Seoul's 100 best tables: 25 are new, and DDP is the stage

Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) has published its yearly list of 100 restaurants, bars and cafés. This year the week of food events around the list moves to Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP). If you're in Seoul for a concert or comeback week in late October, these are the dates to plan your meals around.

What is the 2026 Seoul Gourmet 100, and when is Gourmet Week at DDP?

The 2026 Seoul Gourmet 100 (Korean: 2026 서울미식 100선; English brand name: 100 Taste of Seoul 2026) is SMG's official yearly list of 100 places to eat and drink, chosen by a panel of food experts. The Korea Times reported the list on October 6, 2026 . The festival that goes with it, Seoul Gourmet Week (Taste of Seoul 2026), runs from Friday, October 23 to Thursday, October 29, 2026. It takes place at DDP and at other locations across Seoul (source: Seoul Metropolitan Government, 2026-10).

Quick Answer: The 2026 Seoul Gourmet 100 is Seoul's official list of 100 places to eat and drink in 7 categories, and 25 of them are new this year. The city published it on October 6, 2026. Gourmet Week runs October 23–29 at Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) and at other spots around Seoul.

The list covers 100 establishments in seven categories, and 25 of them are new this year , according to The Korea Times. The program started in 2020 as a yearly food tourism project to promote Seoul's food culture . The official event site says the full English list is available from October 6 (source: Taste of Seoul, 2026-10).

The location is the biggest change from last year. Taste of Seoul 2025 ran from October 27 to November 2, 2025, on Nodeul Island and in other parts of the city (source: SMG English portal, 2025-10). For 2026, SMG has made DDP in Dongdaemun the main venue, with programs at other locations around the city . DDP is also a regular venue for fashion shows and pop-up stores.

Sixty domestic food experts chose the list , according to Seoul Media Hub. The panel included:

• Food journalists
• Culinary travel experts
• Academic researchers
• Professional chefs
• Tourism professionals

The English introduction on the official event site describes the panel as "Korean and international" experts. SMG's press release says "domestic," and this article uses the press release wording.

"Seoul's cuisine is a top-tier travel experience created by the harmony of its neighborhoods, alleys, people and culture," — Cho Seong-ho, Director General of the Tourism and Sports Bureau, Seoul Metropolitan Government (source: The Korea Times)

Detailed schedules and sign-up instructions for Gourmet Week will be posted in stages on the official website and its Instagram account. As of mid-October, no 2026 ticket prices or session times had been confirmed.

How were the 100 chosen, and what is the category breakdown?

A panel of 60 Korean food experts chose the 2026 Seoul Gourmet 100. The panel included food journalists, culinary travel experts, academic researchers, professional chefs and tourism professionals . Their recommendations produced 100 establishments in seven categories. Korean is the largest category with 27 places, and 25 of the 100 are new this year (source: The Korea Times, 2026-10) .

The Korean-language press release from the Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) explains the method. Each expert recommended three places in each of the seven categories, for 21 picks per person. The picks were scored with extra weight for higher ranks. Final selections were then made on three criteria: globality, expertise and buzz (세계성·전문성·화제성) (source: Seoul Metropolitan Government, 2026-10) . The sources differ on one point. The English introduction on the official Taste of Seoul website calls the panel "60 Korean and international food experts" (Taste of Seoul). The SMG releases describe the panel as domestic, so this article follows the releases.

The figures in the table come from SMG's announcement, which Seoul's official news outlet repeated (source: Seoul Media Hub, 2026-10) . The Grill category is where Korean barbecue restaurants appear. The Vegetarian category has eight places, the same number as Bar & Pub. For a K-culture visitor, that means plant-based tables are part of the official selection, not something to find separately.

SMG started the list in 2020 as an annual food tourism program . The panel has grown over time. The 2025 edition used 60 experts, up from 45 the year before, and the 2026 edition kept the panel at 60 (source: Seoul Metropolitan Government, 2025-10) .

Spelling matters when you look up a venue. The same restaurant can be romanized differently in the SMG release, in press coverage and on map apps. This guide uses the English spellings on the official Taste of Seoul restaurant list. For example, the list gives Mingles and Myeon Seoul in Gangnam-gu, La Yeon and Seoryung in Jung-gu, and Leebukbang in Mapo-gu (source: Taste of Seoul official list) . If a name doesn't come up on a map app, try the Hangul name from the SMG release. The official site also links the list to Naver Map, Kakao Map, Catch Table and Google Maps (Taste of Seoul).

