From fish porridge made with freshwater fish from the Geumgang River and a sundae soup with 75 years of history to Western dishes and trendy drinks made with local specialties like apples and blueberries—here are the restaurants and cafés that will make a trip to Muju all the more satisfying.
Words Pitch by Pitch
Photos Kim Yoonkyung
Gosom
The only Western restaurant in Muju, adding local flavor to familiar dishes like tonkatsu and pizza. Its signature Gosom Tonkatsu comes with a sauce made from Muju apples, whose sweet-and-tangy notes cut through the richness of the fried cutlet. Other dishes showcase Muju specialties too, such as the blueberry gorgonzola pizza and the pork neck steak with wild grape sauce. Set on the second floor of a building facing Namdaecheon Stream, it looks out over the river. It is a favorite among locals as well, so expect a crowd at lunchtime.
+2F, 130 Dangsangangbyeon-ro, Muju-eup, Muju-gun
Geumgang Sikdang
A freshwater fish restaurant that has stayed in the same spot for some 40 years since opening in 1986. Alongside spicy, bracing fish stews made with freshwater fish caught in the Geumgang River—catfish, mandarin fish and Korean bullhead among them—you can try eojuk, a fish porridge. Made by slowly simmering fish such as bullhead and sand gudgeon, eojuk is one of Muju’s signature local dishes. Known as the originator of Muju-style eojuk, the restaurant serves a clean, comforting bowl free of the muddy taste freshwater fish can have.
+102 Dancheon-ro, Muju-eup, Muju-gun
Namuwa Geureut
A café in Jijeon Village, Gilsan-ri, Seolcheon-myeon, where Namdaecheon Stream flows beyond wide-open fields. Follow the village’s stone-wall lanes—designated a Registered Cultural Heritage of Korea in 2006—and a lovingly kept old house and yard appear beyond a low green gate. From the main house, decorated with wooden furniture, fabrics, baskets and all kinds of objects, to an annex filled with old books and the flowers and trees in the yard, every corner shows the owner’s affectionate care. The same goes for the menu of hand-drip coffee, homemade fruit yogurt and homemade jujube tea. A gallery-shop in one corner of the café displays a range of ceramic tableware and kitchenware.
+25-2 Jijeon-gil, Seolcheon-myeon, Muju-gun
Musimwon
Opened in fall 2024 next to Bandi Land, in a remodeled building that once housed the long-neglected Baegunsan Ecological Forest exhibition hall. Filled with plants, the interior makes you feel as if you are sitting in the middle of nature. Curtains and lighting shift at set intervals to recreate Muju’s daytime and nighttime scenery. The menu, too, is divided into day and night, and drinks that highlight local character—such as the cheonma (gastrodia) cream milk tea and the wild grape iced tea—are popular.
+1338-1 Museol-ro, Seolcheon-myeon, Muju-gun
Muju Masil
A brewery café right beside Muju Gucheon Brewery, a local brewery that has passed down its craft through four generations since 1928. Along with coffee and desserts, you can enjoy Gucheon Brewery’s range of makgeolli. There are five in all: Cheontakju, made with Muju cheonma; Cheontakju The Red, brewed from only cheonma, glutinous rice and nuruk using the samyangju triple-fermentation method; Sagwa Takju, made with Muju apples; Samtakju, brewed with rice and ginseng; and a fresh, unpasteurized makgeolli. Unusual drinks also catch the eye, such as the Masil Cheongju Highball, made with the brewery’s own cheongju (clear rice wine), and the Makccino, a makgeolli slush. Bottles are displayed in one corner of the shop and available to buy.
+1F, 66 Chimajae-ro, Jeoksang-myeon, Muju-gun
Mujuhyang
A spot near Deogyusan Resort serving noodles with a distinctly Muju character. The signature dish is apple bibim-guksu, spicy mixed noodles piled high with bean sprouts, lettuce, egg strips, kimchi and seaweed. As the name suggests, it comes generously topped with julienned apple, which adds freshness to the sweet-and-tangy sauce, and the crunch is a delight. The portion is large enough to make a hearty meal. If you are craving something warm, try the janchi-guksu (noodles in broth) or mukbap (acorn jelly and rice in broth), and if you are with a group, add an order of bean sprout bulgogi.
