Seongsu Foodie Adventure: Salt Bread To Han Jung Sun

Join me for a Seongsu Foodie Adventure, eating all the must try eats from the BEST salt bread to super juicy fruit-filled chapssaltteok. It’s my first time in Korea, and today we are exploring one of Seoul’s trendiest shopping and cafe area – Seongsu-dong. Previously an industrial area filled with factories and warehouses, Seongsu-dong is now a revitalized hub for tasty treats, award-winning cafes, and delicious home cooking.

Seongsu-dong 성수동

It’s my first time in Korea, and I’m trying everything that you’ve all suggested I need to try in Seoul, from cafe hopping to trying everything in Gwangjang Market. I am most grateful for how much Dom and I share the same love for food. Our trips are basically us just chasing the best local eats, and this Seongsu-dong shopping trip was exactly that.

Previously an industrial area, the warehouses and facilities in the area have been converted to trendy coffee spots, organic eats, and event areas with a variety of limited pop-up events. You can find all the best shopping in the area, from Olive Young to NYUNYU, as well as amazing food that we’ve got to try today. It’s the perfect neighborhood to just spend a whole day exploring, eating, and shopping!

How To Get To Seongsu Dong

Seongsu-dong is a neighborhood on the northeast side of Seoul, about 9 km away from central Seoul. It’s quite accesible via public transportation, both by subway and by local buses. But, the easiest way to get to Seongsu is via the green Line 2 of the subway, exiting at Seongsu Station. You can also get here directly from Incheon Airport via the Airport Limousine Bus at Seongsu-dong.

Our Seongsu-dong Itinerary

Grandmother’s Recipe (8.5/10)

We started another day of foodie packed adventure by visiting a cute little restaurant called Grandma’s Recipe for breakfast. This quaint little place recreates Korean home cooking as meal sets for lunch and dinner. You all know how much I love my mom and my grandma’s recipes, so I was so excited to experience the traditional Korean meals here.

Right off the bat, I was super impressed with the side dishes. Right after ordering, our table was lined with salad, kimchi, anchovies, and spicy acorn jelly. Each of them packed a punch of flavor! But, each meal set also comes with its own little dishes of sides starting with a bowl each of seaweed soup and the smoothest pumpkin soup. The set is affordable and filling, and has just the right amount to try every flavor.

Dom ordered their specialty Mushroom Chive bibimbap with Bulgogi (14000 Won). The rice bowl comes with 3 different times of tofu, chopped chives, a chunk of spicy tofu, topped crispy garlic. Drizzle in some gochujang, mix it up, and you get a umami-packed bite with that addicting spiciness. Dom literally said it was one of the best bibimbap he has ever tried.

One thing about me is that if I ever see fish on the menu, I have to order it, no question asked. I definitely can’t pass up their grilled flounder combo. The skin of the fish was perfectly crispy and savory, but the fish itself is so tender and juicy. Wow, this was absolutely perfect.

This restaurant is exactly what simple home cooking is, and was absolutely delicious. Service was amazing – and incredibly fast. If you’re looking for simple, authentic flavors ant affordable prices, this is the restaurant for you. Grandmother’s recipe is open 11 am to 9 pm everyday. If you’re heading to the Seongsu-dong area, I absolutely recommend making a reservation online.

Lowide Coffee Bakery (8.5/10)

We checked out one of my absolute favorite cafes from this trip – Lowide Coffee Bakery. Oh my goodness, the pastries here are so delicious. I literally wanted to order everything because it all looks so yummy. All of the desserts and breads are baked in-house, and they all looked amazing. 

We had to start with their Creamy Stuffed Salt Bread, which was light, fluffy, and super soft. One thing about me – I can never say no to strawberry desserts. So of course, I had to get one of their berry scone and their strawberry pastry. 

They also had such fun drinks, like their matcha chocolate latte, which was deep, creamy, and chocolatey. There’s something about the matcha-chocolate combo that Korea really loves. We also go their summer ade, which was a strawberry-passion fruit drink that was tangy, refreshing, and full of real fruit.

Lowide was my favorite cafe this trip, and if you have a chance to come to Seoul, definitely come try their desserts! They’re open weekdays 10 am to 8 pm, and weekends from 11 am to 9 pm, and closed every 3rd Monday of the month.

Seoul Forest Park

To walk off our meal and or desserts, we took a little stroll in the beautiful Seoul Forest Park. Located in the middle of the Seongsu-dong area, this quiet forest is a refuge from the bustling shopping areas around the neighborhood. The park is filled with cherry and ginkgo trees, turning the park into a flutter of flowers in the spring and leaves in autumn. In fact, it’s a local favorite during cherry blossom season in spring.