Which 25 places are new this year?

Twenty-five of the 100 places in the 2026 list are new this year . The Seoul Metropolitan Government's Korean-language release and the press coverage name 17 of them. Those 17 cover six of the seven categories: Korean, Asian, Western, Grill, Vegetarian, and Bar & Pub (source: Seoul Metropolitan Government, 2026-10; The Korea Times, 2026-10). The other eight new entries are not named in the sources we reviewed. For the complete set, check the official list at tasteofseoul.visitseoul.net.

The table below lists the 17 named new entries by category. Where the official English list gives a district, we include it . Several names are romanized differently from one source to another. If a map app can't find an English spelling, search the Hangul name from the SMG release instead (source: Creatrip, 2026-10).

The sources reviewed don't give addresses, opening hours or signature dishes for these new entries. Get those details from each venue's own listing or from the official site before you go. The official site connects the curated list to Naver Map, Kakao Map, Catch Table and Google Maps (source: Taste of Seoul, 2026-10). For booking, Catch Table is the most practical of these. Map searches that only say "Seoul" can return branches with similar names, so compare the district shown in the result with the official list.

The list also includes several familiar names alongside the new ones. In its October 6, 2026 report, the Korea Times highlighted Mingles in Gangnam, La Yeon in Jung District, Wooraeok on Eulji-ro, Nudake near Dosan Park and Onion in Seongsu-dong . None of these five appears among the new entries named in the SMG release. Wooraeok is the closest to DDP, and if you plan a visit around Gourmet Week, it's the simplest one to add.

📍 View Wooraeok (Eulji-ro) on Google Maps

What is happening at DDP during Gourmet Week, Oct 23–29?

From Friday, October 23 to Thursday, October 29, 2026, the Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) is running Taste of Seoul 2026, also called Seoul Gourmet Week. DDP is the main stage, and some events take place elsewhere in the city . SMG's release names four programs that both residents and tourists can join. Detailed schedules are being released in stages, so check the official site before you plan a day around one session (source: Seoul Metropolitan Government, 2026-10).

The four programs in SMG's announcement are below :

• Seoul Restaurant Week: a program linked to restaurants across the city.
• Seoul Gourmet Market: a market-format program.
• Seoul Gourmet Tours: guided food tours.
• Seoul Gourmet Workshops: hands-on or talk-style sessions.

These descriptions only go as far as the program names. SMG has not yet said which events happen inside DDP and which happen at venues around the city. Creatrip's English summary lists the same four programs .

The official Taste of Seoul website has more than these four. It also has sections for a Seoul Culinary Class, the Seoul Culinary Awards and a Seoul BBQ Festival . The site also links the 100 Taste of Seoul list on Naver Map, Kakao Map, Catch Table and Google Maps. That makes it the easiest way to save the restaurants before you arrive.

Several key details had not been published as of this writing:

• Ticket or entry prices for any 2026 program
• Session times and daily schedules
• Which of the 100 restaurants are taking part in Restaurant Week, and what set menus they will offer

SMG says schedules and sign-up steps will appear in stages on tasteofseoul.visitseoul.net and the event's official Instagram account . If a workshop or tour interests you, check both channels during the week before October 23. Spots may require advance sign-up.

Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) | Event venue

DDP is the curved, silver-clad complex in Dongdaemun. In 2026 it is the main venue for Gourmet Week, replacing last year's setup, which was centered on Nodeul Island . Gourmet Week may not be the only event there. Press coverage suggests Seoul Design Week is also using DDP in October, and that its DDP Design Market runs October 23–25, the first three days of Gourmet Week. That overlap appeared only in early search results and should be checked before you rely on it.

📋 Taste of Seoul 2026 main venue · Oct 23–29, 2026 · Gourmet Week programs (see official site for schedule)

💡 If the Design Market overlap is confirmed, the opening weekend (Oct 23–25) will likely be the busiest. Weekday visits from October 26 to 29 should be calmer for the market and workshops. Wooraeok on Eulji-ro is close enough to pair with a DDP visit.

📍 281 Eulji-ro, Jung District, Seoul
🕒 Daily 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
⭐ 4.4 (32,151 reviews)
📞 02-2153-0000
🔗 View on Google Maps

How do you plan a 3-day route through the list around DDP?

