Seoul’s leading shopping destination, Myeong-dong is especially popular with foreigners. Not only can one find the famous department stores Lotte and Shinsegae, there are also cheap clothing and accessory stores lining every alley. Because of the high-quality, inexpensive cosmetic shops as well as affordably-priced popular brand-name fashion outlets, Myeongdong is the essential shopping destination for foreign tourists.

Besides the shopping, Myeong-dong offers an abundance of other attractions. One can also find Myeong-dong Cathedral, which has been designated Historic Site Number 258, as well as The Bank of Korea, a cultural property of national importance. Near Myeong-dong Central Post Office, there are many old Chinese restaurants and Korean restaurants where you can enjoy seafood stew and budae-jjigae (spicy sausage stew).

1. Baekje Samgyetang (Korean : Samgyetang)

They’ve been making chicken soup for 40 years the same way. They start with a young chicken and boil it with onions, leeks, ginseng, and Chinese dates. It is served with several varieties of Kimchi, pickled garlic and short rice. The broth is fantastic and the restaurant also serves a very popular roasted chicken.
- address: 50-11 Myeong-dong 2-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul
- phone: 02-776-3267

2. Geumgang Seokkeojjigae (Korean : Budae-jjigae )

This restaurant has specialized in budae-jjigae (spicy sausage stew) and seokkeo-jjigae. Seokkeo-jjigae is made by simmering squid and pork with a hot pepper paste-based sauce, and this restaurant’s variation also includes tofu, watercress, and mushrooms.
- address: 32-2 Myeong-dong 2-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul
- phone: 02-778-6625

3. Gogung (Korean : Bibimbap)

Go Gung has carried the honor of Korean customs for nearly 30 years with bibimbap in Jeonju. The traditional Jeonju bibimbap is eaten in a brass bowl. Rice made with bone soup is mixed and eaten with bean sprouts, meat sashimi, wild vegetables and nuts.
- address: 12-14 Chungmuro 2-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul
- phone: 02-776-3211
- website: http://www.gogung.co.kr

4. Gunsan Ojingeo (Korean)

Cuttlefish bulgogi is the best dish on the menu at this restaurant. The specialty is made with cuttlefish, a local type of parsley called dropwort, bean sprouts, and a hot and spicy red sauce. People who think it’s too spicy will enjoy the cabbage and boiled bean sprouts that come along with it. When the main dish is done, you can add some rice and some other seasonings to the remaining sauce.
- address: 25-26 Myeong-dong 2-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul
- phone: 02-773-9393

5. Hadonggwan (Korean : Gomtang)

This restaurant has currently become the place to go for gomtang (beef soup). Since opening in 1939, this restaurant has maintained its good reputation by focusing solely on making one kind of soup. To make the thick, delicious broth, they prepare a broth by boiling beef leg bone, and then boil the resulting pale broth again with a Korean-bred beef brisket, shank, and tripe. They are normally open until 4 pm, but should they run out of soup, they can even close as early as 1 or 2 pm. As a garnish, you can choose from beef shank, brisket, tripe, or brisket point to suit your taste.
- address: 10-4 Myeong-dong 1-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul
- phone: 02-776-5656
- website: http://www.hadongkwan.com

6. Jangsoo Bunsik (Korean)

The popular dish at this restaurant is the somewhat spicy Jeonju bean sprout soup with rice. In addition, their representative dish is hot stone pot udon made with generous helpings of about 30 different garnishes. One more popular dish is jangsusoba, buckwheat soba noodles served in the broth and topped with vegetables. In the summer, they boil and grind beans and make noodles by hand.
- address: 199-48 Euljiro 2-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul
- phone: 02-777-5974
- website: http://www.myjangsoo.com

7. Jangsu Galbijip Bonga (Korean : Galbi)

This galbi restaurant, which used to be very famous in Myeong-dong, was closed for a time, but they have recently reopened. Unlike most places, the galbi is grilled, not at the diner’s table, but in the kitchen, and then served on an iron plate. A very satisfying dining experience for the price.
- address: 25-45 Chungmuro 1-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul
- phone: 02-775-9292

8. Jeonju Junganghoegwan (Korean : Bibimbap)

The dish this restaurant is famous for is Jeonju bibimbap (rice mixed with vegetables). Rice made with beef broth made from leg bones is mixed with flavored soy bean paste and cooked in a pagodite pot until the rice on the bottom gets scorched, then it’s topped with various sauteed vegetables. In addition, they also offer various Korean dishes like grilled loin. This is a place where Japanese tourists visit quite often.
- address: 24-11 Chungmuro 1-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul
- phone: 02-776-3525
- website: http://www.jeonjoo.co.kr

9. Myeongdong Gyoja (Korean : Mandu)

This restaurant has been a landmark in Myeongdong for 30 years. The chicken broth, which they make from chicken bones simmered for 8 hours, is without equal. Their flavourful, garlicky kimchi is as popular as the knife-cut noodles. Rice and noodles are replenished as often as you like, and taste especially good with dumplings.
- address: 25-2 Myeong-dong 2-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul
- phone: 02-776-5348
- website: http://www.mdkj.co.kr

