
Whether it's meat or vegie dumpling, it's the steamed ones that are truly delectable.
Nutella Banana/Strawberry Crepe
₩6,000 - 7,000
Not only that it looks good, it definitely is a rewarding treat for a sweet tooth! There is nothing better than chocolate taste and the sourish strawberries or the sweet banana filling colliding in your mouth.
Strawberry Mochi
₩2,000
 |
| It's not just strawberry but chocolate layer inside the chewy mochi. |
Samgyeopsal
There are a lot of restaurants in Seoul that serve the all-time Korean fave, samgyeopsal. It's grilled pork belly that should be wrapped with lettuce and all other side dishes such as kimchi along with other spices and greens.
Galbi
The best tasting grilled ribs should be part of your food trip in Seoul. It's juicy and perfectly tender! If you are in a budget yet salivating for Korean taste, you should try the unlimited galbi. Buffet restaurants in Seoul are not gonna rip you off. They could definitely offer something more than what you paid for so trying at least one buffet meal would be worth it.
Kimchi
Kimchi is a classic in every Korean meal. It's more popular as a side dish but you can surely munch on them without the main dish.
Pork Stew
₩7,000 - 9, 000 per serving
It's not the tastiest dish there is but it is surely satisfying especially on rainy days or the cold spring nights of Seoul. It would make a good combo with any rice meal.
Triangle Kimbap
₩3,000-4,000
It's basically a to-go kimbap which you can usually get from convenience stores. When you're in a rush to go see some tourist spots and you're not sure if there would be food stalls in there, this should be your best buddy. What's special about this is how it's wrapped that you had to make sure you perform steps 1 to 3 in peeling the plastic pack so the laver won't shatter. Also, it comes in different flavors and spices. The red one is the tastiest.
Banana Milk
₩1,000 - 1,400
Literally, it's a kind of drink unlike the foodies mentioned above. As the name suggests, it does sound like it's full of nutrients so aside from the fact that it's a trademark drink of Korea, you definitely would need this to power up.
Fruit Juices
₩5,000 - 6,000
Noodle Snack
₩1,000
Bonus! This snack food shouldn't really be part of the list but because munching it is uniquely enjoyable, I've included it here. It's a personal fave and I hope it's worth-sharing. You'd know once you try it. Somehow, it brings me a bit of nostalgia of my childhood years when I used to sneak out uncooked instant noodles just before my grandma would cook them and munch them secretly. But the taste of this snack is not even close to the instant noodles you know, trust me! *wink
Myeong-dong night market is overwhelming! It has a wide variety of street food along with beauty shops and boutiques. Your feet might numb before you could explore every nook and cranny of Myeong-dong.
Here are some other food stalls in Myeong-dong night market:
Disclaimer: I'm not a food blogger (that's why my photos are not that great) but I just thought that food would always be part of travelling especially when it's a strange land and culture you're exploring. Even if you're on a tight budget, never deprive yourself from trying out something delicious and indigenous. Eat some, travel more!
Till our next laag!
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