A 3-day route through the 100 Taste of Seoul 2026 list works best with DDP as the base. Spend day one at Dongdaemun and in the old city, day two in Gangnam and day three in Seongsu and Mapo. Gourmet Week runs from Friday, October 23 to Thursday, October 29, 2026 , so a Friday-to-Sunday trip covers the opening weekend. The plan below uses only places on the official list. It gives each day one main meal, one transit leg and one break, so a single booking falling through doesn't sink the day.

Many of the Korean and Western picks are fine-dining rooms, and these often take bookings only. The official site links its list to Naver Map, Kakao Map, Catch Table and Google Maps . Check booking status there before you lock in a day. The sources reviewed do not give opening hours or addresses for these venues, so confirm both on those apps. On the fan side, none of our sources confirm a pop-up or fan-culture event near these stops for October 2026. Check artist and agency channels for Seongsu or Gangnam pop-ups closer to your dates rather than relying on this plan for that.

Day 1 starts at DDP. Dongdaemun History & Culture Park station is right next to the plaza. Spend the afternoon at the market or a workshop. Detailed schedules and sign-up steps will be posted on the Gourmet Week website and its Instagram . In the evening, head west into Jung-gu for dinner.

Seoryung | Korean restaurant

Seoryung is one of the new entries in the Korean category for 2026 . The official site lists it in Jung-gu , which makes it a short trip from DDP on opening night.

📋 Jung-gu · Korean category · new in 2026

💡 Opening night will likely be busy. Book ahead and keep La Yeon as your backup.

📍 South Korea, Seoul, Jung District, Sowol-ro, 10, Danam Tower, 1층
🕒 Daily 11:00 AM – 9:30 PM
⭐ 4.5 (533 reviews)
📞 010-3474-8766
🔗 View on Google Maps

La Yeon | Korean restaurant

The Korea Times named La Yeon in Jung District among the list's well-known picks . It returns in the Korean category this year . It is the more formal of the two first-night options.

📋 Jung-gu · Korean category

💡 Check Catch Table or Naver Map for open dinner slots before Friday.

📍 South Korea, Seoul, Jung District, 장충동 Dongho-ro, 249, THE SHILLA Seoul, 23층
🕒 Daily 12:00 – 2:30 PM, 5:30 – 9:30 PM
⭐ 4.5 (809 reviews)
📞 02-2230-3367
🔗 View on Google Maps

Day 2 is a south-of-the-river day. Take the subway from DDP to Gangnam-gu, where four of the Korean-category entries are listed . Use Naver Map or Kakao Map to plan the transfer. Pick one of these for your main meal and stop at Dosan Park in the afternoon.

Myeon Seoul | Korean restaurant

Myeon Seoul is new to the 2026 list and is listed in Gangnam-gu . Sancho, also new and also in Gangnam-gu, works as an alternative on the same day.

📋 Gangnam-gu · Korean category · new in 2026

💡 Book a lunch slot so the evening stays free for Mingles or Kwonsooksoo.

📍 805 Seolleung-ro, Gangnam District, Seoul
🕒 Monday–Friday 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM, 5:00 – 10:00 PM / Saturday 10:30 AM – 10:00 PM / Sunday Closed
⭐ 4.4 (217 reviews)
📞 050-70091-8131
🔗 View on Google Maps

Mingles | Korean restaurant

The Korea Times highlighted Mingles in Gangnam as one of the list's best-known names . Kwonsooksoo, also in Gangnam-gu, is the other Korean-category dinner option nearby .

📋 Gangnam-gu · Korean category

💡 Expect to need a booking. Check Catch Table well before the weekend.

📍 South Korea, Seoul, Gangnam District, Dosan-daero 67-gil, 19 힐탑빌딩 2층
🕒 Monday Closed / Tuesday–Saturday 12:00 – 3:00 PM, 6:00 – 10:00 PM / Sunday Closed
⭐ 4.5 (880 reviews)
📞 02-515-7306
🔗 View on Google Maps

Nudake | Café

The Korea Times listed Nudake at Dosan Park among the list's notable picks . It is the afternoon break on the Gangnam day, between lunch and dinner.

📋 Dosan Park area

💡 Go mid-afternoon so the stop doesn't run into your dinner booking.

📍 50 Apgujeong-ro 46-gil, Gangnam District, Seoul
🕒 Daily 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
⭐ 4.3 (724 reviews)
📞 070-4128-2125
🔗 View on Google Maps

Day 3 is about younger neighbourhoods. Start in Seongsu-dong in the morning, cross to Mapo-gu for dinner and finish with a Bar & Pub pick.

Onion | Café

The Korea Times named Onion in Seongsu-dong among the list's well-known picks . It is a gentle way to start the last day.