10. Myeongdong Haemultang (Korean : Haemultang)

This restaurant specializes in spicy seafood hotpot and agwitang (angler fish stew in a soybean paste broth). Another famous dish is called jobangnakji, made by pan-frying green onions, garlic, octopus, rice, leeks, sesame oil, and various seasonings.
- address: 32-8 Myeong-dong 2-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul
- phone: 02-755-3511

11. Myeongdong Halmaenakji (Korean : Nakji)

This place is famous for its tender and spicy roasted octopus roast is famous in this place. The secret to its taste is the wheat flour, soju, salt and sugar mixture that is rubbed on to a live octopus right before it is quickly roasted on a super-high temperature with pepper flakes and sliced garlic.
- address: 31-7 Myeong-dong 2-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul
- phone: 02-757-3353

12. Myeongdong Hamheung-myeonok (Korean : Hamheung Naengmyeon)

This is one of the most famous Ham Heung cold noodle restaurants in the city. Ham Heung noodles are cold and spicy, but the broth at this restaurant is thick and clear with a great taste. The restaurant adds a nice touch by putting thinly sliced raw meat on top of the noodles.
- address: 26-1 Myeong-dong 2-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul
- phone: 02-776-8430
- website: http://명동함흥면옥.com

13. Myeongdong Tonkatsu (Japanese)

For more than 20 years, this restaurant’s only dish, tonkatsu, has been a favorite among customers. Since opening in 1983, it has been famous for its consistently great-tasting tender meat.
- address: 59-13 Myeong-dong 1-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul
- phone: 02-776-5300

14. Myeongdong Ttarogukbap (Korean : Gukbap)

This restaurant serves authentic gukbap (beef soup with rice), which is made by boiling beef leg bones for 24 hours and then adding spices, beef, coagulated blood, and bean sprouts, resulting in a delicious authentic taste.
- address: 33-4 Myeong-dong 2-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul
- phone: 02-776-2455

15. Myeonghwadang (Korean)

With a long tradition of over 30 years, this restaurant is legendary for their gimbap (Korean seaweed rolls). In addition, they make fantastic topokki (a spicy stew of rice cakes and fish cakes) and bibim-jjolmyeon (cold wheat noodles served with vegetables in a spicy sauce). In the early days their menu was limited to just topokki and gimbap, but they have since added a variety of other dishes, such as dumplings and udon noodles. It is very satisfactory for the price.
- address: 55-3 Myeong-dong 2-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul
- phone: 02-777-7317

16. O’sulloc (Dessert/Tea)

This cafe makes a wide variety of things with green tea — beverages, cakes, cookies, ice cream, and bingsu (a sweet Korean treat of shaved ice topped with various ingredients). Their eco-friendly interior is a harmonious mix of East and West, traditional and contemporary, an suitable atmosphere for a contemporary, metropolitan tea house.
- address: 33-1 Myeong-dong 2-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul
- phone: 02-774-5460
- website: http://www.osulloc.co.kr

17. Ouga (Korean : Galbi)

This is a Korean barbecue restaurant that offers both pork and beef. They have a lot of vegetable side dishes, so it’s quite healthy. The rice is served in a bamboo container that you can take with you when you are done.
- address: 12-13 Chungmuro 2-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul
- phone: 02-753-7533

18. Ranjuramien (Chinese)

This restaurant has been a landmark in Myeongdong for 30 years. The chicken broth, which they make from chicken bones simmered for 8 hours, is without equal. Their flavourful, garlicky kimchi is as popular as the knife-cut noodles. Rice and noodles are replenished as often as you like, and taste especially good with dumplings.
- address: 25-2 Myeong-dong 2-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul
- phone: 02-776-5348

19. Tea Loft (Dessert/Tea)

This is a Korean dessert cafe, and their steamed rice cakes and squash latte are popular. You can choose from steamed rice cakes filled with red bean, squash, or moist pumpkin. These rice cakes goes really well with traditional Korean tea or coffee. The cafe is located on the 14th floor, which is accessed from the 13th floor by a private elevator. A Korean actor, Bae Yong Jun, who is very popular in Japan, has his own seat in the cafe, making it all the more popular with Japanese tourists.
- address: 1 Sogong-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul
- phone: 02-772-3996

20. Yeongyang Center (Korean)

Youngyang Centre, a fixture of the Myeong-dong area since 1962, was the first to introduce electric rotisserie chicken. At that time, this restaurant had branches here and there throughout Seoul, and this kind of chicken used to be eaten nationwide as a nutritious food. This restaurant is frequented by people who want to reminisce about the good old days. The chicken goes perfectly with beer. In summer, a good choice is samgyetang (chicken and ginseng soup).
- address: 25-32 Chungmuro 1-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul
- phone: 02-776-2015