Coordinates for the ‘real deal’ restaurants that will keep you well-fed on a trip to Gongju. We carefully selected only the eateries vetted by young people living in Gongju’s old town. Here are the Gongju restaurants picked by locals in their 20s to 40s, along with their reasons for recommending them.
Compiled by Parc Jinmyoung
01 Hwangtochon by Jinseo
A beef tripe hot pot spot that perfectly suits my palate as someone from Gyeongsang-do! My life in Gongju is divided into before and after Hwangtochon. When I first arrived in Gongju, every restaurant I went to seemed so bland I thought I couldn’t survive. This is the place I always take friends from out of town.
Beef tripe hot pot (small) 34,000 won 17 Meokja 3-gil, Gongju-si
02 Changgyeong Sikdang by Jaebeom
A restaurant serving stews and soup-and-rice dishes. Don’t skip the high-quality side dishes, and in summer, the seasonal makguksu (buckwheat noodles) is delicious.
Beef and rice soup 8,000 won Bibim makguksu 7,000 won 3 Daetong 2-gil, Gongju-si
03 Kongmaru Sondubu by Yonghwan
Among the many restaurants lining the Gongsanseong Fortress tourist area, this is the tastiest and most affordable. I recommend the spicy, rich tofu and seafood hot pot.
Tofu and seafood hot pot 9,000 won Spicy soft tofu stew 8,000 won 66 Neutinamu-gil, Gongju-si
04 Manbok Sikdang by Hyejeong
A hot pot restaurant famous for makchang (pork intestines). The soybean-paste-based broth is loaded with makchang, and its clean, refreshing flavor is the charm. The savory broth and tender pork intestines practically call for a drink.
Makchang hot pot (small) 20,000 won 527 Ugeumti-ro, Gongju-si
05 Bukgyeong Tangsuyuk by Namgyeong
A spot for kimchi-pizza-tangsuyuk (sweet and sour pork), which was a great comfort during my broke college days. These days it’s a dish you can find almost anywhere, but nowhere compares to Bukgyeong Tangsuyuk. Even after years away, one visit brings back the same old flavor—and the old me.
Cheese tangsuyuk (single + cola) 14,000 won 5-18 Jungdong 1-gil, Gongju-si
06 Cheongun Sikdang by Namgyeong
Gongju has many famous jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup) spots, including some ranked among the top five in the country. Among them, the jjamppong at Cheongun Sikdang has a lingering flavor. It’s not a flavor that packs an immediate punch—like pyeongyang naengmyeon, it keeps coming to mind after you walk away. The menu has only two items: jjajangmyeon and jjamppong. Rice isn’t provided, but you can buy some at the convenience store out front.
Jjajangmyeon 7,000 won Jjamppong 10,000 won 321-8 Uidang-ro, Uidang-myeon, Gongju-si
07 Buheungnu by Namgyeong
A restaurant near Sanseong Market. The fried dishes, including handmade fried dumplings, along with old-style ganjjajang (black bean sauce noodles) and fried rice, are truly delicious.
Ganjjajang 8,000 won Fried rice 8,000 won 18 Meokja 3-gil, Gongju-si
08 Overpass by Namgyeong
A café charming for its ‘rice-paddy view.’ Seeing the exterior, you’ll definitely be surprised—thinking, ‘why is a café that looks like it belongs in America here in Gongju?’ Unique menu items like the latte piled with brown cheese or tomato ice cream also give it an exotic feel.
Brown cheese latte 7,500 won Tomato ice cream 8,500 won 269 Uidang-ro, Uidang-myeon, Gongju-si
09 Gansikjip by Hyeonjeong
A snack shop inside Sanseong Market. Famous for japchae mandu (glass noodle dumplings) dipped in vinegared red pepper paste. Inside the flat, crispy-fried skin is packed full of glass noodles.
Japchae mandu (6 pieces) 3,000 won Tteokbokki 3,000 won 46 Sanseong Market 1-gil, Gongju-si
10 Tteokbokki Shop In Front Of The Medical Center by Hyeonjeong
A tteokbokki spot that reeks of deliciousness starting from its very sign. The chewy, spicy rice cakes simmered for a long time on the griddle, paired with soft fish cakes, are exquisite. Operating hours are irregular, so you’ll need a bit of luck to catch it open.
Tteokbokki 2,000 won 125 Ungjin-ro, Gongju-si
11 Jangsu Goeul by Yeseul
A home-style meal spot where neat, delicious side dishes and stone-pot rice come out in a spread that could break the table legs. Everything is delicious—stir-fried pork, stir-fried squid, cheonggukjang (fermented soybean stew), you name it.
Stir-fried pork and cheonggukjang (or doenjang stew), stone-pot rice each 12,000 won 15-4, 1F Geumgang Park-gil, Gongju-si
12 Masigi Ttongcha by Yeseul
A restaurant serving pork grilled over charcoal briquettes. The place is small, so if you don’t time your meal well, you might have to wait a long while.
Pork belly (200g) 12,000 won Assorted special cuts (200g) 12,000 won 54 Beonyeong 2-ro, Gongju-si
13 Kkau by Yeseul
An Italian restaurant where every dish is above average. Rumor has it the place used to be a beer hall, but the food menu became so popular it turned into a full restaurant. That’s how good the food is.
Duck steak 28,900 won Beef brisket oil linguine 11,900 won 58, 1F Beonyeong 3-ro, Gongju-si
14 Homebound by Yeseul
A terrine spot where the owner’s interior design sense really shines. The vintage furniture and décor, chosen with plenty of care and personal taste, are also worth seeing.
Americano 4,000 won Café latte 4,500 won 12 Sanseong 1-gil, Gongju-si
15 Gohyang Son Kalguksu by Haneul
A perilla-seed sujebi (hand-torn noodle soup) spot! There are only a few kalguksu (knife-cut noodle) restaurants in Gongju, and among them, this one’s perilla-seed sujebi is especially delicious.
Perilla-seed sujebi 8,000 won Seafood kalguksu 8,000 won 670 Muryeong-ro, Gongju-si
16 Manbok Saenggogi by Haneul
A meat restaurant with truly delicious pork belly. It’s the kind of place I’d like to keep to myself, but I’ll make a special exception and share it.
Pork belly (200g) 12,000 won Special cuts (Korean beef, 180g) 40,000 won 40-12 Beonyeong 2-ro, Gongju-si
17 Eunseong Jangeoga by Haneul
Originally a meat restaurant, it later switched to serving eel—but the memorable part is the eel’s savory flavor without any fishy smell, along with the friendly service. A restaurant that satisfied on every front.
Eel 54,000 won 6 Keunmokgol-gil, Gongju-si