📋 Seongsu-dong

💡 Arrive early on Sunday, before the neighbourhood fills up.

📍 5 Gyedong-gil, Jongno District, Seoul
🕒 Monday–Friday 7:00 AM – 10:00 PM / Saturday–Sunday 9:00 AM – 10:00 PM
⭐ 4.2 (4,698 reviews)
📞 070-7543-2123
🔗 View on Google Maps

Leebukbang | Korean restaurant

Leebukbang is a new Korean-category entry for 2026 . The official site lists it in Mapo-gu , and it is the main meal on day three.

📋 Mapo-gu · Korean category · new in 2026

💡 Plan the transfer from Seongsu to Mapo on Kakao Map, and check booking status beforehand.

📍 16 Mapo-daero 1-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul
🕒 Monday 12:00 – 2:30 PM, 5:00 – 9:30 PM / Tuesday 12:30 – 2:30 PM, 5:00 – 9:30 PM / Wednesday–Thursday 7:00 – 9:00 PM / Friday 12:00 – 2:30 PM, 7:00 – 9:00 PM / Saturday–Sunday 12:30 – 2:30 PM, 5:00 – 9:30 PM
⭐ 4.6 (67 reviews)
📞 050-71421-2347
🔗 View on Google Maps

Baekgom Makgeolli | Bar & pub

Baekgom Makgeolli (백곰막걸리) is a new Bar & Pub entry this year . It ends the trip on Korean rice wine. The sources reviewed don't give its district, so check its location on the official list before you plan your last subway leg.

📋 Bar & Pub category · new in 2026

💡 If it is far from Mapo, choose another Bar & Pub entry from the official list.

📍 아현시장 (Ahyeon Market, 346-35 아현동 마포구 서울특별시 South Korea
⭐ 5 (773 reviews)
📞 010-4213-4413
🔗 View on Google Maps

What should you budget, and how do you book and navigate?

Plan your Gourmet Week budget by spending tier, not by a fixed figure. None of the sources reviewed list 2026 prices for any venue on the list, so check each restaurant's own listing before you go. The quickest way to do that is through the map and reservation apps linked from the official Taste of Seoul site, which also carries the Gourmet Week schedules for October 23–29, 2026 .

The 100 venues are split across seven categories, so price levels on the list vary a lot . These tiers are a way to plan your days, not price quotes:

• Fine dining (highest tier): chef-led tasting-menu restaurants such as Mingles in Gangnam and La Yeon in Jung District . Most trips only have room for one of these meals, so build the rest of the day around it.
• Casual Korean and grill (middle tier): noodle houses, Korean restaurants and the 10 Grill entries . These suit lunch on any day of the route.
• Café, dessert and bar stops (lowest tier per visit): the 9 Café & Dessert and 8 Bar & Pub entries . They are short stops between meals, but several in one day can add up.

Set aside a separate amount for DDP programs too. Ticket prices for the Seoul Gourmet Market, Tours and Workshops had not been published in the sources reviewed, and the city says details will come out on the official site .

Booking and navigation. The official Gourmet Week site links the curated list to Naver Map, Kakao Map, Catch Table and Google Maps . Each one is useful for something different:

• Catch Table for reservations. Book the fine-dining meal first, then plan the casual stops around it.
• Naver Map or Kakao Map for walking and subway directions in Seoul. Their local route data tends to be more detailed than Google's.
• Google Maps to save the list in a familiar interface before you land.
• The official English restaurant list to check spellings. Romanizations differ between sources, so search by the official spelling or by the Korean name.

For program sign-ups, check the Gourmet Week website and its official Instagram. According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government release, detailed schedules and sign-up instructions for tours and workshops will be released in stages . Check again in the week before October 23, because sessions with limited places may open on short notice.

Seasonal and packing notes. Late October in Seoul usually means cool mornings and evenings and milder afternoons. Pack for a full day that runs from a morning market to a late bar stop:

• Layers you can put on and take off, such as a light jacket over a knit, for the change between heated restaurants and the evening air.
• Comfortable shoes. DDP's grounds take a lot of walking, and popular venues and market stalls can have queues.
• A compact umbrella in case it rains between outdoor DDP programs.
• A portable battery, since you will be using map and booking apps all day.

Expect DDP to be busy during the first days of Gourmet Week. Press coverage says Seoul Design Week also uses the venue in October, so give yourself extra time when you arrive.

What is the new Seoul Café & Dessert 50, and how does it differ from the main 100?

