Busan food guide — local Korean restaurants featured on a TV food show

Busan · Food · Local Guide

Busan on a Plate: 23 “Baekban Travelogue” Restaurants

The Busan eateries made famous by Korea’s beloved food show — what to order, where they are, and how to enjoy them like a local.

If you want to eat like a local, these Busan restaurants are a brilliant place to start. All 23 were featured on Sikgaek: Heo Young-man’s Baekban Travelogue (식객 허영만의 백반기행) — a much-loved Korean TV show in which Heo Young-man, the legendary comic artist behind Sikgaek (Le Grand Chef), travels the country eating humble, home-style “baekban” meals at the kind of family-run spots locals have treasured for decades.

Busan is Korea’s seafood and soup capital, and this list shows why: smoky pork-and-rice soup, chewy cold noodles invented right here, just-caught sashimi, sizzling beef ribs and old-school snacks. Below we’ve grouped all 23 by type of food, with each spot’s neighborhood, what to order, and a quick tip — so you can plan a delicious day (or three) around them.

First, What Is “Baekban Travelogue”?

A “baekban” (백반) is the classic Korean set meal: a bowl of rice, a hearty main, and a spread of side dishes (banchan) — simple, home-style, and usually inexpensive. On the show, Heo Young-man seeks out the unglamorous neighborhood places that do this everyday food exceptionally well. A feature on the program is a real badge of honor, so the spots below tend to be authentic, affordable, and loved by locals rather than polished tourist traps. Expect old tables, generous portions, and a lot of heart.

Dwaeji Gukbap — Busan’s Soul Food

Dwaeji gukbap (돼지국밥) is pork-and-rice soup: a milky, comforting broth with tender slices of pork, served with rice and a tray of condiments (salted shrimp, chives, and chili paste to season it your way). It’s the dish most associated with Busan, and the city argues happily about who makes it best.

Gamasot Dwaeji Gukbap (가마솥돼지국밥) — Yeongdo. Clean, refreshing broth; a solid first bowl on a Busan trip. Friendly to solo diners, with parking.
📍 Address (show a local): 부산광역시 영도구 남항시장길 350
Hapcheon Gukbapjip (합천국밥집) — Yongho-dong. A local favorite; the suyuk (sliced boiled pork) version is a treat. Tip: arrive before 11am to skip the queue, and there’s parking at the nearby Hanaro Mart.
📍 Address (show a local): 부산광역시 남구 용호로 235
Masan Sikdang (마산식당) — Busanjin-gu. Beloved for its melt-in-the-mouth suyuk. Casual, cash-friendly, solo-welcome.
📍 Address (show a local): 부산광역시 부산진구 자유평화로 19
Cheonghwabaek (청화백) — near Busan National University. Creamy “white” pork broth and full baekban sets. Note: closed Sundays, with a 3–5pm break.
📍 Address (show a local): 부산광역시 금정구 부곡로 142

Milmyeon & Cold Noodles

Milmyeon (밀면) is Busan’s own cold noodle dish — chewy wheat noodles in an icy, lightly sweet-and-tangy broth (or tossed spicy, “bibim” style). It was born here after the Korean War and is the perfect antidote to a humid Busan afternoon.

Naeho Naengmyeon (내호냉면) — Uam-dong (Nam-gu). Widely credited as the birthplace of milmyeon, this institution gets the seasoning and noodle texture just right. A piece of Busan food history in a bowl.
📍 Address (show a local): 부산광역시 남구 우암번영로26번길 17

Noodle & Comfort Bowls

Hoeguksu Halmae-jip (회국수할매집) — Seomyeon. Hoeguksu is noodles topped with seasoned raw fish — order the spicy “bibim” version. Casual and great for solo diners.
📍 Address (show a local): 부산광역시 부산진구 서면문화로 5
Wonjo 18-beon Wandang Balguksu (원조 18번 완당 발국수) — near Dong-A University. Try the balguksu (thick hand-pulled noodles) and wandang (delicate Busan-style wontons in clear broth). Excellent value.
📍 Address (show a local): 부산광역시 서구 구덕로238번길 6
Yennal Guksu-jip (옛날국수집) — Seo-gu. An old-school noodle house serving simple guksu and baekban. Takeout available.
📍 Address (show a local): 부산광역시 서구 까치고개로160번길 54

Seafood & Fresh Sashimi

With the sea on its doorstep, Busan does raw fish (hoe, 회) and seafood like nowhere else. Many of these spots are near the water in Gijang or on Yeongdo island.

Haedong Hoetjip (해동횟집) — Gijang. Famous for myeolchi ssambap (fresh anchovies to wrap in greens with rice) and raw anchovy. Sea views; reservations recommended.
📍 Address (show a local): 부산광역시 기장군 기장읍 기장해안로 603
Godeungeo Dajji (고등어다찌) — Yeonsan. Live godeungeo-hoe (raw mackerel) — a rare treat, since mackerel is hard to serve raw. Great with a drink; ask for it salted or seasoned.
📍 Address (show a local): 부산광역시 연제구 고분로31번길 42
Jossi-jip (조씨집) — Daeyeon. A wallet-friendly hoe jeongsik (sashimi set) with plenty of room for groups. Friendly owners.
📍 Address (show a local): 부산광역시 남구 진남로 7-11
Jukdo-jip (죽도집) — Gijang. A third-generation specialist in bada jangeo (sea eel) and anago-hoe (conger eel sashimi) — a Korean energy-boosting favorite. Reservations essential.
📍 Address (show a local): 부산광역시 기장군 기장읍 연화1길 215
Namhae Dalin Hoetjip (남해달인횟집) — Goejeong. Outstanding-value hoe baekban (sashimi set meal) — a full spread without the big-city price.
📍 Address (show a local): 부산광역시 사하구 사리로 56-1
Seonchang Galmi Jogae (선창갈미조개) — Myeongji. Galmi jogae (surf clams) and grilled shellfish, cooked at your table. Casual and crowd-pleasing.
📍 Address (show a local): 부산광역시 강서구 르노삼성대로 602
Ajeossi Daegutang (아저씨대구탕) — Haeundae. A clean, soothing daegutang (cod soup) with soft, flaky fish — and sea-squirt (meongge) on the side. Great hangover cure, solo-friendly.
📍 Address (show a local): 부산광역시 해운대구 달맞이길62번가길 31
Jungni Haenyeo-chon (중리해녀촌) — Yeongdo. Sashimi (try the benggedom, rock bream) at a “haenyeo” diving-women’s village by the sea — a uniquely local, daytime-drinking kind of spot.
📍 Address (show a local): 부산광역시 영도구 절영로 355