+1077 Gucheondong-ro, Seolcheon-myeon, Muju-gun
Somunnan Sigol Sundae
A sundae-gukbap (blood sausage soup) restaurant inside Bandibul Market in downtown Muju. This long-standing eatery has been run for 75 years across three generations, from mother-in-law to daughter-in-law to grandson. The head meat is trimmed and boiled by hand, and the blood sausage is made in-house. The basic sundae-gukbap is prepared toryeom-style—the rice is warmed by pouring hot broth over it again and again—and served topped with dadaegi, a spicy seasoning paste. Mildly seasoned with no gamey smell, it tastes clean and light, closer to seonji-guk (ox blood soup) than a typical sundae soup. Portions are generous and the value is excellent. Besides sundae-gukbap, the menu offers several kinds of gukbap made with head meat, pork stomach or pork uterus, as well as makchang and offal hot pots.
+Muju Bandibul Market, 2 Jangteo-ro, Muju-eup, Muju-gun
Sujak Burineun Cafe
Set in Seochang Village at the foot of Jeoksangsan Mountain, Sujak Burineun Cafe charms visitors with a spacious terrace and a garden that takes in the full, majestic sweep of Jeoksangsan. Surrounded by open nature, it feels like being on a picnic. True to its name, which carries the sense of ‘made by hand,’ every dish is prepared with care—from house-baked potato bread and ciabatta to salads with homemade ricotta and fresh vegetables from the garden, pasta with homemade ragù and wood-fired pizza. The signature Apple Pizza That Fell for Muju pairs the sweet, tangy flavor of Muju apples beautifully with the soft, savory richness of cheese.
+101 Seochang-ro, Jeoksang-myeon, Muju-gun
Anmadang
True to its name, which means ‘inner courtyard,’ this café wraps around a spacious yard. With a neat interior, a beautiful outdoor garden and affordable coffee, there is no reason not to stop by. It looks small from the outside, but step inside and it turns out to be quite roomy—good for groups, too. It sits on a main road near the Muju County Office, not far from Bandibul Market or Muju Bus Terminal.
+84-1 Jugye-ro, Muju-eup, Muju-gun
Willow Park Coffee
In Birye Village, a cluster of large willows forms a picturesque grove. At its edge sits Willow Park Coffee, which exudes an air of somewhere far away. The café is known for desserts such as crème brûlée, milk pudding and patbingsu (shaved ice with sweet red beans), and it also serves brunch dishes like pizza and pasta. Dogs are welcome, and a lawn spreads out in front of the building with green mountain slopes rising behind it.
+252-4 Cheonggilgangbyeon-ro, Seolcheon-myeon, Muju-gun
Jingangwon
A long-standing Chinese restaurant near the Muju County Office, known among locals for its sweet-and-sour pork. Both of its popular versions are worth trying: tempura-style pork fried crisp and served without sauce, and tangsuyuk with a sweet-and-tangy ketchup sauce. The tempura stands out for its rich garlic aroma and crackling texture. The jajangmyeon and fried rice are well regarded too, and you can also try mul-jajang, a saucier take on black bean noodles that originated in Jeonju. The interior, with its old kitchen, tiled floor and well-worn furniture, has barely changed over the years and feels warmly nostalgic.
+969-1 Eumnae-ri, Muju-eup, Muju-gun
Cheonji Garden
A Korean restaurant run by a master chef who represented Jeollabuk-do on season 3 of the TV cooking competition “Hansik Daecheop” (Korean Food Battle). In business since 1990, it serves dishes such as mushroom hot pot, pork ribs braised with aged kimchi and native-breed chicken baeksuk (whole chicken soup), with sides like grilled deodeok root and seasoned acorn jelly. The sanchae bibimbap, which lets you taste a variety of Muju’s wild mountain greens, is excellent as well. Wine and soju made from Muju wild grapes are also on sale. The restaurant is fairly large, with plenty of parking. It is close to the Muju Memorial House, so we recommend visiting both.
+1313 Goemok-ro, Muju-eup, Muju-gun