The Seoul Café & Dessert 50 (서울 카페·디저트 50선) is a new list from the Seoul Metropolitan Government. It is separate from the 100 Taste of Seoul, and 2026 is the first year the city has published it . It is not part of the main 100. The 100 Taste of Seoul has its own Café & Dessert category with 9 places, and the 50 is a different list that sits next to it . If you are planning coffee and dessert stops, check both lists.

According to Seoul's Media Hub, the city used four criteria to choose the 50 :

• Drinks and desserts: the quality of what is served.
• The space: what it is like to sit and spend time there.
• Popularity: how widely the public already knows and visits the place.
• Access for international visitors: how easy it is for people from abroad to find and use.

The main 100 was chosen differently. Sixty experts each recommended places across seven categories, and the picks were then weighed for globality, expertise and buzz . Because the 50 also counts public popularity and how easy a place is for visitors, it reads more like a list of practical stops for travellers. The 9 Café & Dessert places in the 100 come out of the same expert vote as the restaurants. The Korea Times named Nudake (Dosan Park) and Onion (Seongsu-dong) among the well-known places in this year's 100 . Before you go, check which list a café belongs to on the official Taste of Seoul list.

On a 3-day route, a café works well as a break between lunch and dinner. Some ways to fit one in:

• After a long lunch: look for a Café & Dessert 50 entry in the same district as your lunch, so you walk there instead of taking the subway again.
• Before an evening at DDP: sit somewhere for an hour before the Gourmet Week programs, which run October 23–29 .
• On a quiet day: use it in place of a third full meal, especially if a tasting-menu dinner is booked.

The Gourmet Week website says the curated list is available on Naver Map, Kakao Map, Catch Table and Google Maps . Save it in one of those apps to find cafés near where you are. Creatrip notes that program schedules and sign-up details are being released in stages . Check the official site again before you leave.

To sum up: book meals from the 100, and choose café breaks from both the 9 Café & Dessert places in the 100 and the new 50. Plan each day around DDP between October 23 and October 29, 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

When and where is Seoul Gourmet Week 2026?

Seoul Gourmet Week 2026, with the English name Taste of Seoul 2026, runs from Friday, October 23 to Thursday, October 29, 2026. The main venue is Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP), and other events take place at locations across Seoul . The 2025 edition was held on Nodeul Island, so 2026 is the first year DDP is the main venue (source: Seoul Metropolitan Government, 2026-10).

How many restaurants are in the 2026 Seoul Gourmet 100 and how many are new?

The 2026 Seoul Gourmet 100 has 100 places in seven categories. Twenty-five of them are new this year . The counts by category are:

• Korean: 27
• Western: 23
• Asian: 15
• Grill: 10
• Café & Dessert: 9
• Vegetarian: 8
• Bar & Pub: 8

These counts come from the SMG press release .

Who picked the 100 places?

Sixty domestic food experts picked the list. They included food journalists, culinary travel experts, academic researchers, professional chefs and tourism professionals . Each expert recommended 3 places in each of the 7 categories, which is 21 places per person. The recommendations were scored with more weight for higher ranks. The final 100 were then chosen for globality, expertise and buzz . The official event site describes the panel as "Korean and international" experts. The city's press release says the experts were domestic.

Do I need tickets or reservations for Gourmet Week programs?

That has not been confirmed. Gourmet Week has four programs: Seoul Restaurant Week, Seoul Gourmet Market, Seoul Gourmet Tours and Seoul Gourmet Workshops. The sources reviewed for this article did not list 2026 prices, session times or sign-up details for any of them. SMG says schedules and sign-up instructions will be released in stages on tasteofseoul.visitseoul.net and the event's official Instagram . To book a table at one of the restaurants themselves, use the curated list that the official site links on Catch Table, Naver Map, Kakao Map and Google Maps .

Is the Seoul Café & Dessert 50 part of the Gourmet 100?

No. The Seoul Café & Dessert 50 is a new, separate list that SMG published for the first time in 2026. It is not the same as the 9 Café & Dessert places in the main 100 . Places on the 50 list were judged on four things, according to Seoul Mediahub:

• the quality of their drinks and desserts
• the experience of the space
• how popular they are with the public
• how easy they are for international visitors to use

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This article was written using information collected and analyzed by NAMANE's in-house K-pop research AI engine. We use AI technology to bring you faster, broader coverage, and in the process some details may occasionally differ from the latest facts. For important information such as dates, venues, and prices, please double-check with official sources.