Grilled & Hearty Meats

Haeundae Amso Galbi-jip (해운대암소갈비집) — Haeundae. A Busan icon for amso galbi (female-cattle beef ribs). Order the saeng galbi (unmarinated) and finish with their famous potato noodles. A splurge worth it for a special meal; family-friendly with parking.
📍 Address (show a local): 부산광역시 해운대구 중동2로10번길 32-10
Yennal Omakjip (옛날오막집) — Dongdaesin-dong. Sizzling yang gopchang (grilled beef tripe and intestines) — a rich, smoky Korean favorite. Popular, so go a little early.
📍 Address (show a local): 부산광역시 서구 구덕로274번길 14
Cheongsachorong (청사초롱) — Geumjeong (near Geumjeong Mountain Fortress). Ori bulgogi (duck barbecue) in a roomy spot with a terrace — a restorative meal after a hike.
📍 Address (show a local): 부산광역시 금정구 산성로 447
Borim Tongdak (보림통닭) — Dong-gu. Old-school whole fried chicken (tongdak) and dak-doritang (spicy braised chicken) — a no-frills institution that’s pure comfort food with a cold beer.
📍 Address: not confirmed — search “보림통닭” on Naver or Kakao Map.

Local Soups & Snacks

Subok Center (수복센타) — Nampo-dong. A cozy old-school place for seuji (beef tendon) and seuji eomuk-tang (tendon-and-fishcake soup) — warming, savory, and very Busan. Kind owners; the restroom is basic, so be prepared.
📍 Address (show a local): 부산광역시 중구 남포길 25-3
Wonjo Seokdae Chueotang (원조석대추어탕) — Haeundae. Chueotang (ground-loach soup) simmered in a cauldron — clean, nourishing, and served with lovely side dishes like grilled hairtail. Family-friendly, with parking.
📍 Address (show a local): 부산광역시 해운대구 반송로571번길 5
Marathon-jip (마라톤집) — Seomyeon. A lively pub whose signature is a giant haemul-jeon (seafood pancake) nicknamed the “marathon.” Fun, buzzy, and made for sharing over drinks.
📍 Address (show a local): 부산광역시 부산진구 가야대로784번길 54

Tips for Foreign Visitors

Save the Korean names. Many of these are small, old-school places. Keep the Korean name above to show a taxi driver or to search on Naver Map or Kakao Map (Google Maps is unreliable for directions in Korea).
Bring a translation app. Menus are often Korean-only. A photo-translate app makes ordering easy, and pointing works fine too.
Cash and reservations. Some institutions prefer cash, and the seafood specialists (like Jukdo-jip and Haedong Hoetjip) are best booked ahead.
Eat hands-free. Busan’s best food is spread across the city, from Gijang to Yeongdo. If you’re coming from Seoul, send your bags ahead so you can hop off the KTX and head straight to lunch — see our guide to sending luggage from Seoul to Busan.

Eat Your Way Around Busan — Hands-Free

Don’t drag a suitcase from one gukbap shop to the next. We can deliver a new bag to your hotel or move your luggage across the city, so you can chase every dish on this list with empty hands.

Travel Busan Hands-Free →

FAQ: Eating in Busan

What is “Sikgaek: Heo Young-man’s Baekban Travelogue”?

It’s a popular Korean TV show in which Heo Young-man — the comic artist behind Sikgaek (Le Grand Chef) — travels Korea eating simple, home-style “baekban” meals at family-run local restaurants. Being featured is a real mark of quality, which is why these 23 Busan spots are worth seeking out.

What food is Busan famous for?

Three things above all: dwaeji gukbap (pork-and-rice soup), milmyeon (Busan’s chewy cold noodles), and incredibly fresh seafood and sashimi. The city’s coastal location means raw fish, eel, clams and fish soups are everywhere.

What exactly is dwaeji gukbap?

A warming soup of pork in a milky broth, served with rice and condiments you add to taste — salted shrimp (saeu-jeot), chili paste, chives and garlic. It’s hearty, cheap, and the dish most Busan locals would point a visitor toward first.

Do these restaurants have English menus?

Often not — many are small, traditional places. Bring a translation app for photo-translating menus, save the Korean names to search on Naver or Kakao Map, and don’t be shy about pointing. The welcome is usually warm.

Which Busan neighborhoods are best for food?

Seomyeon and Nampo-dong are central and packed with options; Haeundae pairs the beach with great seafood and beef; and Gijang and Yeongdo are where you go for the freshest catch by the water.

Plan Your Busan Food Trip the Easy Way

Hungry yet? Build a route through a few neighborhoods, go early to beat the queues, and pace yourself — these portions are generous. For more on the city, see our Busan travel guide and our first-timer’s Korea tips. And when you’re ready to roam Busan without your bags, Unboxing Korea can handle the luggage while you handle the gukbap. For official city info, the Visit Busan site is a handy companion.