Here at the park, we saw some cats the followed a man around for such a long time. Turns out, this person comes here everyday to feed them. It’s little things like this that just makes me love this park so much. This is an amazing place to take a walk and a pause after a big meal, just like we did!

Han Jung Sun (9/10)

While shopping in Seongsu-dong, we had to stop by Han Jung Sun just by the line. This little takeaway storefront sells chapssaltteok (찹쌀떡), Korea’s sticky rice cakes stuffed with fruit or other fillings. The beautifully wrapped treats are displayed like a little jewelry shop, and they range from 3500-5500 won each, with all sorts of flavors from Dubai Chocolate to Muscat.

Of course, we have to start with their signature – the fresh strawberry rice cake (4000 won). These stuffed chapssaltteok were insanely delicious – super soft and chewy. The moment you take a bite, the fresh fruit literally bursts into your mouth. The tartness of strawberries cut right through the subtle sweetness of the sticky rice.

It was so, so refreshing, we had to grab 2 more of the honey gold pineapple (4000 won) ones as well. I highly highly recommend getting at least two a person because one was definitely not enough. It’s the perfect little treat to take along with you as a shopping snack. So, if you’re shopping around Seongsu-dong, they’re open from 10:30 AM to 10:00 PM daily.

Jayeondo Sogeumppang (10/10)

Right around the corner is Jayeondo Sogeumppang, the famous salt bread in Seongsu you have to try. This to-go only bakery is known the only thing on their menu – the butteriest flakiest salt bread ever. There’s minimum purchase of one 4-pack (₩12,000) per order, but it’s so worth it, you might eat it all.

Of course, that quality flavor comes from quality ingredients. Here, they use premium Canadian wheat. certified fresh French butter, and flaky sea salt, which creates the softest, fluffiest interior with that perfectly crisp crust.

If you ever see the spot, run, don’t walk, because this might just be the best thing I have ever put in my mouth. In fact, this might taste better than any croissants I’ve ever had. There’s always a line, but it goes fast. In fact, we lined up twice ourselves. They open daily from 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM, and have bake fresh batches 6 times a day, so you’ll always have the freshest salt bread here.

Birch Coffee (10/10)

We took a little break at Birch Coffee, a spot that we randomly stumbled across. Wow, what a find! This modern coffee shop actually originated from New York, and this is their first flagship shop outside of US.

Of course, we had to try their Seoul exclusive birch blend cold brew.

Let me tell – you this was possibly one of the best cold brews we have ever had. It wasn’t acidic, but was nutty and full bodied. With a splash of their homemade sweet cream, it was cold brew perfection. Dom actually ended up getting two cups of this cold brew because it was that good.

The Seongsu-Dong location is CLOSED as of March 2025, but will reopen in a new location soon in Hannam.

KITH Treats Bar

We headed to KITH Seoul next for some shopping, but more importantly, for their treat bar’s Seoul exclusive flavor. The entire building is beautifully built, and packed full of KITH’s best designs. It has 4 floors, with a restaurant upstairs as well. This ice cream bar is located on the first floor of the KITH flagship store, one of the biggest KITH stores in the world.

KITH’s Treats Bar creates creative ice cream creations with cereal-inspired flavors and toppings. The location-exclusive flavors rotate based on seasonal ingredients, so you can find something new every few months. You can get one of their signature sundaes, which also comes with its own Seoul exclusive combos like Dalgona or Jolly Pong flavors. Or, create your own from scratch. We got the black sesame soy sauce ice cream, and it was actually so delicious! Creamy, with just the right amount of saltiness to enhance that rich, buttery black sesame flavor.

Marinated Raw Crab at Gebang Sikdang

I came back to Seongsu-dong take my mom to all these spots that we’ve explored before. For dinner, I really wanted to bring my mom and my sister to try Korean raw marinated crab for the very first time. So, we’re at Michelin-recommended Gebang Sikdang, which truly lives up to all the hype. This time, we’re at their Seongsu location, which ended up being the perfect spot to unwind after a full day of walking and shopping.

Their signature dish is, of course, their raw Soy Marinated crab(₩36000 or about $25). All their set menus come with rotating selections of seasonal bonchan Everything tastes clean, balanced, and incredibly fresh. The crab itself is glossy, sweet, salty, and unbelievably creamy. The moment you take your first bite, you instantly understand why people say this place serves some of the best crab in Soul. The meat is tender and rich, and when you mix it with their hot rice. Honestly, it feels like a reward. 

If you’re like Dom and don’t like dealing with shells, don’t worry. They also have a crab roe bibimbap that’s equally delicious and way less work. We also tried their soba noodle crab roe bowl, which is super refreshing, nutty, and savory all at once. This is definitely a must-try in Seoul! Just make sure to book a reservation since it is very, very popular. But trust me, it is definitely worth the visit.

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